National City Municipal Code Ch. 10.17 Registration of Renters at Public Storage Facilities

The city council finds and determines that it is important, in the interest of public safety, to require renters at public storage facilities to provide personal identification information to the operators of such facilities, and for operators of public storage facilities to retain the personal identification information of the renters of such facilities, which information shall be available for reasonable inspection by a law enforcement officer.

(Ord. 2276 (part), 2005)

"Law enforcement officer" is described as any California peace officer, federal agent or federal criminal investigator.

"Operators" is described in Section 4.32.020 of the Municipal Code.

"Public storage facility" is defined as building(s) or grounds established for public use for the purpose of safekeeping articles and/or belongings.

"Renter(s)" means an individual(s) who provides compensation to an operator for the use of any property, movable or fixed.

(Ord. 2276 (part), 2005)

A. Every renter must furnish to the operator of public storage facility photo identification as part of the registration for the hire of storage units at that public storage facility by the renter, and must identify all authorized or proposed occupants of the storage unit hired to the operator. Photo identification consists of one of the following: a valid driver's license issued by the renter's state or county of residence; a federal or state government or military identification card from the United States of America; a passport; or any other form of identification on which the renter's photograph and current address appears. If because of physical disability, a renter is unable to furnish a governmentally issued form of photographic identification, an operator is authorized to accept any commercially reasonable form of identification that will serve to identify that renter.

B. The operator of the public storage facility shall maintain a record of the following identification produced by the renter:

1. Name of renter, address, date of birth, driver's license number and state of county of issue;

2. Name of each person who is authorized or invited by the renter to place belongings (occupy) in the rented storage unit during the term of hire.

C. An operator shall retain any records required under this section for one year after the date the renter vacates the storage unit; the operator may destroy them after that time.

D. An operator shall notify any renter who refuses to produce identification that it is unlawful to fail or refuse to provide proper identification or the identity of occupants to any operator of a public storage facility as a precondition to the registration process.

(Ord. 2276 (part), 2005)

An operator may post a notice advising renters that a renter is liable for any storage unit charges or damage to the storage unit during the term of hire, whether caused by the renter or other authorized occupant, or both, until the storage unit is vacated by the renter and all authorized occupants and the keys are returned to the operator. The notice may also provide that the renter may be held liable for charges or damages caused by an occupant who was not identified by the renter but occupied the storage unit with the renter's permission.

(Ord. 2276 (part), 2005)

A. It is unlawful for a renter to refuse to provide identification to an operator or fail to identify to the operator all occupants who will be authorized or invited by the renter to occupy the storage unit by the hired renter.

B. It is unlawful for an operator of a public storage facility to fail to require a renter to provide photo identification; fail to retain the information required by Section 10.17.030 of this chapter, or to refuse to provide such information upon request of a law enforcement officer conducting an investigation. Provided, however, that any duty required under Section 10.17.030 of this chapter terminates after one year, following the date the renter vacates the storage unit.

(Ord. 2276 (part), 2005)