Alton CHAPTER 21 REGULATION OF RENTAL DWELLING UNITS § 4-21-4
REGISTRATION OF INDIVIDUAL DWELLING UNIT
Operative Text
A. Each individual dwelling unit in the City owned by a landlord who is required to be licensed under this chapter must be registered with the City as belonging to or managed by the licensed landlord. The registration must include the location of each dwelling unit, its address, legal owner, every beneficial owner, and must include a copy of the latest occupancy permit for that dwelling unit issued by the City of Alton. Reasonable evidence of ownership may be required to be presented by landlord. A landlord shall not be required to register his or her personal permanent residence unless rented to another party for any period of time. B. For each residential dwelling unit required to be registered by the landlord pursuant to this section, an annual fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) shall be due and payable to the City of Alton except as herein provided. If a landlord and all beneficial owners of a dwelling unit hold no interest in any other dwelling unit rented or offered for rent for occupancy in the City of Alton, all fees as for that landlord license and registration shall be waived. C. All residential dwelling unit registration fees shall be on a calendar basis with no proration as to when a dwelling unit is registered or occupied within a calendar year. The City may inspect any dwelling unit annually at a reasonable time upon agreement with the occupants to assure compliance with all applicable City codes and regulations. Should the applicants refuse access to the City for an inspection, the City may apply to the Circuit Court for an administrative search warrant upon a proper showing of cause to the court. D. It shall be unlawful for any person required to be licensed as a landlord to permit any residential dwelling unit to be occupied unless the landlord is licensed and the individual dwelling unit is registered with the appropriate registration fee paid. In addition the occupancy permit required by title 9, chapter 2 of this Code shall be required. E. No residential dwelling unit may hereinafter be rented or leased to a new occupant unless it is registered to a properly licensed landlord as required by this chapter. (Ord. 7674, 12-19-2018, eff. 1-1-2019)
Alton CHAPTER 21 § 4-21-4 establishes a registration requirement for individual rental dwelling units within the city. Every landlord who holds a license under the chapter must register each rental unit with the City of Alton, providing the unit's address, legal and beneficial ownership information, and a copy of the most recent occupancy permit. An annual registration fee of $20 per unit applies, though landlords and beneficial owners who hold no interest in any other rental unit in the city may have both the license and registration fees waived. No rental unit may lawfully be occupied by a new tenant unless it is registered to a properly licensed landlord with the applicable fee paid.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Alton § 4-21-4, compliant rental property operators register each individual dwelling unit with the City of Alton, submitting accurate ownership details and a current occupancy permit for every unit they rent or offer for rent. Operators pay the $20 annual registration fee on a calendar-year basis and keep registrations current, since allowing a unit to be occupied without a valid registration and paid fee is expressly unlawful under this section. Landlords who, along with all beneficial owners, hold no interest in any other rental unit in Alton may qualify for a full waiver of both the license and registration fees as provided in § 4-21-4(B).
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Alton § 4-21-4 gives tenants a basis to verify that their dwelling unit is properly registered with the City and that their landlord holds a valid license before or during occupancy, since renting an unregistered unit to a new occupant is prohibited under this section. Tenants who have concerns about whether their unit meets these requirements may contact the City of Alton directly to inquire about registration status or occupancy permit records. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Alton's rental regulations can help explain what options may be available, including raising a registration violation as a relevant issue in housing proceedings.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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