Provo, UT Rental Inspections: Tenant Complaint Process (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Reasonable cause to believe a violation exists
- Inspection fee
- None; no fee for rental inspections
- Standard cycle
- 36-month exemption after a passed inspection
- Refusal risk
- License refusal/suspension for noncooperation
Summary
A Provo rental dwelling is subject to inspection any time the City has reasonable cause to believe it violates code, under Provo City Code 6.01.070(3) as applied to rentals by Section 6.26.120, and the City charges no fee for that inspection.
(1) As a condition of the issuance, continuation, or renewal of a license, an applicant shall, upon demand, permit continuing inspections of the place of business or other activity to ensure compliance with all applicable zoning, health, or safety regulations. (a) Provo City may refuse to issue a license or may suspend or revoke a license if an applicant or licensee should, for any reason, fail, or refuse to cooperate with such an inspection. (b) No fee shall be charged for inspection of a rental dwelling. ... (3) Any rental dwelling shall be subject to inspection if reasonable cause exists to believe the rental dwelling is in violation of an applicable law or ordinance.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-17, passed June 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
070, which lets the business license official demand continuing inspections to confirm compliance with applicable zoning, health, and safety regulations as a condition of getting, keeping, or renewing a license. 070(1)(b) specifies that no fee is ever charged for inspecting a rental dwelling, so a tenant or the City raising a concern does not trigger a cost to the landlord for the visit itself. 070(3) makes any rental dwelling subject to inspection whenever that reasonable-cause threshold is met, regardless of how recently it was last checked.
070(1)(a): the City may refuse to issue, or may suspend or revoke, the license for that refusal alone, independent of whatever prompted the inspection request in the first place.
Violations & Fines
Refusing to permit a demanded inspection is itself grounds for the City to refuse, suspend, or revoke a rental dwelling license under Section 6.01.070(1)(a), separate from any underlying code violation. Where an inspection under the reasonable-cause standard in Section 6.01.070(3) turns up a genuine defect, the rental can also be denied, suspended, or revoked under Sections 6.26.070 and 6.26.080 for Title or Zoning Code violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the City inspect my rental if a tenant complains?
Will I be charged for a complaint-triggered rental inspection?
How often is a licensed rental normally reinspected in Provo?
What happens if I refuse to let the inspector in?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Provo
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