DENVER (KDVR) — In the eight months since Denver’s rental property licensing law went into effect, the city has issued more than $30,000 in fines.
In total, 167 fines have been issued: 154 of them have been $150 fines for first violations, 12 have been $500 fines for second violations, and only one fine of $999 has been for a third violation.
According to the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses, the building that reached the highest level of fine is located at 3401 N. Williams St.
The first phase of the program, which went into effect this past January, requires landlords who own multiple rental units at the same address to apply for a license and undergo an inspection of the property. This costs $50 for an application fee, plus a fee of up to $500 depending on the size of the apartment complex.
The second phase of the program, which begins this coming January, requires owners of houses or individual units to undergo the same application and inspection process.
Excise and Licenses says that so far there are more than 135,000 licensed rental units in the city. Most of them are at multi-unit properties, but about 4,000 of them are single-unit properties.
Property owners who do not go through the licensing process will then be fined by the city, and those who reach the highest level of violation can be fined $999 every day.
However, Eric Escudero from Excise and Licenses said he in an emailed news release that he could not comment on whether the city will take that action.
“Fines and citations are looked upon by the city as a last resort when every effort has been made to get a business in compliance with Denver law. Our hope is this property and all other properties that are operating without a license will be compelled to get in compliance,” Escudero said.
How to check rental home licensing in Denver
If you’re wondering if your landlord is in compliance, here’s how to check.
- Go to the website for Denver’s Permitting and Licensing Center (make sure the “Business Licenses” tab is selected).
- Enter your address under the search section.
- Click search.
That’s it. If your landlord is licensed under the program, it will be listed with “Residential Rental License” as the license type. The search results will also show if the city has taken enforcement action against your landlord for failing to get licensed.
