If you rent out a home in Detroit that you do not live in, you must register it with the city and pass an inspection to get a Certificate of Compliance. Registration is free and goes through the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department (BSEED). The certificate is the part that takes work, because the property has to pass a city inspection first. This guide walks through who has to register, the steps, what inspectors look for, what it costs, and what happens if you skip it.
TL;DR
- Detroit treats almost every home that is not an owner-occupied single-family house as a rental, including one- and two-family homes, apartments, rooming houses, and rooms rented inside an owner-occupied house.
- Rental registration is free. The Certificate of Compliance is valid for three years, and you pay any inspection fees the city assesses.
- The city now combines registration and the Certificate of Compliance into one application, followed by interior and exterior inspections.
- Not registering is a blight violation, and a certificate can be suspended right away if an inspector finds a threat to tenant health or safety.
Table of Contents
- Who has to register a rental in Detroit
- Registration and the Certificate of Compliance: two different things
- How to register a rental property in Detroit, step by step
- What the inspection covers
- What it costs and how long it lasts
- How to check a property’s status and renew
- What happens if you do not register
- Selling a rental that is not compliant
- Our perspective: treat compliance as part of your return
- If keeping the rental no longer makes sense
- FAQ
- Sources
Who has to register a rental in Detroit
The city defines residential rental property broadly. According to BSEED’s landlord requirements page, any dwelling other than an owner-occupied single-family home counts. That covers:
- Single-family homes you own but do not live in
- Two-family homes (duplexes and flats), even when you live in one unit and rent the other
- Apartment buildings
- Rooming houses
- Individual rooms rented within an owner-occupied single-family home
The trap for many small owners is the inherited house or the “accidental landlord” property. If you moved out and rented the home instead of selling, or you inherited a house and a relative pays you rent, the city still sees a rental. The same goes for a two-flat where you live downstairs.
This article covers long-term residential rentals. Short-term rentals such as Airbnb-style stays run through separate city zoning and licensing rules, so check those with the city before listing a property.
Registration and the Certificate of Compliance: two different things
People search for “rental registration” and “certificate of compliance” as if they were the same thing. They are related but not interchangeable.
Rental registration tells the city a property is a rental and who owns it. It is free. By itself, it says nothing about the condition of the home.
A Certificate of Compliance is BSEED’s confirmation that the property passed the applicable inspection and meets the minimum requirements of the Detroit Property Maintenance Code and, where relevant, zoning rules. According to the city, a valid registration is a prerequisite or component of the compliance process, but registration alone does not make a property compliant.
The practical takeaway: a landlord who has “registered” has done the easy part. Tenants, lenders, and buyers look for the certificate.
How to register a rental property in Detroit, step by step
The city describes the current process as a single step that combines registration and the Certificate of Compliance. You register the property, then schedule the interior and exterior inspections. In practice:
- Gather your ownership details. Have the parcel address, your legal name or the entity that owns the property, and your contact information ready. If an LLC owns the property, use the entity name the deed shows.
- Submit the rental-registration form to BSEED. Use the form on the city’s rental certificate page rather than a third-party site. Registration costs nothing, so be wary of any service that charges you to “file” it.
- Address lead-related disclosures. Detroit’s rules ask owners to disclose lead-safe-registry status where it applies, and Michigan’s Lead Abatement Act materials give the state-law background for lead-related housing obligations. If your home was built before 1978, read that material before you list the unit.
- Schedule the inspection. One- and two-family properties can book a rental inspection through the link on the city’s certificate page. Properties with three units can schedule by calling BSEED.
- Fix anything the inspector flags. You get a list of items to correct and then request a re-inspection.
- Receive your Certificate of Compliance. Keep a copy for your files and give one to each tenant.
Do not rely on a single phone call or an old forum post for the process. The city has changed how registration and compliance fit together, so start from the BSEED rental certificate page every time.
What the inspection covers
The current process requires a pass on the city’s 15-point property-condition inspection, per the BSEED rental certificate page. Both the interior and exterior are inspected. The city’s page is the place to confirm the exact checklist, but owners should expect the basics of habitability: working smoke alarms, safe heat and plumbing, sound stairs and railings, a weathertight roof and exterior, and no hazards that threaten tenants.
There is one shortcut. If your property was inspected for a federal, state, or local affordable-housing program, you may be able to submit a passed inspection that is less than 12 months old instead of scheduling a new city inspection. Landlords who rent through housing vouchers should read our Section 8 management guide for Detroit landlords, since program inspections and city compliance often overlap.
Prepare before the inspector arrives
Most failed inspections come from small, fixable items that a walk-through would have caught. Before you book:
- Walk every room with the 15-point idea in mind: safety devices, heat, water, electrical, stairs, windows, and doors.
- Check the exterior: roof, gutters, porches, siding, and any peeling paint or trash.
- Make the repairs first, then book. A failed visit costs time and may cost another fee.
If the house needs more than touch-ups, the decision between a quick turnover and a bigger upgrade matters. A make-ready versus renovation comparison for rental owners can help you decide how much to spend before the inspection and when to line up contractors.
What it costs and how long it lasts
Per the city’s landlord requirements:
| Item | Cost | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Rental registration | Free | Tied to the compliance process |
| Certificate of Compliance (residential) | You pay any inspection fees assessed | Valid for three years |
The city does not list a flat fee on that page, so the inspection charge is whatever BSEED assesses for your property type. Ask when you schedule. The real budget item for most owners is not the fee but the repairs the inspector requires.
How to check a property’s status and renew
Tenants, buyers, and owners can check whether an address has a current certificate. The City of Detroit publishes rental registration records through its open data portal, managed by BSEED, and the city also runs an online rental map that shows known rental properties and their compliance status. Search the exact address and compare it with what the landlord tells you.
For renewal, the three-year validity window is your clock. Put the expiry date in your calendar at least a few months ahead, because you will need a fresh inspection, and repairs and scheduling take time. Letting a certificate lapse leaves you holding a rental that is out of compliance, even if the home is in good shape. Confirm the current renewal steps on the BSEED rental certificate page rather than assuming the last cycle’s process still applies.
What happens if you do not register
The consequences are real and escalate:
- Blight ticket. Under the city’s rules, failing to register is a rental-registry violation that is treated as a blight violation, or blight ticket.
- Suspension. A Certificate of Compliance can be suspended immediately if an interim inspection finds a condition that threatens tenant health or safety. You must maintain the property and bring it back into compliance.
- Weak position with tenants. An unregistered or non-compliant property gives tenants leverage and leaves you exposed in a dispute.
If you already have open tickets, talk to BSEED about the path back to compliance. For a legal question, such as how a violation affects a lease or an eviction case, see a Michigan landlord-tenant attorney.
Selling a rental that is not compliant
Registration and compliance matter again when you sell. Buyers and lenders ask about open violations, and a rental with a lapsed certificate can slow a sale. Two of our guides cover the angles. If you are weighing a sale with open citations, see how code violations affect a Detroit home sale. For cash buyers, the city’s rules on pre-sale inspections are covered in our piece on Detroit cash sale inspection rules. If the property needs work you do not want to fund, selling a Michigan house as is walks through the legal steps.
Our perspective: treat compliance as part of your return
We research Detroit-area real estate services across Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties, and we see the same pattern with small landlords. Registration is treated as a chore, the inspection as a surprise, and the certificate as something to deal with after a tenant complains. That order is backwards.
The cleanest way to think about it is that the certificate is part of what you are selling to a tenant, and part of what you will be selling to a future buyer. A home with a current certificate, a clear repair history, and registered ownership is easier to rent, easier to finance, and easier to sell. A home with open blight tickets is the opposite, and the problem compounds when the owner is dealing with something else at the same time, such as an inheritance, a job relocation, or a mortgage in trouble.
Our advice is simple. Register first, because it is free and it starts the clock. Do a walk-through before you book the inspection. Budget for repairs rather than fees. And if you decide the rental is no longer worth keeping, compare your selling options before the violations pile up. We rank local providers on research and customer sentiment, and providers cannot pay for placement.
— Bryan
If keeping the rental no longer makes sense
Some owners run the numbers, see the repairs and the compliance cycle, and decide to sell. If that is you, our independent rankings can save time. We compare cash home buyers across Metro Detroit and real estate agents in Metro Detroit using published methodology, so you can see who handles tenant-occupied or non-compliant properties before you make calls.
If you are closer to buying your first home than selling a rental, our guide to first-time home buyer programs in Michigan is a good place to start.
FAQ
Is rental registration in Detroit free?
Yes. The city says rental registration is free. The cost comes from the Certificate of Compliance, where you pay any inspection fees BSEED assesses, plus whatever repairs the inspection requires.
Do I need to register if I rent a room in my own house?
Yes. Detroit counts rooms rented within an owner-occupied single-family home as residential rental property. Owner-occupied single-family homes with no tenants are the main exception.
How long is a Certificate of Compliance valid?
A residential Certificate of Compliance is valid for three years. Plan the next inspection well before it expires, and confirm the current renewal steps with BSEED.
What happens if I do not register my rental?
Failure to register is treated as a blight violation, so you can receive a blight ticket. A certificate can also be suspended immediately if an inspection finds a condition that threatens tenant health or safety.
Does my duplex count if I live in one unit?
Yes. One- and two-family homes are covered, and the city excludes only owner-occupied single-family homes. If you rent the other unit, treat the property as a rental.
Sources
- Landlord Rental Requirements, City of Detroit BSEED
- Rental Certificate of Compliance, City of Detroit BSEED
- Michigan Lead Abatement Act materials, State of Michigan