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When is rental registration or license renewal due in Columbus?
Short answer
Residential Rental Registry: register every rental property for 2027 between October 1 and December 31, 2026, then each calendar year ($15 per unit, max $1,500 per complex)
When: Due December 31, 2026 (window opens October 1)
Columbus City Code Chapter 4515 (Ordinance 0923-2026) creates a registry of residential rental properties starting with calendar year 2027. Owners or local operators must submit an application for each calendar year; the first registration window runs October 1 through December 31, 2026. The fee is $15 per unit, up to $1,500 per complex. Registered properties are subject to a preventative education inspection every three years.
"The Registry of Residential Rental Properties will be established starting with the 2027 calendar year with initial registration required beginning October 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026." columbus.legistar.com
"The Owner or Local Operator of a Residential Rental Property shall submit an application in the form and manner provided by the Department for each calendar year." columbus.legistar.com
"the fee to register a Residential Rental Property is $15.00 per unit with a maximum of $1,500.00 per complex" columbus.legistar.com
Rental registry: update within 30 days after information changes, a sale, or a property starts being rented Verified
Deadline: Within 30 days after registry information changes, the property is sold (new owner re-registers) or a property is first used as a rental
Update the registration within 30 calendar days after any required information changes. A new owner must re-register within 30 days of the transfer, and a property that newly becomes a rental must be registered within 30 days.
"The Owner or Local Operator must update their registration within thirty (30) calendar days of the date that any required information has changed." columbus.legistar.com
"If a Residential Rental Property is sold to a new owner, the new owner must re-register the property within thirty (30) days of the transfer in ownership." columbus.legistar.com
"A new Residential Rental Property must be registered in accordance with this section within thirty (30) days of being used as a Residential Rental Property." columbus.legistar.com
Notes: Columbus City Code 4515.05(B)-(D) (Ordinance 0923-2026).
Last verified 2026-10-24 · Confidence: high · Status: verified · Report a correction
Residential Rental Registry: register every rental property for 2027 between October 1 and December 31, 2026, then each calendar year ($15 per unit, max $1,500 per complex) Verified
Deadline: Due December 31, 2026 (window opens October 1)
Columbus City Code Chapter 4515 (Ordinance 0923-2026) creates a registry of residential rental properties starting with calendar year 2027. Owners or local operators must submit an application for each calendar year; the first registration window runs October 1 through December 31, 2026. The fee is $15 per unit, up to $1,500 per complex. Registered properties are subject to a preventative education inspection every three years.
"The Registry of Residential Rental Properties will be established starting with the 2027 calendar year with initial registration required beginning October 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026." columbus.legistar.com
"The Owner or Local Operator of a Residential Rental Property shall submit an application in the form and manner provided by the Department for each calendar year." columbus.legistar.com
"the fee to register a Residential Rental Property is $15.00 per unit with a maximum of $1,500.00 per complex" columbus.legistar.com
Notes: Columbus City Code 4515.04 and Section 2 of Ordinance 0923-2026 (status: passed), from the City of Columbus legislative record (columbus.legistar.com). The ordinance requires an application for each calendar year but does not set a due date for 2028 and later years, so only the 2026 window is dated; check the Department of Building and Zoning Services for later deadlines. Some properties are exempt under 4515.04(A).
Last verified 2026-10-24 · Confidence: high · Status: verified · Report a correction