Bonita Springs, FL Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- IPMC, 2015 Edition, Ordinance No. 15-10, 5-6-2015
- Enforcer
- City of Bonita Springs Code Enforcement Department
- Rental permit term
- Three years, with inspection every three years
- Reinspection fee
- $50.00 per reinspection (Section 12-110)
- Appeals
- LDC § 2-527 replaces IPMC Section 111
- Code section
- Bonita Springs Code § 10-76
Summary
In the City of Bonita Springs, Florida, Section 10-76 adopts the International Property Maintenance Code, 2015 Edition, for all property, buildings and structures inside the city limits, which sets the habitability floor for rental housing. The Code Enforcement Department enforces it, and rentals also face a three-year permit and inspection cycle under Chapter 12.
The city council declares that the provisions and procedures set forth in the document on file with the city clerk's office and designated as the "International Property Maintenance Code", 2015 Edition, as published by the International Code Council, and any and all amendments, revisions and supplements thereto, are hereby adopted by the City of Bonita Springs, and incorporated by reference herein, and shall be applicable to all property, buildings and structures located within the territorial limits of the City of Bonita Springs. Any provision which makes reference to this division shall also be deemed, where applicable, to make a reference to the "International Property Maintenance Code".
Full Breakdown
In the City of Bonita Springs, Lee County, Florida, habitability standards for rental housing come from the International Property Maintenance Code, 2015 Edition, adopted by the city council in Section 10-76 through Ordinance No. 15-10 on 5-6-2015. The adoption covers all property, buildings and structures within the city limits, so a rented single-family house, duplex or apartment is held to the same standard as an owner-occupied home. Section 10-75 lets the division be cited as the IPMC.
Section 10-77 fits the model code to Bonita Springs. The Code Enforcement Department replaces the model code's property maintenance inspection department, and the Code Enforcement Director replaces the code official. Where the IPMC conflicts with the Florida Building Code or the Florida Fire Prevention Code, the state codes prevail. For Section 302.4 the applicable height in inches is sixteen, and Sections 602.3 and 602.4 apply from November 1st to March 31st. Section 112.4 is completed with $100.00 and $500.00. Section 111 is deleted and replaced with LDC § 2-527 on appeals, and Appendix A, the Boarding Standard, is adopted. Section 106.3 lets the department bring violations before the Code Enforcement Hearing Examiner under LDC § 2-496 et seq., in addition or as an alternative to criminal or civil penalties. Grease interceptor complaints are not handled by code enforcement.
The rental permit ordinance in Chapter 12, Article IV, ties into these standards. A rental permit is valid for three years and requires a mandatory inspection every three years by code enforcement or a city-outsourced qualified inspector, unless the city manager or designee waives it for an owner with no violations in that period. Section 12-110 charges $50.00 for each reinspection of a unit that is not in compliance. Under Section 12-109(e), an adjudication of guilt or plea of no contest to a violation of the IPMC adopted by Sections 10-75 through 10-77 at a rental unit is grounds for permit revocation proceedings. Section 12-109(f) allows inspection of an occupied rental unit only with the consent of an occupant or an administrative search warrant.
Violations & Fines
Violating the city's property maintenance articles is a second-degree misdemeanor under Section 10-105, and the city council can also seek an injunction or abatement in court or before a special master. The department can instead take a case to the Code Enforcement Hearing Examiner under Section 106.3 as amended. A failed rental inspection costs $50.00 per reinspection, and adjudicated violations at a rental unit open permit revocation proceedings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which habitability code applies to rentals in Bonita Springs?
Does my rental need an inspection?
Who enforces the property maintenance standards?
Can the city enter my occupied rental to inspect it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bonita Springs
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Repairs & Habitability in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Lee County handle repairs & habitability.