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Rental Housing Program


The Rental Housing Ordinance was adopted by City Council in 2000; however, the ordinance has been updated several times to reflect the evolution of the program. The primary intent of this ordinance is to protect single family neighborhoods and to establish minimum life safety standards for rental units. These standards apply to single family houses, duplexes, and townhouses. All rental houses must undergo an annual inspection for “livability standards” and obtain a permit.

Obtaining a Rental Housing Permit

  • Schedule an appointment and provide basic property information so that a rental record can be created in the City's Rental Tracking Program.
  • Schedule a property inspection. Please note that the owner/agent must be present at time of inspection. For renewals, the current occupants must be given 24 hours advance notice of inspections.
  • Any and all items noted on inspection report must be corrected and the unit reinspected
  • Pay a permitting fee of $125, then the permit is issued

Permits are renewed annually (Permit period runs July 1 through June 30.)

Maximum Occupancy
Max occupancy is established through the Zoning Ordinance and based upon the zoning district in which the dwelling is located. New Rental Properties are limited to this occupancy standard. (Section 13-55, Rental Housing Ordinance defines occupant.) Prospective tenants can request a list of properties with current rental permits and their occupancy by filling out a Freedom of Information (FOIA) form, linked below. Please feel free to request and review that list before you sign a lease. Prospective property buyers can validate the occupancy limit of a given property by contacting our office and talking with the Zoning and Codes Administrator.

Rental Housing Information and Forms
Rental Housing Ordinance (Updated September 18, 2017)
Checklist for rental housing inspections
Acknowledgement of Non-Compliant Windows form
Rental Housing Application Form
FOIA Form to request list of current rental properties and their allowed occupancy
Off Campus Living Guide

Short Term Rental Information and Forms
Short Term Rental Ordinance
Short Term Rental Registration Form
Short Term Rental Log Sheet

Rental Housing Program Staff
Jacob Peabody, Zoning and Codes Administrator - JPeabody@cityofclemson.org
Hunnicutt Lindsay, Codes Enforcement Officer - HLindsay@cityofclemson.org
Rebekah Wilbanks, Office Manager - rwilbanks@cityofclemson.org