Joliet requires every rental property, including short-term rentals like Airbnb and Vrbo, to register with the City and obtain a Rental Registration Certificate before operating. Owners file a Rental Property Owner Registration Form, a Crime Free Addendum Inspection Consent, and a NOPT Inspection Consent with the Neighborhood Services Division, then pay the $100 license fee.
The City of Joliet's Rental Inspection Program is administered by the Neighborhood Services Division within the Community Development Department. The 2023 ordinance amendment requires every rental dwelling unit in the city to register, even if no rent is paid or the unit is occupied by a relative. Owners must submit three forms: the Rental Property Owner Registration Form, the Crime Free Addendum Inspection Consent Form, and the Neighborhood-Oriented Policing Team (NOPT) Inspection Consent Form. Upon receipt of the completed forms and the $100 license fee, the City issues a Rental Registration Certificate valid until the next required inspection cycle (every two years per published program guidance). Registered owners may continue operating while waiting for an inspection to be scheduled. Properties classified as Type IV under Joliet's nuisance/property classification are ineligible for short-term rental registration. Joliet has no statewide STR preemption (Illinois has none), so the local rental certificate plus zoning compliance is the primary local authority. STR operators are also subject to Joliet's hotel and motel tax in addition to the Illinois 6% Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax under 35 ILCS 145.
Operating a rental without a Joliet Rental Registration Certificate is a municipal code violation enforced by the Neighborhood Services Division. The City may issue compliance citations, withhold the certificate until forms and the $100 fee are received, deny registration for Type IV-classified properties, and pursue further enforcement through the administrative hearing process.
See how Joliet's registration rules rules stack up against other locations.
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