Clinton Township, MI Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard cycle
- Every 2 years minimum
- New construction grace period
- 2 years after certificate of occupancy
- Faster inspection triggers
- Complaint, warrant, sale, lease consent clause
- Inspection scope
- Visual, non-destructive; interior, exterior, common areas
- Compliant result
- License issued within 10 days
- Noncompliance path
- Reinspection deadline, then license denial/suspension
- Enforcer
- Building Official, Building Department
Summary
Clinton Township's Rental Housing Registration, Licensing and Inspection Ordinance puts every licensed rental unit on a recurring inspection cycle. The Building Department must inspect each leasehold at least once every two years, and can inspect sooner after a tenant complaint, a change of ownership, or an administrative search warrant.
(a) All premises for rent or lease as defined in this chapter will be subject to inspection by the Building Department at a minimum of every two years, upon the transfer of ownership, or upon discovery of a failure to register. (b) Neither the common areas nor the dwelling or rooming units in structures newly constructed shall be further inspected after the completion and issuance of a certificate of occupancy for a period of two years from the date of the said certificate, unless the Township has notice that unit is not meeting minimum requirements of the Township ordinances or State codes. Thereafter said units shall be inspected in accordance with the requirements of this chapter. (c) Inspections may occur more frequently than every two years where any of the following occurs: (1) The lessee/tenant has made a complaint and requested an inspection and consented to entry; (2) The Township serves an administrative warrant ordering the property owner to provide access.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-25: Local legislation current through May 26, 2026).
Full Breakdown
11 sets the baseline inspection cycle for every dwelling, rooming unit, boarding house and hotel covered by Chapter 1498: at minimum every two years, on any transfer of ownership, or the moment the Township discovers a landlord failed to register. Newly built rental units get a two-year grace period after their certificate of occupancy before the cycle starts, unless the Township has notice the unit already fails to meet Township or State minimum requirements. The cycle can run faster than two years if a tenant complains and asks for an inspection, if the Township serves an administrative warrant, if the owner or manager reports the tenant has consented, or if the lease itself authorizes the inspector to enter.
12 governs how each visit works: inspections happen during reasonable business hours, and absent a warrant the inspector needs the tenant's consent, though the property owner must make a good-faith effort to obtain it. Consent is not needed where the lease allows entry, the tenant already complained, the unit sits vacant, a warrant has issued, or consent was otherwise given. The inspection covers the unit's interior and exterior, the basement and common areas, and is visual and non-destructive, not a full new-construction-level review. A compliant unit gets its inspection license within ten days; violations bring a written notice and a reinspection deadline, and units still out of compliance can be denied a license, have an existing license suspended, or face an enforcement action including an injunction against continued occupancy.
24 let the Building Official prioritize inspections by complaint history, visible exterior hazards, geography or unit type, and even inspect only a percentage of units in a multi-unit property under written rules.
Violations & Fines
Two or more substantiated violations of the Property Maintenance Code or other Township ordinances at the same leasehold within a two-year period, per Section 1498.23, trigger more frequent inspections going forward. A landlord who blocks a properly warranted inspection, or fails to correct cited defects by the reinspection deadline, risks license denial or suspension and injunctive relief barring further occupancy, on top of the general penalty in Section 202.99.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often does Clinton Township inspect rental units?
Can the Township inspect my rental without my tenant's consent?
What happens if my rental fails inspection?
Does every unit in an apartment building get inspected?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clinton Township
Compare Clinton Township to another location·View the Michigan rental inspections overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Inspection Programs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Macomb County handle inspection programs.