Detroit, MI Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing agency
- Buildings, Safety Engineering & Environmental Dept
- Certificate term
- 3 years, extendable to 5
- No-certificate penalty
- Rent held in escrow account
- Prerequisite
- Registration required under Sec. 8-15-81
- Immediate hazard
- Property may be ordered vacated
Summary
Detroit requires the Building Official to inspect every registered rental property on a set renewal schedule and issue a Certificate of Compliance before an owner may occupy the unit or collect rent.
In order to secure a Certificate of Compliance for rental property, the Building Official shall cause an inspection to be made of all rental property required to have a Certificate of Registration of Rental Property under Section 8-15-81 of this Code according to the schedule for registration renewal in Subsection (c) of the section. Each inspection shall strictly conform to Section 8-15-34(b) of this Code.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
Every rental property in Detroit must first register with the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department under Sec. 8-15-81, then undergo a Building Official inspection under Sec. 8-15-82(a) on the renewal schedule set in Subsection (c): a proactive cycle, not a complaint-driven one. Owners lacking a valid Certificate of Compliance may not collect rent; tenants instead pay into a City-established escrow account, released to the owner only if compliance is achieved within 90 days, or forfeited to the tenant if it isn't. Occupying or renting non-compliant property is unlawful under Sec. 8-15-82(d), and units with immediate hazards can be ordered vacated outright.
Violations & Fines
Renting without a valid Certificate of Compliance is unlawful; rent must instead go into a City-administered escrow account, and the Building Official may order the unit vacated for immediate hazards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Detroit inspect rental property before problems are reported?
What happens if a landlord has no Certificate of Compliance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Detroit
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Inspection Programs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wayne County handle inspection programs.