Attention all landlords! In accordance with the City of Boston’s Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance, all rental property owners are required to register their private rental units with the Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD) each year by July 1st. There are three ways to register.
The purpose of the Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance is to ensure that all rental units are safe, sanitary and comply with the Massachusetts State Sanitary Code. In addition, the registration program allows the department to clearly identify landlords and ensure property owners are aware of rental housing regulations.
If you don’t register and pay the fee by the deadline, you may be charged a penalty of $300 each month until you do. If you haven’t registered your property, you’ll want to do so right away as you will need to pay registration fees back to 2013. Once the property is registered, the City of Boston will have it inspected at least once ever five years.
You still have to register even if:
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Your property is vacant or being renovated
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Your tenants are relatives who are 18 or older and not on the deed
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You don’t collect rent on the unit
You don’t have to register if the property is:
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Owned by a City, state, or federal agency
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It’s a rooming house, dorm, or lodging house (with valid license)
Step One – Paying the Fees
You will need to pay a fee to register your property. The fees are:
The most that you will have to pay if $2,500 for each building, or $5,000 foe each complex you own. Payment can be completed through American Express, Master Card, Visa, and Discover. Register via the link below.
Completing the Application (Online)
To register, you will need to have:
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The contact information for the property owner (if the owner lives outside of Massachusetts, they must pick a Boston-area person who the City of Boston can contact in an emergency).
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The contact information for the property manager, if applicable
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The number of…
