Palmdale, CA Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)

Palmdale created the Comprehensive Residential Rental Unit (CRRU) Inspection Program under PMC Chapter 8.40 after the City Council found that substandard and unsanitary rental housing endangers occupants and neighborhoods. The program covers every rented or leased dwelling in the city, including single-family homes, multifamily units, accessory dwelling units, mobile homes on private land, and rooming and boarding houses; only hotels and motels that already pay the transient occupancy tax under Chapter 3.24 are exempt. An owner has 60 days from acquiring ownership, or 60 days from converting a property to include a rental unit, to register that unit with the Building Official. New construction registers free of charge and does not need to re-register for five years unless its certificate of compliance is terminated or expires early.

Once registered, the owner has 60 days to schedule an inspection with the Building and Safety Department and must give inspectors full access to the property at the scheduled time, plus access at any other time within 10 working days of a request from the Building Official. Inspectors check compliance with the City's housing and property maintenance standards under Chapters 8.04, 8.08, and 8.36, and can pull in the Los Angeles County Health Department or Fire Department when needed. Properties with one to four units must post a property management sign near the main entrance listing the repair-request address and a 24-hour emergency phone number. A passing inspection earns a certificate of compliance; owners who fail to reschedule a re-inspection within 30 days of a correction notice have their registration cancelled outright.