Waukegan, IL Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual minimum inspected
- 33 1/3% of units, all in 3 years
- Buildings under 10 units
- Eligible for full first-year inspection option
- Buildings of 50+ units
- Never eligible for a waiver year
- Tenant notice before inspection
- 72 hours (door posting)
- New construction exemption
- 3 years from occupancy permit
Summary
Waukegan inspects at least 33 1/3 percent of a licensed rental building's units every year, cycling every unit through inspection within three years, under Section 14-4(d). Buildings that pass consecutive annual inspections earn waiver years; buildings of 50 or more units never qualify for a waiver.
(d)(1)a.All rental residential property except those units occupied by the owner shall be subject to inspection, in accordance with this article, for compliance with all applicable codes. Initial and subsequent annual licensing inspections shall include the building exterior, common areas, basement, and not less than 33⅓ percent of the individual dwelling units. All units within the structure shall be inspected every three years. At the special request of the owner 100 percent of the units may be inspected in the first year if such a schedule is able to be accommodated by the city. If such a request is made and 100 percent of the units are inspected satisfactorily in the first year, the property shall not be subject to inspection for the following two years. This section applies only to residential rental buildings/complexes of less than 10 units.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 113).
Full Breakdown
requires that initial and subsequent annual licensing inspections cover the building exterior, common areas and basement, plus not less than 33 1/3 percent of individual dwelling units, with every unit inspected at least once every three years; an owner may request 100 percent inspection in year one, which then buys a two-year inspection break if every unit passes. This tiered schedule applies only to buildings under 10 units. : after two consecutive years of satisfactory inspections they earn a one-year waiver, then move to inspection every other year as long as they keep passing.
Buildings under 50 units earn a two-year waiver after three consecutive satisfactory annual inspections; buildings of 50 units or more are never eligible for any waiver. Owners get at least 30 days' written notice of an initial inspection and pick which units are inspected for the first two years (subject to the 33 1/3 percent minimum); after that the city chooses. Tenants must be notified by a door notice at least 72 hours before their unit's inspection, and rescheduling inside 48 hours of the appointment triggers a rescheduling fee. New construction with an occupancy permit issued in the preceding 12 months is exempt from inspection for three years.
Violations & Fines
A failed reinspection under 14-4(d)(5) triggers a per-unit reinspection fee (set in Section 14-1101) for every noncompliant unit, and if violations still remain after that reinspection the license is suspended and revocation proceedings begin, or the application's false information can independently trigger suspension. A 'no-show' for a scheduled inspection (without 48 hours' notice to the city) draws a no-show fee, and two consecutive no-shows result in license suspension under 14-4(d)(6). Compliance periods set by the code official cannot exceed 30 days without good cause shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waukegan
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