New Castle County requires a rental license for residential rental properties under County Code Chapter 10. Wilmington additionally requires a Housing Rental License. Annual fees and compliance inspections apply.
New Castle County Code Chapter 10 requires owners of residential rental units in the unincorporated county to obtain a rental license from the Department of Land Use and comply with the International Property Maintenance Code. The license application requires ownership information, local contact for 24/7 response, and unit counts. Within Wilmington, Chapter 34 of the City Code requires a separate Housing Rental License issued by the Department of Licenses and Inspections, plus passing a Housing Code inspection every 2 years. Lead-safe certification is required for pre-1978 rentals under Delaware Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. Smoke and CO alarms are mandatory.
Operating without a rental license: Wilmington fines $100 to $500 per unit plus per-day penalties. County civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation. Failed inspections require corrections within the cited period; continued operation can trigger condemnation.
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