Worcester Rev. Ordinances ch. 9 § 9-19
Rental Dwelling Unit Periodic Inspections
Operative Text
Amended July 16, 2024 – 1270
(a) Inspections of residential rental units are required under this section to ensure
compliance with State Sanitary Code (105 CMR §400.00 et. seq.). Buildings with more than
two (2) residential rental units are also required to have a Certificate of Inspection under the
State Building Code (780 CMR §110.7). This section establishes guidelines and frequency for
all such inspections. This section does not limit the ability of any inspector to make other
inspections of residential rental units as needed in accordance with State Statutes and Codes.
(b) As used in this section, the following terms are defined:
State Sanitary Code – shall refer to Chapters I and II of the State Sanitary Code,
105 CMR §400.00 et. seq., and Massachusetts General Law c. 111.
Massachusetts State Building Code – shall refer to 780 CMR.
Table 110 : Schedule for Periodic Inspections of Existing Buildings – shall refer to
780 CMR 110.7, Table 110 which provides the required frequency for inspections
of existing buildings and structures and parts thereof.
(c) All non-owner occupied residential rental units within the city of Worcester will be
inspected under the State Sanitary Code at least every 5 years, and more frequently if
necessary, and such inspections will be coordinated with periodic inspections under the State
Building Code, 780 CMR 110.7 to the greatest extent practicable.
(d) Owner occupied two and three family dwellings exempt from registration pursuant to
§ 18(d)(1) shall also be exempted from State Sanitary Code inspections pursuant to this section.
(e) Newly developed residential rental units exempt from registration pursuant to §
18(d)(2), shall also be exempted from State Sanitary Code inspections pursuant to § 19(c) for
the corresponding five-year period, provided there is no change in ownership.
(f) A comprehensive list of residential rental units 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.
(g) The Inspectional Services Department will maintain a database of Residential Rental
Unit Inspections. The inspection fees shall be as follows:
(i) Inspection: $50.00 per unit.
(ii) First re-inspection after a failed inspection: no fee.
(iii) Second re-inspection: $100.00 per unit.
(iv) First missed inspection: no fee.
(v) Second missed inspection: $100.00 per unit. After two missed inspections the
building owner may be subject to orders issued under the State Sanitary
Code.
(vi) Second failed inspection: $100.00 per unit. After two failed inspections the
building owner may be subject to orders issued under the State Sanitary
Code.
(h) Building owners are responsible for obtaining consent from tenants/occupants for any
inspections and for scheduling the inspection by requesting an inspection through the
Inspectional Services Department’s online portal, in person or by phone. The owner or
owners’ representative must be present during inspections.
(i) Enforcement – Failure to comply with any provision of this section may be subject to
a fine of two hundred ($200.00) dollars for each month of noncompliance. This section may
be enforced by civil process, criminal process or non-criminal process, including injunctive
relief. Noncompliant properties will be available on a public database list as non-certified
rental units, and subject to additional penalties including loss of certificate of occupancy for
any un-inspected units.Worcester Rev. Ordinances ch. 9 § 9-19 establishes a citywide periodic inspection program for non-owner-occupied residential rental units, requiring State Sanitary Code inspections at least once every five years and coordinating those inspections with State Building Code requirements where possible. Certain properties — including qualifying owner-occupied two- and three-family dwellings and newly developed units — are exempt from these scheduled inspections under defined conditions. The ordinance sets a fee schedule for inspections, re-inspections, and missed appointments, and authorizes enforcement through fines, civil or criminal process, and public listing of non-certified units.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Worcester Rev. Ordinances ch. 9 § 9-19, compliant rental property owners generally schedule their units for State Sanitary Code inspection at least every five years through the Inspectional Services Department's online portal, by phone, or in person, and ensure that either they or an authorized representative are present during the inspection. Owners are responsible for obtaining tenant or occupant consent before an inspection takes place. Operators familiar with this section also track re-inspection and missed-inspection fees — which escalate after a second occurrence — and are aware that repeated failures or missed appointments can trigger State Sanitary Code enforcement orders, loss of certificate of occupancy, and public listing as a non-certified rental unit.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Worcester Rev. Ordinances ch. 9 § 9-19 gives tenants a role in the inspection process: a building owner is required to obtain your consent before an inspection of your unit can proceed, meaning you have a say in scheduling. If you believe your unit has not been inspected as required, or that your landlord is not complying with this section, you may contact the Worcester Inspectional Services Department, which maintains a public database of non-certified rental units and has authority to enforce the ordinance. Tenant-rights organizations in Massachusetts can also help you understand how this inspection framework intersects with your broader housing rights under the State Sanitary Code.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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