Columbus rental registry (2026): what small landlords need to know

Last checked: October 15, 2026

Columbus City Council passed a rental registry in April 2026. This page reads the ordinance itself and the city's fee schedule, not news summaries, because the press reports disagreed on the fee and on inspections.

What passed, and where to read it

Ordinance 0923-2026 enacts Chapter 4515 of the Columbus City Codes, "Registry of Residential Rental Properties." The city's Legistar record shows the Council approved it on April 20, 2026, the Mayor signed it on April 22 and the City Clerk attested it on April 23. The Legistar history does not list a separate effective date, and the ordinance says it takes effect "from and after the earliest period allowed by law."

The ordinance text is the controlling document. If a news story or a law-firm summary says something different, trust the text and the city's published fee schedule.

Who must register

Under section 4515.04, the owner or the "Local Operator" of a Residential Rental Property must submit an application for each calendar year. A Residential Rental Property is a single building or a rental complex, or the portions of it, that contain one or more dwelling units leased or rented to tenants. A single rented house counts.

The same section excludes:

• Vacant properties that fall under the Vacant Building Registry (Chapter 4517).
• Properties or portions subject to hotel, motel or short-term rental permit rules (Chapter 598).
• Dormitories as defined in section 3303.04.
• Facilities licensed under Chapter 4561.

"Owner" is defined broadly. It includes the owner of record on the county auditor's tax list, a land contract purchaser, and anyone with charge, care or control of the premises as agent, trustee, receiver or similar.

Fees (with sources)

Section 4515.11 says the fees are non-refundable, are set in the fee schedule, and cannot go to the city's general fund. They are limited to registry administration, inspections, enforcement and nuisance abatement.

You may have seen other numbers, such as a $5 fee or a "$10 daily minimum" penalty. Neither appears in the ordinance text or the fee schedule I read, so this site does not use them.

Deadlines

• Initial registration: October 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026, for the 2027 calendar year (Ordinance section 2). The registry starts with calendar year 2027.
• Changes: update the registration within 30 calendar days of any change to the required information (section 4515.05(B)).
• Sale of the property: the new owner must re-register within 30 days of the transfer (4515.05(C)).
• New rental: register within 30 days of the property first being used as a rental (4515.05(D)).
• Every year after that: the application is "for each calendar year" (4515.04).

The ordinance does not give a specific yearly renewal date after the first window. The city has not published that detail where I could find it. Check columbus.gov before the end of 2027.

What you have to submit

Section 4515.05 lists the required information. In plain terms:

• All county parcel numbers, the property address (or the complex name and primary address), and the number of dwellings and units.
• The owner's name, mailing address, phone and email. If an LLC, corporation, partnership, trust or estate owns it, you also give contact details for a named individual such as a member, manager, officer or trustee.
• At least one Local Operator, meaning an individual who has charge of the building and lives within 100 miles of Columbus. A property manager with a valid Ohio real estate license can qualify regardless of where they live, and must give the license number.
• An emergency contact, if different from the owner or Local Operator.
• Information about shared systems, such as hot water, heat, fire suppression, fire alarm panels, interior hallways, shared balconies and lobbies.
• An affirmation that critical building systems are operational and compliant with housing, health and fire codes.

Small owners. An owner of fewer than ten units does not have to name a Local Operator, but must sign a statement on the city's form that they own no more than ten units in Columbus, personally or through an entity. The text says "less than ten" in one place and "no more than ten" in another. Confirm the line with the city if you own exactly ten.

Inspections

Section 4515.07 sets a Preventative Education Inspection (PEI) every three years for all registered properties. Its stated purpose is to identify possible code concerns and educate the owner. The inspector may access the exterior, common areas such as hallways and lobbies, and shared mechanical systems such as boilers, panels and fire alarm equipment.

The PEI does not include the interior of individual dwelling units unless the tenant or the owner or Local Operator asks for it. For a small landlord with a single house or a duplex, that means the routine inspection is limited largely to the exterior and any shared areas or systems.

A different track applies to problem properties. Under section 4515.09 the Director can place a property in "conditional status" if, for example, a property of up to 100 units gets 5 or more qualifying Notices of Violation in 12 months, or there are unresolved orders on critical building systems. A conditional property can be inspected by the city, including up to 10% of its units, and may need a remediation plan. Conditional status lasts up to 12 months and can be appealed to the Property Maintenance Appeals Board.

Refusing an inspection does not bring a criminal penalty or a denied certificate of occupancy by itself, but the city may seek an administrative warrant from a court (sections 4515.09(C)(5) and 4515.13).

Penalties

It is unlawful to fail to comply with the chapter (4515.99). The process starts with a Notice of Violation under Chapter 4509. If you do not comply by the date in the notice, a civil penalty of $2.00 per dwelling unit per day may apply, and the Director can sue in the Environmental Division of the Franklin County Municipal Court to collect (4515.995). You can appeal a Notice of Violation to the Property Maintenance Appeals Board, which pauses enforcement, though penalties keep accruing while the appeal runs.

How to register

The ordinance says to register "on a form, or in the manner approved by the Department." As of the date above, I could not find a columbus.gov page that explains the registration portal or links a form. The Building and Zoning Services page lists the Vacant Property Registry and short-term rental permits but not the rental registry. The city has not published step-by-step registration instructions where I could reach them; check columbus.gov and the Building and Zoning Services page before you file.

What to do now

1. List every rented unit you own in the city of Columbus, with parcel numbers.
2. Decide who will be the owner contact, the Local Operator (if you own ten or more units) and the emergency contact.
3. Watch columbus.gov for the registration portal before December 31, 2026.
4. Read the neighboring guides on other Ohio cities' registries if you own property outside Columbus, and see the eviction process for Franklin County costs.