Winnebago County, IL Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)
Key Facts
- Licensing agency
- Winnebago County Health Department
- Applies to
- Rooming houses, hotels, motels
- Threshold
- Rooms let to 3+ persons
- Expiration
- Every November 30
- Fine range
- $10–$200 per day
Summary
Winnebago County requires every rooming house operator to hold an annual health department license, tying renewal to compliance with the International Property Maintenance Code for shared rental rooms.
No person shall operate a rooming house unless that person holds a valid rooming house license issued by the health department in the name of the operator and for the specific rooming house or rooming unit. ... This license shall not be transferable. ... Every rooming house permit shall expire on November 30 of each year, unless previously suspended or revoked.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64).
Full Breakdown
The county health department, not a building department, runs this program: no one may operate a rooming house (rooms let to three or more people) without a license issued in the operator's name for that specific property, and the same rule reaches hotels and motels. The license must be posted on site, cannot be transferred to a new owner, and expires every November 30 regardless of when it was issued. Operators who sell or transfer control must notify the health department in writing within 24 hours. Licensing is conditioned on compliance with the county-adopted International Property Maintenance Code, giving the health department its inspection hook.
Violations & Fines
Operating a rooming house, hotel, or motel without the license, or letting an unlicensed unit, is a violation of Chapter 50; fines run $10 to $200 per day of noncompliance, on top of Chapter 4 code enforcement action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this apply to a single-family rental home in Winnebago County?
Can a rooming house license be transferred with the property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Winnebago County
Compare Winnebago County to another location·View the Illinois rental inspections overview
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