Lansing — Ch. 16 Art. XIII Lansing Rental Housing Program § 16-617
Inspection required
Operative Text
All property manager/owners shall be required to have their units inspected by the Lansing Building and/or fire departments prior to obtaining initial license, and before a new tenant occupies a unit. It is the responsibility of the manager/owner of the property to schedule the inspection. If property owners fail to complete the required inspection after two attempts, the property will be considered in violation of the ordinance and a citation will be issued to the owner, with fines not to exceed $750.00. No residential rental license shall be issued or renewed unless the dwelling unit(s) and common area(s) in connection with which the license is sought are found after inspection to meet all applicable laws and regulations. These inspections are for the purpose of insuring life safety, and sanitary conditions, and to maintain compliance with the Village of Lansing Building Ordinance. These inspections will be conducted by the Village of Lansing Building and/or Fire Departments. Rental dwelling units that change ownership shall be required to be inspected before a new license can be issued. The owner will be provided with an inspection report describing any condition which constitutes a violation of any applicable law or regulation, and shall be afforded reasonable opportunity to correct any such conditions. In the event that more than two inspections are required to determine compliance, subsequent, re-inspections of properties shall include reinspection fees of $150.00 per inspection. Payment must be made in full prior to issuance of the license. The owner or owner's agent must accompany the inspector from the Village of Lansing during the inspection. Failure to maintain a scheduled inspection, or to accompany the village's inspection personnel during an inspection will be considered a failed inspection. Once a rental unit has passed initial inspections, a license must be obtained from the village clerk's office within 30 days. Any property owner not obtaining a license from the village clerk's office within 30 days will be issued a citation.
Under Lansing Ch. 16 Art. XIII § 16-617, all residential rental units must be inspected by the Village of Lansing Building and/or Fire Departments before an initial license is issued, before a new tenant moves in, and whenever ownership changes hands. A rental license cannot be issued or renewed unless the unit and common areas pass inspection and meet all applicable laws and regulations. If an owner fails to complete the required inspection after two attempts, a citation and fines of up to $750.00 may be issued, and any re-inspections beyond two carry a $150.00 fee each. Once a unit passes inspection, the owner has 30 days to obtain a license from the village clerk's office or face an additional citation.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 16-617 of the Lansing Rental Housing Program, compliant property managers and owners proactively schedule inspections with the Village of Lansing Building and/or Fire Departments before issuing a new tenancy, before seeking an initial license, and whenever the property changes ownership. The owner or their authorized agent is required to be present and accompany the inspector throughout the visit — missing a scheduled inspection or failing to accompany inspectors is treated as a failed inspection. Operators who need more than two inspections to achieve compliance should budget for $150.00 reinspection fees per additional visit, and should plan to apply for the rental license at the village clerk's office within 30 days of passing inspection to avoid a citation.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 16-617 of the Lansing Rental Housing Program establishes that a rental unit must pass a life-safety and sanitary inspection by the Village of Lansing Building and/or Fire Departments before a new tenant occupies it, and no license can be issued or renewed without that inspection being passed. Tenants can check whether a unit holds a valid rental license, since the law prohibits a license from being issued or renewed for a unit that has not met all applicable standards. If a tenant believes their unit was rented without the required inspection or a valid license, they may consider contacting the Village of Lansing Building Department, consulting a local tenant-rights organization, or raising the licensing violation through available local complaint channels.
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 6, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation