Royal Oak, MI Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)

City Code § 556-4 amends the International Property Maintenance Code by adding § 104.8, Rental Property Registration, which applies to every residential rental in the City of Royal Oak: single-family homes, units in one-to-four-family houses, and condominium units alike. Item 2 makes it unlawful for any person, firm, or business entity to rent, lease, offer to rent or lease, or otherwise allow a nonowner to occupy a residential unit, dwelling, or property without first registering it with the City. Item 4 sets standing duties for every registered rental, including designating a responsible party who takes on legal responsibility for the property and who must live within 30 miles of the rental, and meeting the City's other maintenance and occupancy conditions for registered properties.

Registration fees for each property are set by City Commission resolution under Item 9. A rental registration can be suspended for cause, defined to include fraudulent applications, unauthorized use beyond the registration's scope, and conditions that amount to a nuisance on the property, with a right to a hearing before the City Manager. A first violation of the registration requirement is a municipal civil infraction carrying a civil fine of at least $200 plus costs; a third violation escalates to a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500 or imprisonment for up to 90 days, and is treated as a nuisance per se that can trigger revocation of the registration.