Ohio landlord rules, in plain English

Independent guides for landlords with a handful of rental units, starting with Columbus. Every fee, deadline and statute number on this site is traced to a page we read: the Ohio Revised Code, a city code or ordinance, or a court clerk's own documents.

Start here

• Columbus rental registry (2026)Who registers, the $15 per unit fee, the October 1 to December 31, 2026 window, and what the inspection covers.
• Ohio cities that require registrationA table of cities with rental registration or licensing, each row linked to an official page.
• Ohio eviction processSteps and timing under ORC Chapter 1923, plus Franklin County court costs.
• Ohio 3-day noticeWhat ORC 1923.04 requires, how it can be delivered, and common mistakes.
• Ohio security deposit rulesInterest, the 30-day itemized list and the penalty for withholding, from ORC 5321.16.

How this site works

• Primary sources first. When news stories disagreed, as they did on the Columbus registry fee, we went to the ordinance text and the city's fee schedule.
• If we could not confirm it, we say so. A missing number means we could not find it in an official source.
• A dated check. Each guide shows when it was last checked and lists every source URL at the bottom.
• No legal forms. We link to official court forms and do not sell or fill in templates.

This is an independent informational site, not a law firm. Read more on the about page, and see how the site may earn money on the disclosure page.