Oak Park, IL Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)
Key Facts
- Inspection scope
- All common areas + 1/3 of units (4+ unit buildings)
- Condominium inspections
- Biennial, common areas + 1/3 of rented units
- Gold-tier inspection cycle
- Every 4 years
- Conditional-tier inspection cycle
- Every 6 months
- Reinspection fee
- $20/unit plus $50/common area
- Exempt buildings
- 3 or fewer rental units (single-family license)
Summary
The Village of Oak Park inspects licensed rental housing under Village Code § 12-2-6: the Neighborhood Services Department checks all common areas and at least one-third of the units in buildings with four or more rental units, timed to each license's renewal cycle, and inspects condominium common areas and rented units on a biennial basis.
A. The Neighborhood Services Department shall make inspections of all common areas and the interior of a minimum of one-third (1/3) of the dwelling units in multiple-family rental residential property which contain four (4) or more dwelling units. The required frequency of such inspections shall be based on the expiration of the rental license type pursuant to section 12-2-1 of this article. Except for a single-family rental residential property license, no rental license shall be issued or renewed until a valid inspection has been completed. B. In condominiums, all common facilities and one-third (1/3) of the dwelling units which are occupied by someone other than the property owner of the unit shall be inspected on a biennial basis.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-9: Code current through: Ord. 26-159, passed - -2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 12-2-6 of the Oak Park Village Code sets the inspection program that backs up the Chapter 12 rental licensing scheme. 5-3 violations per unit) annually, and Conditional (more than 3 violations per unit) every six months with a mandatory mitigation plan. Condominiums are inspected on their own schedule: all common facilities and one-third of the units occupied by someone other than the unit's owner must be inspected biennially. Buildings with three or fewer rental units qualify only for a Single-Family Rental Residential Property license and, under § 12-2-1(P), are exempt from the §§ 12-2-6, 12-2-7, 12-2-9 and 12-2-10 inspection, records and inspection-fee requirements except as otherwise provided.
Owners of inspected multi-family buildings must keep five years of repair and expense records over $50 under § 12-2-7, and a reinspection fee of $20 per unit plus $50 per common area applies once a second reinspection is needed under § 12-2-9. If an inspection turns up a violation that presents an extreme hazard to health and safety and it is not corrected in the time the Village sets, § 12-2-10 lets the Village make the repair itself and place a lien on the property for the cost.
Violations & Fines
A rental license cannot issue or renew without a passing inspection under § 12-2-6, and buildings that miss a scheduled inspection, or do not provide access and do not reschedule at least 24 hours in advance, owe a reinspection fee of $20 per unit plus $50 per common area under § 12-2-9. Uncorrected violations that pose an extreme health or safety hazard let the Village make repairs itself and place a lien on the property under § 12-2-10.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Which units get inspected in a multi-family rental building?
Are three-unit rental buildings inspected in Oak Park?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oak Park
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