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Important Information About Cape Coral Rentals

April 19, 2022 |

The City of Cape Coral has provided the following information regarding Residential Rental Property Registration:

1) What properties must be registered?

All residential dwelling units that are leased or rented by any arrangement, by written agreement or otherwise, to lease, sublease, rent, license, sublicense, or allow occupancy of a dwelling unit. This includes Single-Family Attached, Detached or Semi-Detached homes, Multi-Family, Duplexes and the like, Condominiums, Townhouses, Efficiencies and similar structures.

2) What is a Residential Dwelling Unit?

Includes each single-family dwelling and each unit of apartment, duplex or multiple dwelling structure designed as a separate habitation for one or more persons, whether temporarily or permanently utilized or designed or intended to be utilized for human habitation. https://library.municode.com/fl/cape_coral/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CH2AD_ARTIIFE_DIV3PUSAIMFE_S2-24.8DE

3) Are any properties exempt?

Yes; rental properties shall not include any dwelling unit that is owned by a federal, state, or local housing program or the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, hotels, motels, or any community residential facility licensed and inspected by the state of Florida. Residential rental property shall not include dwelling units that are owner-occupied.

4) What information is required on the registration?

The registration must include contact information for the residential rental property including, legal name of the owner, and an individual or company name, direct mailing address, email address (if any), and telephone number for a person or entity responsible to respond to any nuisances, code violations, and emergencies that may arise at the residential rental property.

5) How often must I register the rental property?

The owner shall register the rental property by the effective date of the Ordinance; August 1st, 2021 and must maintain current contact information with the Department of Community Development; Code Compliance Division, for the duration of time that the dwelling unit(s) is rented or available for rent, and shall be required to notify the Department within thirty (30) days after any changes to the registration information provided to the City. In the event ownership of the residential rental property changes and the property remains a rental property, the new owner shall register the said property with the Department within thirty (30) days from the date of such ownership transfer.

6) Is there a cost to this registration?

Yes; at the time of registering the owner shall pay a one-time registration fee of $35.00 for an individual dwelling unit. Owners of residential structures containing more than one dwelling unit, when each unit is owned by the same owner and located on the same parcel, may register all such units with the Department under a single registration and pay a one-time registration fee of $35.00.

7) Why is the City doing this?

The City is establishing a registration program to address the significant amount of residential rental property located within the City of Cape Coral. It is the City’s further intent to protect neighborhoods from becoming blighted through the lack of adequate maintenance of residential rental properties and to have the ability to notify a person or entity responsible to respond to any nuisances, code violations, and emergencies that may arise at the residential rental property.

8) What happens if I don’t register my rental properties?

Failure to register a residential rental property with the City, or otherwise comply with this section, shall be a violation of City Ordinance and will subject the owner to the code enforcement provisions and procedures provided in Section 2-81 through 2-96, Cape Coral Code of Ordinances.

Please contact Carol Rall with any rental registration questions: [email protected] or (239) 574–0624.  

Contact Miloff Aubuchon Realty Group for Property Management solutions that fit your needs.