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Santa Barbara County · Renting & eviction

Rental registration and inspections in Santa Barbara County

Santa Barbara County's own rules on rental registration and inspections, with the code text for every value.

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

What Santa Barbara County's code says

Santa Barbara County code What Santa Barbara County's code adds
Exemptions
  • Newly constructed buildings are exempt from routine inspection but remain subject to registration.
    Applies: Isla Vista Rental Housing Inspection Pilot Program; exemption application after registration, revocable for housing complaints or health and safety violations.
    § 10-18.7 · code text
    The following residential buildings shall be subject to registration under this section, but shall be exempt from a routine inspection: 1. Newly constructed buildings; or
  • Government-regulated or subsidized rental units and units with government-sponsored financing are exempt from routine inspection but remain subject to registration.
    Applies: Isla Vista Rental Housing Inspection Pilot Program; exemption application after registration, revocable for housing complaints or health and safety violations.
    § 10-18.7 · code text
    Government regulated, subsidized residential rental housing units or those with government-sponsored financing. These properties are exempt because they are subject to routine inspections related to housing conditions or property maintenance by another government agency or rent subsidized program.
Fee
  • Fees are waived in the first program year; if the program continues, the board adopts a fee schedule.
    Applies: Isla Vista Rental Housing Inspection Pilot Program.
    § 10-18.13 · code text
    Sec. 10-18.13. - Pilot inspection program fees. The fees associated with the first year of this pilot program will be waived by the director. If this program extends beyond the first year, the board will adopt a fee schedule for this section. (Ord. No. 5270, § 1, 11-18-2025)
Inspections
  • Inspections happen periodically or upon complaints received.
    Applies: Isla Vista Rental Housing Inspection Pilot Program; residential rental housing units.
    § 10-18.6 · code text
    The director, or designee, is authorized to periodically or upon received complaints inspect all residential rental housing units within the unincorporated community of Isla Vista to determine compliance with all applicable health and safety standards as defined in this section.
Penalty
  • Infraction or misdemeanor offense and/or administrative penalty.
    Applies: Isla Vista Rental Housing Inspection Pilot Program; violation of the program requirements.
    § 10-18.9 · code text
    Any person violating this section may be charged with an infraction or misdemeanor offense, and/or administrative penalty as provided in chapter 24A, Administrative fines of the Santa Barabara County Code.
Registration
  • All residential rental housing units must register.
    Applies: Isla Vista Rental Housing Inspection Pilot Program.
    § 10-18.5 · code text
    All residential rental housing units in the unincorporated community of Isla Vista shall register in compliance with this Isla Vista rental housing inspection pilot program.
  • Register within 45 days of acquisition or conversion, or within 30 days after written notification requiring registration.
    Applies: Isla Vista Rental Housing Inspection Pilot Program; unit acquired or converted into a residential rental housing unit.
    § 10-18.5 · code text
    Registration of a residential housing unit(s) shall be submitted within forty-five days of the date it was acquired or converted into a residential rental housing unit or within thirty days after receiving written notification requiring the unit(s) to be registered as a residential rental housing unit.

Who this affects

TenantsLandlordsProperty managers

Frequently asked questions

Must landlords register or inspect rental units in Santa Barbara County?

Santa Barbara County's code: Newly constructed buildings are exempt from routine inspection but remain subject to registration. (Isla Vista Rental Housing Inspection Pilot Program; exemption application after registration, revocable for housing complaints or health and safety violations.) (§ 10-18.7); Government-regulated or subsidized rental units and units with government-sponsored financing are exempt from routine inspection but remain subject to registration. (Isla Vista Rental Housing Inspection Pilot Program; exemption application after registration, revocable for housing complaints or health and safety violations.) (§ 10-18.7).

General information, not legal advice.

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