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Sugar Land, Texas Rental License Program.

By
Property Manager with Keller Williams Realty Southwest

Sugar Land, Texas Rental License Program

I have been doing rentals in the Sugar Land area for the last 4 months or so, and no one ever told me about this license requirement for rental property owners.  I came across this article on the sugarlandtx.gov website and was very surprised.  I know city licensing requirements usually are only used as a revenue stream, I think this one will actually do the community some good. 

Sugar Land, Texas Rental License Program
A Division of Community and Environmental Services Department

 About the Program
The City Council passed an ordinance on November 20, 2007 requiring all single family residences used as rental properties in the City of Sugar Land to be licensed and inspected by the City.  This measure has been adopted to help ensure that rental properties are conforming to the same property maintenance standards as owner occupied homes within the City.  If you own a single family rental unit in Sugar Land, as the property owner you will have to meet a few new requirements under the City's new program including:

1.Annually filing an application for a Rental License and paying $80.00 Licensing Fee.
2.Maintaining your property in compliance with all City codes relating to Health, Sanitation, and Property Maintenance.
3.Remedying any violation of City codes found on your property.
4.Not renting your unit to a Registered Sex Offender if the unit is within 2500 ft of an area designated as a "Child Area" under Article XI, Chapter 3 of the Sugar Land Code of Ordinances
You will need to submit an application for a Rental License and pay the fee as soon as possible (link to the application is provided below). The ordinance went into effect January 1, 2008, and as of July 1, 2008, owners of unlicensed rental properties can be fined up to $500.00 a day for each day that the unit is rented without a license.  Water service will also not be provided to rental properties not having a license.

As soon as the City receives your application, we will conduct an inspection of the exterior and grounds of your property to ensure that it is in compliance with all of the City's Health, Sanitation, and Property Maintenance Codes.  If no violations are found the City will issue you a license to continue operating your property as a rental unit.  If violations are discovered, the City will work with you to establish a schedule for the remediation of the violations and the issuance of a Rental License.

The City of Sugar Land 's primary concern is to gain compliance with our regulations relating to the safe occupancy of property.  The City is committed to working with you to ensure that your property complies with all applicable standards. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Rental Licensing Program at 281-275-2785 or send us an e-mail at rentalprogram@sugarlandtx.gov

If you need the link to the Sugar Land, Texas rental license application, email me at stephen@stephenakendrick.com and I will send you that information. 

Sugar Land, Texas Rental License Program

Comments (1)

Doyle Cox, REALTORĀ®,TRC, GRI
Champions Real Estate Group - Rosenberg, TX

That's good information, Stephen. Thanks for letting us know. I agree that it is a good thing.

Aug 06, 2009 11:39 PM