Rental registration and inspections in Hayward

Each rule below links to the section of the Hayward Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Hayward's code says

Hayward code What Hayward's code adds
Exemptions	Exempt: no current violation complaint, at most 2 verified violations in 12 months, none uncorrected, no unpaid fees, no liens. Applies: Applies to well-maintained properties in the Self-Certification Program. § 9-5.303 · code text Exemption from the mandatory inspection shall be available for well-maintained properties that qualify under the Self-Certification Program. A property must have the following characteristics to participate in the Self-Certification Program: The exemption ends if a confirmed code violation is not corrected by the first progress check. Applies: Applies to the Self-Certification Program exemption. § 9-5.304 · code text An exemption from the mandatory inspection shall expire upon a failure to correct a confirmed code violation(s) on the property by the first progress check.
Inspections	Rental units are inspected over time, by housing age, condition and violation history. Owners, managers and tenants must allow inspection. Applies: Applies to the Mandatory Inspection Program, which covers residential rental units; hotels and motels are also covered. § 9-5.302 · code text The City of Hayward hereby institutes a systematic code enforcement program that will ensure that residential rental units, hotels, and motels are inspected over time. The program will include mandatory inspection of units based on factors including, but not limited to: Age of rental housing stock, condition of rental housing stock, and history of previous code violations. At least 20% of the property's total units must be inspected. Applies: Applies to properties not given a Residential Rental inspection in the 10 years before applying to the Self-Certification Program. § 9-5.304 · code text Upon receipt of the application to participate in the Self-Certification Program, the City shall inspect a minimum of twenty percent (20%) of the property's total units. City staff randomly select the units to inspect. The owner must notify tenants and ensure access. Applies: Applies to the Self-Certification Program qualifying inspection. § 9-5.304 · code text The property owner or his/her designee must notify the individual tenants of any inspection and ensure access to units which will be randomly selected for inspection by City staff.
Penalty	The owner cannot take part in the Self-Certification Program for 5 years from the date of correction. Applies: Applies when a violation is not corrected by the first progress check of the qualifying inspection. § 9-5.304 · code text A property owner who fails to correct a violation by the first progress check shall be ineligible to participate in the Self-Certification Program for a period of five (5) years from the date of correction

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Frequently asked questions

Must landlords register or inspect rental units in Hayward?

Hayward's code: Exempt: no current violation complaint, at most 2 verified violations in 12 months, none uncorrected, no unpaid fees, no liens. (Applies to well-maintained properties in the Self-Certification Program.) (§ 9-5.303); The exemption ends if a confirmed code violation is not corrected by the first progress check. (Applies to the Self-Certification Program exemption.) (§ 9-5.304).

Rental registration and inspections in Hayward

What Hayward's code says

Who this affects

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