Palatine, IL Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)

Palatine Village Code § 12-56 sets the village's rental inspection program under the licensing scheme created at § 12-54. For multiple dwelling units such as apartment buildings, the village manager administers annual inspections, with the units to be inspected chosen at random and a minimum of 25 percent of the units in a building inspected each year. If violations are found during that random sample, the village reserves the right to inspect additional units, up to the entire property. Condominiums, townhomes and single-family rental units are inspected at a minimum every other year, though the village can move to annual inspections for a specific unit if a prior inspection turned up violations that staff deem significant.

Common areas of multiple dwelling unit buildings, including hallways, stairways, lobbies, utility and laundry rooms, storage and recreation rooms, grounds, refuse and parking areas, are inspected annually as well, and re-inspection of those common areas carries the applicable re-inspection fee set in the village fee schedule under § 12-129(b)(2). Every property covered by this program must also hold a current rental dwelling license under § 12-54, and no license issues or renews unless the unit passes inspection. The code official who runs these inspections is authorized under §§ 12-24 and 12-25 to enter with proper identification, a copy of the inspection plan, and a schedule of areas to be inspected.

Owners who fail scheduled inspections without timely cancellation face a cancellation or absentee fee under § 12-129(b)(3), and license fees, re-inspection fees and late charges are all set out in the village fee schedule.