Waukesha, WI Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)
Key Facts
- Inspecting departments
- Community Development Building Division, Fire Department
- Scheduling deadline
- By September 1 each year
- Missed-inspection fee
- $150 re-inspection fee
- Reporting deadline
- Departments report by November 1
- License term
- Expires December 31 annually
Summary
Waukesha requires every licensed rooming house to pass an annual inspection by the Community Development Department Building Division and Fire Department. The operator must schedule the inspection by September 1 each year, and a no-show at the scheduled time triggers a $150 re-inspection fee under Municipal Code § 17.10.
(c) Rooming houses shall be inspected annually by the Community Development Department Building Division and Fire Department to determine whether they comply with all applicable provisions of this Municipal Code and the terms and conditions upon which the rooming house license was issued. The operator of the rooming house must schedule the inspections and any needed re-inspections. (d) The operator shall contact the Community Development Department Building Division and Fire Department to schedule the annual inspection no later than September 1st of each year. Any operator who fails to appear on the scheduled time and date for an inspection may be subject to a re-inspection fee of $150.
Full Breakdown
10(1)(c) and (d), rooming houses are inspected annually by the Community Development Department Building Division and the Fire Department to confirm compliance with the Municipal Code and the conditions of the property's rooming house license. Scheduling the inspection, and any follow-up re-inspections, is the operator's responsibility, not the City's. 10(1)(f). An operator who fails to appear at the scheduled inspection time and date can be charged a $150 re-inspection fee, and if City inspectors are unable to determine whether grounds for license revocation exist because the operator skipped the inspection, the Clerk can refer the license application to the Common Council to decide whether to grant, deny, or refuse renewal.
03 gives the Housing Inspector and Fire Prevention Inspector general authority to inspect any building in the City on request, complaint, or when the officer deems it necessary, and requires owners, operators and occupants to allow access at reasonable times upon a showing of credentials.
Violations & Fines
Missing the scheduled annual inspection without rescheduling costs the operator a $150 re-inspection fee under § 17.10(1)(d). If the missed inspection leaves City inspectors unable to confirm the rooming house meets the license's terms, the City Clerk refers the matter to the Common Council, which can deny or refuse to renew the license entirely rather than simply issue it as usual under § 17.10(1)(f)-(g).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who inspects rooming houses in Waukesha?
When must a rooming house schedule its annual inspection?
What happens if the operator misses the inspection appointment?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waukesha
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