Yuma, AZ Rental Inspections: Inspection Programs (2026)
Key Facts
- Applies only in
- Neighborhood Revitalization Areas
- Certificate of Compliance term
- Up to 3 years
- Correction Notice deadline
- 60 days
- Extension available
- Additional 60 days
- Multi-family sample size
- 25% of units
- Civil penalty
- Up to $500 per day
Summary
Yuma's residential rental inspection program applies only inside a City Council-designated Neighborhood Revitalization Area, where the Community Development Department inspects registered units for a Certificate of Compliance under City Code § 138-06. Inspectors need tenant or owner consent, or a warrant, and a Correction Notice gives up to 60 days to fix violations, extendable another 60 days.
...the Director or the Director's designated inspector may, with the consent of the tenant or the consent of the owner in the case of an unoccupied dwelling unit, or pursuant to a lawfully issued warrant, enter any dwelling unit(s), building, structure or premises to perform any duty imposed by this chapter... (C) During an inspection, the inspector shall note any violations of the Housing Code and, if any violations are found, serve a Correction Notice to the owner or managing agent. The Correction Notice shall direct the owner or managing agent to correct any violation(s) within a time set forth in the notice. A reasonable time for correcting violation(s) shall be determined by the inspector depending on the nature of the violation(s), but shall not exceed 60 days. Upon request by the owner or managing agent, the Director may extend the time for correcting violation(s) not to exceed an additional 60 days.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-74: Current through May 20, 2026).
Full Breakdown
The Rental Inspection program created by Chapter 138 does not apply citywide: § 138-01 limits it to residential rental property located in a Neighborhood Revitalization Area the City Council has approved for a comprehensive revitalization strategy. Inside those boundaries, owners must first register each dwelling unit under § 138-03 before the Director of the Department of Community Development will issue a Certificate of Compliance. Inspections proceed under § 138-06. The Director or a designated inspector needs the tenant's consent, or the owner's consent for a vacant unit, or a lawfully issued warrant before entering a dwelling, building, structure or premises.
The Director must try to work around the owner's or tenant's schedule, though the city is never required to inspect on weekends, holidays or outside normal business hours, and a scheduled visit can be rescheduled once for good cause if the new date falls within 30 days. For Multiple-Family Rental Communities of 20 or more units under common ownership, § 138-04(B)(3) allows a single Certificate of Compliance to cover the entire community after inspecting a random sample of at least 25% of the units and all inspected common areas.
When an inspector finds a Housing Code violation, § 138-06(C) requires a written Correction Notice giving the owner or managing agent no more than 60 days to fix it, which the Director may extend once by up to another 60 days on request. A property that never earns a Certificate of Compliance or Waiver within 60 to 120 days of registration is denied one outright under § 138-04(D).
Violations & Fines
Owners or managing agents who lease a unit without registering it, or who miss a Correction Notice deadline, face the civil sanction in § 138-99: up to $500 per day, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense. Threatening or coercing a tenant to refuse an inspection carries its own $500-per-violation cap under § 138-06(E), on top of any other legal remedy the city may pursue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Yuma inspect every rental property in the city?
Can an inspector enter my rental unit without permission?
How long does an owner have to fix a violation found during inspection?
What happens if an owner never registers a rental unit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Yuma
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