Bellingham, WA Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration required since
- August 1, 2015
- Inspection interval
- at least every 3 years
- Civil infraction, days 1-10
- $200 per day
- Civil infraction, day 11+
- $500 per day
- Falsified certificate
- gross misdemeanor
Summary
Bellingham requires every residential rental property to register with the city and undergo a safety inspection at least once every three years under its rental registration and safety inspection program.
Beginning on August 1, 2015, no person shall make available for rent, or rent, lease, or let, to the public any residential housing unit without registering and maintaining registration of the rental property at which the unit is located. ... All rental properties will be inspected prior to submitting the initial application for residential rental registration and at least once every three years.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-06-015, passed June 1, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Since August 1, 2015, BMC Chapter 6.15 has required landlords to register every residential rental property with the city of Bellingham before renting, leasing, or letting a housing unit, with limited exceptions such as owner-occupied buildings of two units or less, government-subsidized housing already inspected periodically, and owner-occupied ADUs. Registered properties must also produce a certificate of inspection from a qualified rental housing inspector or city building code enforcement officer at least once every three years, verifying compliance with the building code, fire code, and habitability standards. The city can order additional inspections following a code-violation complaint, up to 100 percent of units on a property.
Violations & Fines
Violations are civil infractions: up to $200 per day for the first 10 days and $500 per day thereafter; knowingly submitting a falsified certificate of inspection is a gross misdemeanor under BMC 6.15.150.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all Bellingham rental units need to register with the city?
How often are Bellingham rental units inspected?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bellingham
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