Rental Registration & Inspection Ordinance - Owners & Managers

The best way to register your property is by using the Seattle Services Portal. Please read the instructions listed below before you register. You may also register in person or by mail using the Registration Form in the list below. When you register your property, you will be asked to declare that the property and available rental units meet the standards described in the RRIO Checklist.

• Creating a New User Account
• Creating a Property Registration
• How to Claim Ownership of a Registered Property
• Account Management Instruction Sheet
• How to Appeal a Penalty or Violation Instruction Sheet
• Registration Form
• Tip 620, Registering Your Rental Property

When Should I Register My Property?

Landlords must register their properties as soon as they have a tenant in the rental space. Short-term rental properties that are not the primary residence of the short-term rental operator must register prior to listing the rental.

Some government-owned, government-operated, and institutional rental housing may not need to be registered. Find out if your property may meet the registration exceptions.

What You Will Need

To register a property, you will need some basic information about the property:

• Property information and address.
• Information for three contact types for each property registered: Applicant, Owner(s), and Tenant Contact for Repair.
• The number of rental units on your property. Unit identifiers must be provided. 

What are the Registration Fees?

The fee is $110 for a property and its first rental unit, plus $20 for each additional unit. For example:

• A 1-unit rental property, like a single-family home, is $70
• A 2-unit rental property is $130
• A 10-unit property is $290

A 5 percent technology fee is added to RRIO fees.

Payments can be made by credit card, check, or cash. If you are registering using the Seattle Services Portal, then you can only pay by credit card at this time. If you wish to pay your registration fee using a check after registering online (but before payment), follow these instructions for paying by check. Once you have registered, you will receive a receipt and a RRIO registration certificate.

Your RRIO registration is good for 2 years from the date you register your property. You are required to post your RRIO registration certificate in a common area of your rental property or give a copy to each tenant.

Do I need to renew my registration?

Rental property owners must renew their rental registration by the expiration date listed on the registration certificate. We will reach out owners and property managers approximately 60 days prior to the registration expiration by mail and email using the contact information on the registration. You can quickly renew your registration online through the Seattle Services Portal and logging into your user account. For more information, check out the What You Need to Know About Renewals form.

How much will it cost to renew my rental registration? 

The cost to renew a rental registration is $70 for each property, including the first unit, plus $15 for each additional unit. The fee covers 2 years of property registration with the RRIO program.

Beginning January 1, 2023, a 5 percent technology fee is added to RRIO fees.

How do I renew my rental registration?

You can renew your registration online through the Seattle Services Portal and logging into your user account. You can follow the instructions on the How to Renew a RRIO Rental Property Registration page to complete the process.

You can also renew by mail using the Rental Property Registration Form. On the form, select Registration Renewal under the Type of Registration and follow the directions on the form to complete the renewal process. If you need assistance with renewing your rental registration, call the RRIO Helpline at (206) 684-4110.

What if I don't own the property anymore or it's no longer a rental?

If the property is no longer a rental, or you don't own it anymore, please let us know so we stop sending you information about the RRIO program. To notify us, please send an email to RRIO@seattle.gov or call the RRIO Helpline at (206) 684-4110.

Need more help?

If you need additional help with the renewal process, you can follow the instructions on the How to Renew Your Rental Property Registration page or call the RRIO Helpline at (206) 684-4110.

We require all rental properties to be inspected periodically, or show that they meet the inspection requirement some other way. Properties are selected for inspection once during the first five years after they are registered. There is a 10 percent chance the property will be chosen a second time within the following five years. For multi-unit properties, owners may choose to inspect all of the rental housing units or have a sample of 20 percent of the units inspected. Every month, we will notify a random selection of property owners that we have selected their property for inspection. Our notice will give you at least 60 days to have the inspection completed. If multifamily property owners choose to inspect a sample of units, then you can contact the RRIO program 10 days prior to the scheduled inspection date to learn which units have been randomly selected for inspection.

The most common RRIO inspection failures are:

• Missing or inoperable smoke / carbon monoxide detectors
• Missing discharge line on hot water tank
• Missing handrail on steps with 4 or more risers
• Missing guardrails on landings or decks that are 30 inches or more above grade or intermediate rails more than 4 inches apart
• Exposed wiring (unprotected Romex, missing outlet covers)
• No observation port in front door

Meeting the RRIO Inspection Requirement

• What You Need to Know About Inspections

When you receive a Notice of Required Inspection, you have three ways to meet the inspection requirement:

1. Complete a RRIO Inspection

• Hiring an Inspector: You may hire City inspectors or qualified private inspectors to complete an inspection.
  • To hire a City inspector, call (206) 684-4110 and select option 3 when prompted. City inspections cost $210, which includes the first unit. Inspections for more than one unit cost an additional $40 per unit. City inspectors will perform follow-up inspections, as needed, at no charge.
  • To hire a qualified private inspector, choose one from this list of available private inspectors. Private inspectors set their own rates. We require a $50 filing fee for processing private inspection results. 
  • A 5 percent technology fee is added to RRIO fees.

• Notifying Renters: Once you have scheduled an inspection, you must give your renters at least two days notice of the inspection. You may prepare your notices using this Notification to Tenants of a RRIO Inspection template.
• Passing the Inspection: Once your property passes the RRIO inspection, you will receive a Certificate of Compliance from either your city or private inspector. 
• Failing the Inspection: If your property does not pass the inspection, you need to make the required corrections and then have the property re-inspected. City inspectors will conduct up to 2 re-inspections at no-charge. Private inspectors will set their own rates.
• Extending the Inspection Deadline: You may request more time to complete your inspection. To request more time, call (206) 684-4110.

2. Submit Approved Inspection Documentation
Qualified programs and documentation include:

There are 2 ways to submit approved alternative inspection documentation to the RRIO program:

1. Email: Scan and attach your documents to an email and send them to RRIO@seattle.gov.
2. Mail: Mail your documents to:
        City of Seattle - Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections
        RRIO Program
        P.O. Box 34019
        Seattle, WA 98124-4019

3. Meet the Inspection Exception: Notify us if your property has an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) occupied by an immediate family member and you live in a unit on the property. The rental unit occupied by your immediate family member is exempt from inspection. Contact us at (206) 684-4110, or email us at RRIO@seattle.gov.

Other Types of RRIO Inspections

There are other types of RRIO inspections that may be done voluntarily, or as a result of a complaint.

Pre-Registration Inspection
You may choose to hire a City inspector or qualified private inspector to complete an inspection prior to registration. A pre-registration inspection can help you feel confident declaring that your property and all your units meet our checklist standards. This inspection is strictly voluntary and all rental housing units on your property must be inspected. You must comply with all the requirements of our required inspection, such as proper notice to tenants. If you complete and pass a pre-registration inspection, your inspector will submit the results to the City. After all applicable fees are paid, the City will issue a Certificate of Compliance to you. The RRIO Certificate of Compliance for a pre-registration inspection will satisfy your inspection requirement for at least 5 years.

Voluntary Inspection
You may choose to have a RRIO inspection conducted after you register at your convenience, rather than wait to be selected for a required inspection. To schedule a voluntary inspection, you must contact us at (206) 684-4110 and request a voluntary inspection letter. The letter will establish the date for your 60-day compliance timeline. It will also randomly select the appropriate number of units on a multi-unit property to be inspected which can be provided 10 days prior to the scheduled inspection date. If you have prior violations you may be required to have all your units inspected, depending upon the date of the violation. You may hire a City inspector or a qualified private inspector to complete the voluntary inspection. If you complete and pass the voluntary inspection, your inspector will submit the results to the City. After all applicable fees are paid, the City will issue a Certificate of Compliance to you. The Certificate of Compliance for a voluntary inspection will satisfy your inspection requirement for at least 5 years.

Complaint-Based Inspection
All complaints regarding rental housing will be handled according to the Housing and Building Maintenance Code, enforced by our Code Compliance group. This code has a broader set of standards than RRIO.

If a City Housing and Zoning Inspector completes a site inspection of the property, the inspector will also complete a RRIO Checklist.

• If the rental unit(s) pass the RRIO Checklist, then the result will be recorded with the property registration record and no additional action will be necessary regarding the complaint.
• If the rental unit(s) fail the RRIO Checklist and the property is not required to be registered with us, then the property will be managed according to the practices, procedures, and policies of our Code Compliance program.
• If the rental unit(s) fail the RRIO Checklist and the property is registered with us, then the result will be recorded with the property registration record and us. If the property is randomly selected for inspection in the next year, all units on the property must be inspected.

If the Department Director requires additional RRIO inspections of rental housing units due to a failed RRIO Checklist, the additional inspections must be completed within 60 calendar days.

If you do not follow our requirements, we may issue a violation and penalties, and we may take legal action. Our goal is to work with you to make sure you meet our requirements. If you face RRIO penalties or a violation, call us immediately to resolve the situation before the penalties grow and become a costly lawsuit.

You may get a violation for:

• Not registering a rental housing property by the due date
• Not completing a property inspection by the due date
• Renting a property to tenants that does not meet the minimum standards in the RRIO checklist

Penalties are $150 per day for the first 10 days and $500 per day after that.

Once you receive a Notice of Violation letter, you must comply or contact us immediately if you need an extension or want to appeal. You may request a review of the violation of penalties by following these instructions to file an appeal.

If you do not comply or request a review, we will send the case to the City Attorney’s office to file a lawsuit to compel you to meet the RRIO requirement and pay the penalties. We will notify you when we refer the violation to the City Attorney.

For more information, download our RRIO Violations and Penalties flyer.

Find out if a residential rental property in Seattle has registered with RRIO or has been inspected as part of the RRIO program. Visit the Seattle Services Portal (you do not need to log in or have a customer account) and click on "Rental Registrations" in the Find Existing section. Please use this How to Determine Whether a Property is Registered or has had a RRIO Inspection help article if you need help finding the information.