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Allentown, PA Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Initial inspection: Required before license issues, § 455-7.A
Deficiency notice: Mailed within 10 business days
Correction window: 30 calendar days per inspection
Routine reinspection cycle: At most once every 5 years
Unfit units: Ordered vacated immediately, § 455-7.D
Illegal occupancy penalty: Up to $1,000/unit per month
No-show fee: $100 first 3 units, $25 each more

Summary

Every Allentown rental unit must pass a Bureau of Building Standards and Safety inspection before its residential rental license issues, then face a routine reinspection at least once every five years. Inspectors check compliance with City housing, zoning and property maintenance standards, and owners get 30 days to fix any deficiency the inspector documents in writing.

A. Every rental unit is required to pass inspection as a postcondition to the issuance of a residential rental license, for the purpose of ascertaining that the unit complies with City of Allentown housing and property maintenance standards. B. After receipt of a complete application and issuance of a residential rental license, the owner/operator/responsible agent shall schedule an inspection within a timeframe established by the Bureau of Building Standards and Safety. ... C. ...the Bureau of Building Standards and Safety shall notify the owner/operator/responsible agent in writing of the deficiencies within 10 business days of the inspection via first-class mail. The owner must correct all deficiencies within 30 calendar days of any inspection, unless otherwise cited by code official. D. Unfit for human habitation. If, at any time, the residential rental unit is determined to be unfit for human habitation, the unit shall be ordered vacated and remain vacant until the violation is corrected.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4995055; v49 updated 2026-06-26; through 06-26-2026).

Full Breakdown

Chapter 455, Article II of the Property Maintenance Code makes inspection a condition of licensing every residential rental unit in Allentown. B directs the owner, operator or responsible agent to schedule that inspection within the timeframe the Bureau of Building Standards and Safety sets once the license application is complete; the inspector confirms compliance with City housing, zoning and property maintenance standards. C requires the Bureau to mail written notice within 10 business days, and the owner then has 30 calendar days from any inspection to correct the problems unless the code official sets a different deadline.

D creates the strongest tool in the article: a unit found unfit for human habitation must be ordered vacated on the spot, and if a reinspection 10 calendar days after the violation notice still shows the defect uncorrected, the City revokes the residential rental license and the unit stays empty until both the defect is fixed and the license restored. I requires owners to give two business days' notice of any schedule change; missing that window means an exterior-only inspection counts as the visit and triggers a no-show fee. H must also happen within 30 calendar days.

Violations & Fines

Renting without a valid license because a unit never passed inspection is a summary offense under § 455-15.A, punishable by up to $1,000 per unit for each month the unit stays unregistered. No-show fees under § 455-14.D run $100 per unit for the first three units and $25 per additional unit; a license revoked for uncorrected violations carries a $100 reinstatement fee under § 455-14.E.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my Allentown rental need an inspection every year?

No. Once a unit passes its initial licensing inspection under § 455-7.A, the City's systematic program reinspects it no more than once every five years, per § 455-7.E, unless a tenant complaint or the code official's own probable cause triggers an earlier visit.

How much notice does the City give before a reinspection?

Section 455-7.F requires at least 30 calendar days' written notice for a routine reinspection, unless the owner and the public officer mutually agree to a different date. Owners must then give the City two business days' notice of any change under § 455-7.I.

What happens if my rental fails inspection?

Section 455-7.C gives the Bureau of Building Standards and Safety 10 business days to mail written notice of the deficiencies, and the owner then has 30 calendar days to correct them. A unit found unfit for human habitation under § 455-7.D is ordered vacated immediately and stays empty until the defect is fixed.

What if I miss my scheduled inspection appointment?

Section 455-7.I requires two business days' notice of any change. Without it, the code official performs an exterior-only inspection that counts as your first inspection, and § 455-14.D adds a no-show fee of $100 for each of the first three units and $25 for every additional unit.

Sources & Official References

[1]City of Allentown, PA Code - Article II: Licensing Residential Rental Units (eCode360)

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