Worcester Rev. Ordinances ch. 9 § 9-18

Amended July 16, 2024 – 1269

(a) A Rental Property Registration Program is hereby established to promote public
health and safety; to maintain an inventory of the City’s rented buildings and lots; and to

provide first responders with as much information as possible about buildings and lots when
responding to emergencies.

(b) Definitions: As used in this section, the following terms are defined:

dwelling – A building and its attendant premises designed and used in whole or in part for
human habitation.

lot– A single and contiguous parcel of land, whether improved or unimproved.

(c) The following types of real property that are rented or leased to others shall be
registered with the Department of Inspectional Services’ Rental Property Registration
Program:

(1) Single family dwellings that are not occupied by the owner(s);
(2) All other rental dwellings, including two-family, three-family, and multi-family
dwellings;
(3) Commercial, retail, office or industrial rented space or units;
(4) Lots that are rented for commercial purposes.

(d) Exemptions.
(1) Two-family and three-family dwellings in which the owner(s) reside in one of the
units shall be exempt from the requirements of this § 18; and

(2) Newly developed dwellings listed in subsection (c) (1) and (2) receiving
occupancy permits on or after September 29, 2022, shall be exempt from the
requirement to register said dwellings for a period of five (5) years from the date of
the occupancy permit. Provided, however, that upon change of ownership at any
time during the five-year period, the new owner must register the dwellings within
thirty (30) days of taking ownership.

(e) A comprehensive list of rental properties that are exempted from this list by other
laws, rules or regulations shall be maintained and kept on file in the offices of the
Inspectional Services Department and featured on the Department’s web page.

(f) Fees for Rental Property Registration shall be as follows:
(1) First-time or new registration for dwellings, commercial, retail, office: $15.00 per
unit.
(2) Annual renewal for dwellings, commercial, retail, office: $5.00 per unit.
(3) First-time or new registration for a lot: $25.00.
(4) Annual renewal for a lot: $15.00.
(5) For all registrations and fees completed online, a 10% discount will be given.
(6) A new registration form and fee will be required upon change in ownership.

(g) Owners or their agents shall supply all information required on the Rental Property
Registration Form. The form will be available on the City of Worcester website or at the
Inspectional Services Department.

(h) If a Rental Property is owned by anyone other than an individual person or persons,
such as a corporate entity, financial institution, association, religious organization, trust, or
other such entity, the registrant must provide the name, address and telephone number of the
primary contact person for the Rental Property.

(i) When an owner or primary contact person resides more than 60 miles away from the
Rental Property, the owner or primary contact person must appoint a representative who
lives less than 60 miles away from the Rental Property to make decisions or rectify
emergencies in a timely manner. All required information regarding the representative must
be provided on the Rental Property Registration Form.

(j) Enforcement – Failure to comply with any provisions of this section will result in a
fine equal to double the applicable registration or renewal fee for each month of
noncompliance. This section may be enforced by civil process, criminal process or non-
criminal process, including injunctive relief.