Joliet, IL Short-Term Rentals: Registration Rules (2026)

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.