Fairfield, CA Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)
Key Facts
- Required Permit
- Certificate of Rental Occupancy (CRO)
- Code Authority
- FMC Chapter 5
- Issuance Basis
- Per-tenant (new application each tenancy)
- RHSP Status
- Proposed (not adopted as of mid-2026)
- RHSP Authority
- AB 548 / H&S Code §17974
- Admin Contact
- Building & Safety (707) 428-7461
Summary
Fairfield requires a Certificate of Rental Occupancy (CRO) for any dwelling unit offered for rent in the city, including houses, condominiums, apartments, and individual rooms, under Chapter 5 of the Municipal Code (Building and Housing Code). The CRO is tenant-based: a new certificate is required each time a new tenant occupies the unit. The City Council also considered a more comprehensive Rental Housing Safety Program in 2024-2026 that would layer routine inspections, compliance monitoring, and registration on top of the existing CRO framework; the program had not been formally adopted as of mid-2026.
1947.12. (a)(1) Subject to subdivision (b), an owner of residential real property shall not, over the course of any 12-month period, increase the gross rental rate for a dwelling or a unit more than 5 percent plus the percentage change in the cost of living, or 10 percent, whichever is lower, of the lowest gross rental rate charged for that dwelling or unit at any time during the 12 months prior to the effective date of the increase. In determining the lowest gross rental amount pursuant to this section, any rent discounts, incentives, concessions, or credits offered by the owner of such unit of residential real property and accepted by the tenant shall be excluded.
Full Breakdown
The Certificate of Rental Occupancy program operates under Chapter 5 of the Municipal Code and is administered through the Building and Safety Division (within Community Development) in coordination with Code Enforcement. The CRO process requires the property owner or agent to submit an application identifying the unit, the tenant, and the contact information for the responsible party; pay the applicable fee under the City's adopted master fee schedule; and pass a basic habitability inspection if one is triggered. Because the certificate is tenant-based, every change of tenancy starts the process again.
The CRO does not by itself create a rental housing 'registry' in the sense used in cities like Sacramento or Oakland: it is more accurately a per-tenancy occupancy permit. A broader Rental Housing Safety Program was the subject of a 2024 staff proposal and 2025-2026 Council workshops, structured around the framework of Assembly Bill 548 (Quirk-Silva 2023, codified at Health & Safety Code §17974) which authorizes local rental inspection programs and standardizes their reporting requirements. 4 million covering staffing, administration, community outreach, and inspections, would establish a unit-by-unit registry with periodic inspection cycles.
Council direction has been to refine the proposal before adoption. 3 substandard housing standards, and the warranty of habitability under Civil Code §1941. Solano County rental assistance and tenant resource information is available through Catholic Charities of Yolo-Solano and the Solano County Health & Social Services Department.
Violations & Fines
Renting a dwelling unit without a current Certificate of Rental Occupancy: zoning/housing code violation under Chapter 5, administrative citation under Chapter 1A with escalating fines ($100/$200/$500 per offense), and possible inability to commence an unlawful detainer action because some California courts treat absent local licensing as a defense. False statements on a CRO application: misdemeanor under California Penal Code §118. Substandard conditions discovered during inspection trigger separate enforcement under Health & Safety Code §17920.3 with abatement orders and possible declaration of public nuisance. If the Rental Housing Safety Program is adopted, additional registration and periodic inspection fees and obligations will apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to rent out my Fairfield property?
Is Fairfield adopting a Rental Housing Safety Program?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fairfield
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Rental Registration in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Solano County handle rental registration.