Bloomington, IN Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)
Key Facts
- Inspection timing
- At least 60 days before permit expires
- New construction
- Inspected immediately before first occupancy
- Saturday slots
- July 1 to Sept 30, first-come
- Permit lengths
- 3, 4, or 5 years
- Enforcing agency
- HAND department
Summary
In the City of Bloomington, every residential rental unit must undergo a HAND department cycle inspection at least sixty days before its occupancy permit expires, under Bloomington Municipal Code § 16.03.040(a). Newly constructed rental units get a cycle inspection immediately before they're first occupied, with limited Saturday scheduling each summer.
16.03.040 - Inspections. (a)Each residential rental unit and premises located within the city shall be scheduled to receive a cycle inspection conducted by the HAND department at least sixty days prior to the expiration of its occupancy permit to establish compliance with this title. Properties scheduled to be inspected more than six months prior to the expiration of the current occupancy permit shall receive a new occupancy permit with an expiration date of when compliance was achieved as a result of the most recent cycle inspection.(b)Each newly constructed residential rental unit and premises located within the city shall receive a cycle inspection conducted by the HAND department immediately prior to said unit being occupied. Limited Saturday cycle inspection scheduling is available on a first come first serve basis for newly constructed residential rental units and premises from July 1 st through September 30 th of each year.
Full Breakdown
Section 16.03.040(a) requires HAND to schedule a cycle inspection of every residential rental unit and its premises at least sixty days before the current occupancy permit expires, to confirm the unit still complies with Title 16. If HAND inspects a property more than six months ahead of its permit's expiration, the unit instead gets a new occupancy permit dated from when compliance was actually achieved at that inspection, rather than waiting out the old permit's calendar. Subsection (b) covers brand-new construction: a newly built residential rental unit gets its cycle inspection immediately before it is first occupied, and HAND offers limited Saturday inspection slots on a first-come, first-served basis for new construction between July 1st and September 30th each year.
The length of the occupancy permit that follows a cycle inspection depends on the result. Under § 16.03.030(e), a unit that fails to schedule its inspection on time, or that isn't brought into compliance within sixty days of a violation notice, receives only a three-year permit; a unit with a clean cycle inspection, or one that timely corrects its violations, moves up to a four-year permit; and new construction with no violations under Chapters 16.07, 16.08 and 17.16, or a unit stepping up from a four-year permit with a clean or timely-corrected inspection, can earn a five-year permit. Fees for the inspection itself are set annually by the Board of Public Works under § 16.03.080 and are discounted for public housing, Section 8 and other low-income units.
Violations & Fines
A residential rental unit occupied without a valid occupancy permit issued after a cycle inspection is a Title 16 violation carrying the general civil penalty in § 16.10.030(a), up to $2,500, and HAND can withhold or revoke the occupancy permit under § 16.10.040(g)(1) until the unit passes inspection. Fines for most Title 16 violations only start accruing once the correction deadline in the inspection notice expires.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bloomington
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