New Haven, CT Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)

Section 17-74(a) makes it unlawful for the owner of covered residential rental property to operate or rent it without a residential rental property license, issued through the city's Livable City Initiative. Five categories are exempt from licensing: owner-occupied dwellings with two or fewer rental units; non-owner-occupied dwellings with only one rental unit on a parcel that has two or fewer total dwelling units, covering most single-family rentals and accessory dwelling units; properties run by the Housing Authority of New Haven, motels, hotels, rooming houses, condominiums, or temporary housing; properties where every unit is a Section 8 voucher unit administered by the Housing Authority or Elm City Communities; and dormitories.

To apply, § 17-74(d) requires the owner or agent to supply the full legal name, phone number and email of every owner of record, plus a natural person's contact information even when the owner is a corporation, trust or estate; the property address, building count and unit count; whether the owner occupies the property; the number of Section 8 units, if any; and a signed agreement to accept notices by email or by mail to the address on file with the tax collector. Section 17-74(h) gives the owner a temporary license number within 20 days of a complete application, which stands as proof of compliance until the city inspects and issues the license. Section 17-74(i) protects tenants from retaliation, including lease non-renewal, eviction filings, rent increases or reduced services, for filing a complaint; retaliation is presumed for any adverse action within six months of a tenant complaint, rebuttable only with evidence under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-20.

Licenses run up to three years under § 17-80(a) and are not transferable on a sale; § 17-82 gives a new owner 30 days from a transfer to file its own application and fee. Renting without the required license draws fines up to the maximum allowed under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 7-148(c)(7)(A) per § 17-84(a), with each additional day a separate violation.