Justice Ch. 8 Art. XII Annual Inspection for Residential Apartment Units (§§8-501–8-516) § 8-508
License To Operate Multi-Family Rental Structure
Operative Text
(a) License To Operate Multi-Family Rental Structure: (1) It is unlawful for any person to operate, maintain or offer to rent, within the village, a multi-family rental structure whether vacant or not, without first obtaining a license as provided in this article. The license shall be issued only to an "inspection group" (a building or group of buildings on the same parcel of land, owned by the same property owner). (2) It is unlawful for a person to enter into a lease, either as lessor or lessee, for a multi-family rental structure if the premises is posted as being unlicensed or having a revoked license. (3) It is unlawful for any person to occupy, renew a lease, offer for rent or permit occupancy of any vacant dwelling unit or any dwelling unit that becomes vacant in an inspection group that is unlicensed or while a license is under revocation. (4) These licensing requirements shall not apply to the following structures: a. Hotels and motels which rent rooms to occupants who typically make use of the facilities for a period of less than thirty (30) days. b. Nursing homes, retirement centers and rest homes which are subject to licensing and inspection by the state or the federal government. (5) A license for a multi-family structure cannot be transferred to another multi-family rental structure nor to a succeeding owner. (b) License Application: (1) Each applicant for a license to maintain a multi-family rental structure shall file a written application with the building department stating: a. The full legal name, address, and home and work telephone numbers of each and every legal and beneficial owner. b. The address of the multi-family rental structure. c. The number of dwelling units within the structure. d. In the case of an owner who is not a resident of the village then either: 1. The name, address and phone number of a duly authorized agent within the village with authority to accept service or notice of a violation; or 2. A statement by the owner that service by regular mail upon the owner at the address stated in the application will be considered sufficient service for all purposes. (2) All license fees shall be due and payable on or before June 1 of each year. All licenses shall expire on May 31, next after the date of issue. (3) Each license application shall be accompanied by a fee as set forth in section 13-1 of this code, per unit for multi-family rental structures. If an application for renewal of an existing license is received after June 1, the fee shall be increased to that rate per unit as specified in section 13-1 of this code for late fees. (4) Whenever there is a change in the ownership of a multi-family rental structure or a change in the owner's property agent, the owners shall, within fifteen (15) days of such change, file a written notice with the building department indicating such change. (5) Application for license renewal shall be made in the same manner as a new application except that the application shall state that it is for renewal. (Ord. 98-10, § 1, 3-9-1998; Ord. 2003-09, § 1, 4-14-2003; Ord. 2006-02, § 4, 1-9-2006; Ord. 2013-03, § 1, 3-25-2013; Ord. 2016-20, § 1, 5-23-2016)
Justice Ch. 8 Art. XII § 8-508 establishes a mandatory licensing regime for multi-family rental structures within the village, making it unlawful to operate, maintain, offer to rent, or occupy such a structure without a valid license. Licenses are issued to an "inspection group" — a building or group of buildings on the same parcel owned by the same owner — and cannot be transferred to a new structure or a new owner. Certain facilities, such as hotels, motels, nursing homes, and state- or federally-licensed retirement centers, are exempt from these requirements. License fees are due by June 1 each year, and late renewals trigger an increased fee as set by the village fee schedule.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Justice Ch. 8 Art. XII § 8-508, compliant operators of multi-family rental structures obtain and maintain a current license through the village building department before operating, renting, or allowing occupancy of any unit. Operators file a written application disclosing all legal and beneficial owners, the property address, and unit count, and — if the owner resides outside the village — designate an authorized local agent or consent to mail service. License fees are paid on or before June 1 each year to avoid the late-fee rate, and any change in ownership or property agent is reported to the building department in writing within 15 days of that change.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Justice Ch. 8 Art. XII § 8-508 provides that it is unlawful for any person — including a prospective tenant — to enter into a lease for a multi-family unit that is posted as unlicensed or as having a revoked license, which means tenants have a basis to verify a property's license status before signing. If a unit is in an unlicensed or license-revoked inspection group, occupying or renewing a lease there is also prohibited under this section, which may be relevant to a tenant's understanding of their situation. Tenants who believe a property is being operated without the required license can contact the village building department to inquire about compliance status, or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance on available options.
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 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
Rules and statutes cited by this regulation
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.