Oak Lawn, IL Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit needed
- Before tenant occupies the unit
- Renewal cycle
- Annual, July 1 to June 30
- Late fee
- $100 per unit
- Max penalty
- $50,000 per unit
- Family exemption
- Immediate family occupants exempt
Summary
Oak Lawn requires owners of non-owner occupied rental homes, apartments, condos, and duplexes to obtain an annual occupancy permit and code compliance report before a tenant moves in, renewed each July 1 through June 30.
It is unlawful for any owner, manager, or agent thereof to knowingly permit the occupation of any non-owner occupied residential dwelling unit, to include multi-family dwellings, apartment units, townhouses, condominiums, duplexes, or single-family rental units...until a Code compliance report...has been issued by the Department of Community Development, Division of Code Compliance...and a non-owner occupied residential dwelling unit occupancy permit has been completed, signed by the prospective tenant(s), and approved by the Division of Code Compliance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-15: Code current through: Ord. 26-09-22, passed April 28, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Under Village Code section 6-5B-1, no owner, manager, or agent may knowingly let a non-owner occupied residential dwelling unit -- including multi-family buildings, apartments, townhouses, condominiums, duplexes, or single-family rentals -- be occupied until the Division of Code Compliance has issued a code compliance report and the prospective tenant has signed an occupancy permit. Permits run annually from July 1 to June 30 and require listing all owned units, a 24-hour emergency contact, a current tenant roster, proof of rodent abatement, and confirmation of a working fire alarm system. Owners who submit a sworn affidavit that an immediate family member occupies the unit are exempt from registering but must still report the occupant name and phone number to the Village.
Violations & Fines
Failing to obtain the permit brings a $100 per-unit fine per section 6-5B-15; other violations of the article run $100 to $50,000 per unit, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all Oak Lawn rentals need this permit?
Who signs the occupancy permit application?
Can a landlord skip registration for a family member?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oak Lawn
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Rental Registration in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle rental registration.