Sacramento County, CA Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)
Key Facts
- Registration precondition
- RHCC fee paid + § 16.20.405(A) info filed
- Billed
- January 1 each year, fiscal-year period
- Update window
- 60 calendar days for contact changes
- Late fee
- 25% per annum once delinquent
- Delinquency trigger
- 45 days bimonthly / 21 days monthly billing
- Enforcing office
- County Director (Rental Housing Inspection Program)
Summary
Sacramento County requires every rental dwelling unit in the unincorporated area to be registered with the Director each year: the owner must pay the annual Rental Housing Code Compliance (RHCC) fee and file contact information before a tenant may occupy the unit. Skipping either step is a code violation under Chapter 16.20.
§ 16.20.400. Rental Housing Code Compliance Fee Requirement. No rental dwelling unit shall be occupied by a tenant unless there has been paid to the Director the annual Rental Housing Code Compliance (RHCC) fee for such rental dwelling unit and the information required by Section 16.20.405(A) of this article has been provided. § 16.20.405. Provision of Contact Information as a Condition to Rental. A. At the time required for payment of the RHCC fee, the owner shall provide on a form approved by the Director, the contact information for the owner, property management, and their authorized representatives. Such contact information shall include, at a minimum, the name, telephone number, mailing and email addresses of at least one owner of record of the property being rented as well as of the property manager; the address or addresses of such property; a description of the types of dwellings being rented; the number of residential units at the property... The owners and managers shall notify the Director within 60 calendar days of any changes to the information provided pursuant to this subsection.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4941150; v18 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
20, Article 4 (Rental Housing Inspection Program) makes registration a precondition of renting, not an option. 405(A). That information includes, at minimum, the name, phone number, mailing and email address of at least one owner of record and of the property manager, the rental address, a description of the dwelling types, the number of residential units at the property, and a separate name, address, phone number and email to be used for emergencies. 405(A)). 405(B)). 600). 405.
Violations & Fines
An unregistered or unpaid rental dwelling unit may not lawfully be occupied by a tenant under § 16.20.400. If the RHCC fee is billed through the Consolidated Utility Billing Service, it becomes delinquent 45 calendar days after billing (bimonthly) or 21 calendar days after billing (monthly), and a late fee of 25% per annum of the fee attaches once it is overdue. The Director enforces the chapter and can act on stale contact information, since owners and managers who miss the 60-day update window are out of compliance with § 16.20.405(A).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all Sacramento County rental units have to register?
What has to be included on the registration form?
What happens if I don't update my contact information?
Is my registration information public?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sacramento County
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