Bethlehem, PA Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration fee
- $60 per unit + $10 per occupant (max 5)
- Reinstatement fee
- $100 per unit + $10 per occupant (max 5)
- Inspection cycle Wards 6-15
- Jan-June annually
- Inspection cycle Wards 1-5, 16-17
- July-Dec annually
- First violation fine
- $200 or 30 days imprisonment
- Enforcing official
- City Code Official
Summary
Bethlehem requires every owner of a regulated rental unit to obtain an annual License before renting it out, with registration fees, mandatory inspections and occupant caps enforced by the Code Official under Article 1739.
As a prerequisite to entering into a RENTAL AGREEMENT or permitting the occupancy of any REGULATED RENTAL UNIT (except as provided in subparagraph C, below), the OWNER of every such REGULATED RENTAL UNIT shall be required to apply for and obtain a License for each REGULATED RENTAL UNIT. ... a.) Registration – The fee for a Residential Rental Registration shall be sixty dollars ($60.00) per residential rental unit plus ten dollars ($10.00) per occupant with a maximum of five (5) occupants per year due and payable at the time of the application.
Full Breakdown
Codified Ordinances Article 1739 requires that, before entering into a rental agreement or letting anyone occupy a regulated rental unit, the owner "shall be required to apply for and obtain a License for each Regulated Rental Unit" (1739.04.A.4.1-4.2). Owner-occupied units with no more than one unrelated occupant, hotels, motels, hospitals, nursing homes and licensed Bed and Breakfast Homes are exempt (1739.04.A.4.3). Multi-unit dwellings need a separate license for each regulated rental unit inside them, and the ordinance still governs the building's common areas (1739.04.A.4.4). Each license runs on an annual term tied to a citywide inspection schedule: properties in Wards 6-15 are inspected and licensed January through June, and properties in Wards 1-5, 16 and 17 are inspected and licensed July through December (1739.04.B.4.9).
The registration fee is $60.00 per rental unit plus $10.00 per occupant, capped at five occupants, due when the application is filed (1739.04.B.4.10.a). A revoked registration or license can only be reinstated after paying a $100.00 reinstatement fee plus $10.00 per occupant, up to five occupants (1739.04.B.4.10.d). Owners must keep a current list of occupants' names, permanent addresses and phone numbers and turn it over to the City on request, and the tenant roster cannot change during the lease term (1739.02.4.6). The Code Official may enter and inspect the premises during the licensing cycle or at any other time in the year, and may seek a search warrant from the Magisterial District Judge on a showing of probable cause of a violation (1739.04.C.4.13, D.4.16). No license issues while an owner owes fines, costs or fees tied to City land-use or code enforcement (1739.04.B.4.12).
Violations & Fines
Operating a regulated rental unit without a current License, or letting occupancy exceed the number stated on the License, is unlawful and carries escalating fines before a Magisterial District Judge: $200.00 or 30 days imprisonment for a first violation, $500.00 or 60 days for a second, and $1,000.00 or 90 days for a third and each later violation (1739.06.6.1-6.2). A third offense triggers mandatory eviction proceedings against the tenants. The Code Official can also issue a formal warning or move to non-renew, suspend or revoke the License itself, separate from any court fine (1739.05).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every Bethlehem landlord need a rental license?
How much does Bethlehem charge to register a rental unit?
What happens if a Bethlehem owner rents without a license?
Can the City inspect a Bethlehem rental without notice?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bethlehem
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