Winston-Salem, NC Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)
Key Facts
- Citywide Registry
- None required
- State Limit
- NCGS 160D-1207
- Enforcement
- Complaint-driven
- Code Reference
- City Code Chapter 14
- Problem Properties
- May be ordered to register
Summary
Winston-Salem does not maintain a citywide rental registration program. Rental properties must comply with the Minimum Housing Code in Chapter 14 of the City Code, and landlords can be compelled to register only after repeated code violations under NCGS 160D-1207 limits.
Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, the inspection department may make periodic inspections only when there is reasonable cause to believe that unsafe, unsanitary, or otherwise hazardous or unlawful conditions may exist in a residential building or structure. [...] For purposes of this section, the term "reasonable cause" means any of the following: (i) the landlord or owner has a history of more than two verified violations of the housing ordinances or codes within a 12-month period, (ii) there has been a complaint that substandard conditions exist within the building or there has been a request that the building be inspected, (iii) the inspection department has actual knowledge of an unsafe condition within the building, or (iv) violations of the local ordinances or codes are visible from the outside of the property. In conducting inspections authorized under this section, the inspection department shall not discriminate between single-family and multifamily buildings or between owner-occupied and tenant-occupied buildings.
Full Breakdown
Winston-Salem does not require all landlords to register rental units with the city. Under NCGS 160D-1207, North Carolina cities are sharply limited in their ability to impose blanket rental registration or proactive inspection programs. The state statute restricts targeted rental inspections to properties with documented code violations or those located in areas with verified high violation rates. Winston-Salem enforces its Minimum Housing Code (Code of Ordinances Chapter 14) on a complaint-driven basis through the Community Development Department. Owners of problem properties may be subject to the Residential Rental Property Registration process after repeated violations. Short-term rentals are regulated separately under the Unified Development Ordinances zoning rules for tourist homes and bed-and-breakfast uses. All landlords must still comply with the NC Residential Rental Agreements Act and provide smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors per NCGS 42-42.
Violations & Fines
Failure to correct Minimum Housing Code violations can result in civil penalties of $100 per day per violation under the City Code. Unsafe structures may be ordered vacated or demolished by Code Administration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to register my Winston-Salem rental with the city?
Can the city inspect my rental property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Winston-Salem
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