Livonia, MI Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- Livonia Code of Ordinances Ch. 5.42
- License term
- 1 year from issuance
- New rental conversion inspection
- Within 30 days of conversion
- Unregistered multi-family inspection
- Within 60 days of registry filing
- Appeal window
- 10 days to city council
- Re-inspection
- Required after failed inspection, with fee
Summary
Livonia requires every rental dwelling, from single-family houses to hotels, to hold an unrevoked license posted on the premises, and the building official schedules initial, periodic and complaint-driven compliance inspections before that license issues or renews.
(a)Initial license inspections shall be scheduled by the city officials subsequent to the registration of a rental dwelling as follows:(1)All newly constructed rental dwellings and rental units shall be scheduled for an initial license inspection at the time the building is scheduled for a final inspection to obtain a certificate of occupancy as required under the building code.(2)All existing non-rental structures which are converted to rental dwellings and rental units shall be scheduled by the owner or manager for an initial license inspection within thirty (30) days of the date that structure is converted to a rental dwelling.(3)All multiple family rental dwellings and rental units that were not registered with the city prior to the adoption of this chapter shall be scheduled for an initial compliance inspection within sixty (60) days of submitting the rental registry information.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64 | Zoning: Supplement 3).
Full Breakdown
020). 065 sets the inspection schedule: newly built rental units get their initial license inspection at the certificate-of-occupancy stage; structures converted to rental use must be scheduled by the owner within 30 days of conversion; previously unregistered single-family rentals must be scheduled within 30 days of conversion; and multiple-family dwellings unregistered before the chapter's adoption get an initial compliance inspection within 60 days of submitting rental registry information, with the building official able to inspect only a sample of units in larger buildings. Periodic compliance inspections are scheduled before an existing license expires, and if the city misses that window through no fault of the owner, the owner may keep renting until the inspection occurs. Non-periodic inspections follow a complaint, a referral from another city department or a school, or evidence that a unit is unregistered. 065(g)). 050).
Violations & Fines
A license may be refused, suspended or revoked by the mayor or city clerk for fraud in the application, any violation of the chapter or other city ordinances, or conduct constituting a menace to health, safety or welfare (§ 5.42.080). A revoked license renders the unit unfit for human habitation until compliance is restored. Owners get written notice and may appeal to the city council within 10 days of a refusal, suspension or revocation (§ 5.42.090). Failure to correct a maintenance violation lets the city do the work and bill the owner actual cost plus 10 percent, secured by a lien on the property (§ 5.42.065(h)).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every rental unit in Livonia need a license?
How often does the city inspect a licensed rental?
What happens if I refuse to let the inspector in?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Livonia
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Inspection Programs in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wayne County handle inspection programs.