Costa Mesa does not currently require landlords to register rental properties with the city. A rental registry proposal was considered by the City Council in 2026 but was rejected by a 5-2 vote. Landlords must still comply with state and local landlord-tenant laws without any city registration requirement.
Costa Mesa does not have a rental property registration requirement. The City Council considered a rental registry program that would have tracked rental units and eviction disputes, but after hearing from the California Apartment Association and housing providers, the Council voted 5-2 to reject the proposal in March 2026. Without a rental registry, there is no city-level database of rental properties, no mandatory registration fees, and no reporting requirements for landlords beyond what state law requires. Landlords must still comply with Costa Mesa's Just Cause Eviction Ordinance (adopted November 2023), California's Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482), and all applicable state housing codes. The city does not conduct proactive rental inspections unless responding to specific complaints or code enforcement referrals. Costa Mesa's Community Improvement Division handles code enforcement for rental properties on a complaint-driven basis. Building and safety inspections may be triggered by permit activity, tenant complaints, or visible exterior violations. While no registration is required, landlords are expected to maintain rental properties to the standards established in Title 20 (Property Maintenance) of the Municipal Code.
While there is no registration requirement to violate, landlords who fail to maintain rental properties to Title 20 standards are subject to code enforcement action, administrative citations, and the strict liability provisions of the property maintenance code. Contact Code Enforcement at (714) 754-5638.
Costa Mesa, CA
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