San Joaquin County, CA Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)

Stockton's Rental Housing Inspection Program (RHIP), codified at Stockton Municipal Code Chapter 8.56, requires all owners of residential rental properties within city limits to register units annually with the Community Development Department and submit to systematic code inspections on a rotating schedule (typically every 3 to 5 years for compliant properties). Annual RHIP fees run roughly $60 to $120 per unit depending on unit type. The program checks habitability items required by Civil Code §1941.1 and Health & Safety Code §17920.3: working smoke/CO alarms, safe electrical and plumbing, weather protection, no mold, and secure locks. Lodi (Lodi Municipal Code Title 15) and Manteca (Manteca Municipal Code Title 8) rely on complaint-triggered Code Enforcement inspections rather than proactive registration, but still enforce state habitability standards. Unincorporated San Joaquin County uses a complaint-driven system through the Environmental Health Department. Federally assisted housing (Section 8) is separately inspected by the Housing Authority of the County of San Joaquin. Lead-based paint disclosure is required for pre-1978 rentals under 42 U.S.C. §4852d regardless of local registration.