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South Bend, IN Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)

Heavy Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Registration
Required; renew by Sept 1
Registration fee
$5, annual
Inspection
RSVP, 5-year certificate
No registration
$300 per unit penalty
Uninspected rental
$250 per week

Summary

South Bend requires every non-owner-occupied rental to register annually by September 1 for a $5 fee, and to pass a Rental Safety Verification Program inspection. Failure to register draws a $300 penalty per unit; renting an uninspected unit runs $250 per week.

Registrations must be renewed annually on September 1 with the Department of Code Enforcement. The renewal fee shall be five dollars ($5.00), with all such fees deposited into the Rental Units Regulation Fund.

Source: South Bend Municipal CodeView official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).

Full Breakdown

Two local programs govern South Bend rentals. The Landlord Registration Program (Chapter 6, Article 10, Ordinance 10427-16, effective 2016) requires every owner of a rental they do not occupy to register with the Department of Code Enforcement and renew each September 1 for a $5 fee. The Rental Safety Verification Program (RSVP), Chapter 6, Article 14, adopted 2019 and amended 2023, requires units to pass an inspection against the International Property Maintenance Code; a single-family home or duplex that passes earns a five-year Inspection Certificate. Critical violations must be fixed within 10 days, others within 60. Owner-occupied homes renting to two or fewer unrelated tenants, short-term rentals, and new construction under ten years old are exempt.

Violations & Fines

Failing to register is a $300 civil penalty per rental unit; an incomplete form $100; a false statement $500. Renting an uninspected or uncertified unit runs $250 per week; an expired certificate, $300 per week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to register my South Bend rental?
Yes. Every owner of a non-owner-occupied rental must register with the city's Department of Code Enforcement and renew each September 1 for a $5 fee. Missing it is a $300 penalty per unit.
Does my rental have to be inspected?
Yes. South Bend's Rental Safety Verification Program inspects units against the International Property Maintenance Code. A single-family home or duplex that passes gets a five-year Inspection Certificate. Renting an uncertified unit costs $250 per week.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in South Bend

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All South Bend rules

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