Salem, OR Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- Every multifamily dwelling (SRC 59.400)
- Inspection frequency
- Shelters/hotels/motels at least yearly (SRC 59.430(b))
- Tenant notice
- 24 hours before inspection (SRC 59.430(d))
- Missed appointment
- Re-scheduling fee applies (SRC 59.435)
- Outcome
- Certificate of inspection issued on compliance (SRC 59.440)
Summary
Salem licenses and inspects every multifamily dwelling under SRC chapter 59, with homeless shelters, hotels, motels, and room-and-board facilities inspected at least once a year. Owners must give tenants 24 hours' notice before an inspection, and the City issues a certificate of inspection once the property passes.
Unless specifically exempt by SRC 59.405, a license shall be required for the operation of any multifamily dwelling. ... [SRC 59.430] (a)The Inspector is hereby authorized to make inspections and re-inspections of multifamily dwellings and, in furtherance thereof, to seek administrative warrants as provided in SRC chapter 4.(b)Inspections of homeless shelters, hotels, motels, and room and board facilities shall be conducted not less than once per calendar year.(c)Inspections of apartment houses and retirement apartments shall be conducted as prescribed by the Director.(d)It is the owner's responsibility to notify tenants of a multifamily dwelling not less than 24 hours in advance of any inspection and to provide the inspector with adequate access to all areas of the multifamily dwelling necessary for inspection.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
095(e). 415 spells out the license application: the applicant's name, all principals' names and addresses, business addresses in the state, contact information, and a property description covering the number of structures, total dwelling units, and units per structure, backed by a nonrefundable fee. 430. The City's Inspector is authorized to inspect and re-inspect multifamily dwellings and may seek an administrative warrant under SRC chapter 4 if access is refused. Homeless shelters, hotels, motels, and room-and-board facilities must be inspected not less than once per calendar year, while apartment houses and retirement apartments are inspected on a schedule the Director prescribes.
Owners must give tenants at least 24 hours' notice before an inspection and provide the Inspector adequate access to all areas being inspected. 435. 440 requires the Inspector to issue a certificate of inspection listing the address, owner, the portion of the building covered, a compliance statement, the Inspector's signature, and the inspection date, which the owner must retain until it's replaced by a new certificate.
Violations & Fines
Operating a multifamily dwelling without the SRC 59.400 license, or failing to give tenants the 24-hour inspection notice required by SRC 59.430(d), exposes an owner to an enforcement order from the Inspector under SRC 59.600 and possible license suspension. Missing a scheduled inspection a second time triggers the SRC 59.435 re-scheduling fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Salem require landlords to license multifamily rental buildings?
How often does Salem inspect rental housing?
How much notice do Salem tenants get before a rental inspection?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salem
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