Repeat Offender Program

Owners and Property Managers

Criteria and Requirements

The City of Austin requires multi-family and single-family rental properties (not occupied by the owner) that have met the following conditions during a 24-month period to register for the Repeat Offender Program:

Received two or more separate notices of violation for conditions that are dangerous (likely to cause physical harm or injury to someone) or impair habitability (impair the quality of life for a tenant, such as problems with hot water, electrical service, heating, electrical hazard or infestation) for the same property and failed to correct the violations within the time frame required.

 

Received five or more separate notices of violation for conditions that are dangerous or impair habitability (as defined above) which are issued on separate days for the same property regardless of whether the violation was corrected or not.

 

Was issued two or more citations for the same property.

 

The owner of a property must register within 14 days of notification. The property owner will remain on the repeat offender list for a minimum of two years. This information is availble to the public on the Map of Repeat Offender Registrations.

Properties will be inspected annually to ensure compliance.

Exceptions

Exceptions only apply to owner-occupied rentals and units regulated by another section of the code (e.g. hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts).

Appeal

If the owner would like to appeal the registration, they must submit a statement that supports the appeal. This must be in writing within 10 days from the date the notice was mailed and sent to:

City of Austin - DSD Code Compliance 
Attn: ROP 
P.O. Box 1088
Austin, TX 78767

Registration, Renewal, and Fees

How to Register or Renew

Registration must be submitted within 14 days of notification. Please complete the following steps to register your property with the City of Austin’s Repeat Offender’s Program. 

  Complete Registration Form

Print and complete the Repeat Offender Rental Registration Form ^(PDF). 

If the owner is a corporation or association, the name and address of the registered agent on file with the Texas Secretary of State will be required. The owner will also need to provide the number of individual rental units and buildings at the property and a telephone number that will be answered 24 hours a day by a local contact (i.e. emergency phone number).

Be sure to check the box next to the Acknowledgment Statement and sign the registration form.
 

  Fees and Payment Methods

Fees

$660 - Registration and Renewal Fee

Payment Methods

• Cash (in person only)
• Check or Money Order payable to the "City of Austin" (by mail or in person)
• Credit Card (by phone or in person)

If you are making a payment in person, contact us before coming in.
 

  Submit Registration and Payment

There are two options to submit your registration and payment, by mail or in-person.

Mail

Mail your completed registration form and cashiers check or money order via USPS Certified Mail with Return Receipt Requested to: 

City of Austin - DSD Code Compliance 
Attn: Finance - ROP 
P.O. Box 1088
Austin, TX 78767

You can also call 512-974-9142 to pay via credit card.

In-person

Cash, check, money order, and credit card payments are accepted in person. Contact us before coming in to submit your registration form and payment in person at the Permitting and Development Center (PDC).

City of Austin Permitting and Development Center
6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive
Austin, TX 78752  

Regitsrations mailed to this address will be returned.
 

    Confirmation 

You will receive a confirmation and registration certificate in the mail upon submission of all required documents and fees. 

View the "Signage Requirements" section for information on displaying your registration certificate and required signage.

Signage Requirements

Registration Certificate

The registration certificate must be displayed in a public area at the property.  

Common Area Signage

Signage must be displayed in English and Spanish that includes the property's emergency phone number and information regarding how to report code violations.

• One sign for every 50 units must be displayed (e.g. by mailboxes, information board, laundry room, club house)
• Signs must be 12 inches x 24 inches and made of weather-proof material

Example common area signage — this signage meets the requirements of the ordinance. 

 

Suspension and Revocation Process

A property may have its registration suspended or revoked. Suspension or revocation of a rental registration prohibits a property from leasing vacant units until the property is brought into compliance. ROP properties with suspended or revoked registration will not be able to lease vacant or initially vacant units that were or become vacant and will see a loss of revenue. The intent of suspension and revocation is to incentivize property owners to expedite compliance to restore that lost income.

Qualifying Conditions

Properties registered on the Repeat Offender Program (ROP) may have their registration suspended or revoked. Properties with suspended or revoked ROP registrations will be required to keep vacant units empty until they come into compliance. Any one of the conditions below may trigger a review for suspension or revocation. At each review step it is possible to discontinue the suspension and revocation process. Each property is unique. Decisions may be based on history, the severity or frequency of the citation, or other factors as deemed relevant.

• Registrant fails to comply with permitting requirements.
• Registrant fails to timely comply with Notice of Violation (NOV).
• Failure to comply with all obligations specified in the ordinance.
• Property  is declared substandard by Building and Standards Commission, Code Official, or a court.
• Property  is declared dangerous by Building and Standards Commission, Code Official, or a court.

Internal Review Process

1. If a qualifying condition exists, a field inspector, in consultation with a supervisor, may recommend suspending or revoking an ROP registration. The clock starts.
2. The Division Manager and Assistant Director review the case and the inspector's recommendation. They forward their recommendation to the Code Official within 10 days. 
3. The Code Official reviews both the recommendations and the details of the case within 10 days, with an eye toward a fair and consistent outcome. Then, an official recommendation is made.
4. If the Code Offical determines that a property qualifies for suspension or revocation, then a Notice of Intent to suspend or revoke will be sent to the property owner. The Notice of Intent to suspend or revoke is sent by both regular and certified mail within 5 days of the Code Official’s determination.

Suspension or revocation is effective until the registrant complies with an order from the Building and Standards Commission, DSD Code Compliance, or a court. A ROP property with a suspended or revoked registration is restricted from renting units that were or become vacant. They may not lease or otherwise allow a vacant unit to become occupied by new tenants. A property’s ROP registration may be revoked if dangerous conditions are found and not corrected. It may also be revoked if an order to vacate is issued.

Should an ROP property registration be revoked rather than suspended, the owner will be required to reapply for registration and pay a new registration fee. The property will also begin the minimum registration period over.

Potential Courses of Action

Appeal 

An appeal must: 

• Be submitted to the Code Official within 10 days of notification of suspension or revocation. 
• Contain a brief statement of the facts that support the appeal.

The Building and Standards Commission can grant the appeal and reverse the suspension or revocation. However, it may also deny the appeal. If denied, a property owner may appeal to the District Court.

Comply

After a ROP property has achieved compliance with City Code, a Code Official may reinstate the registration.

Change in Ownership

Registration is non-transferable. If the property is sold, the new owner will have 30 days to submit a new Repeat Offender regisration form and pay a new registration fee, if applicable. If the rental property is made compliant within 90 days after the property is sold, the property will be taken off of the Repeat Offender list.

Renters and Residents

These resources provide renters and residents with the tools to submit and track complaints, understand how Code Compliance responds to cases, and know their rights when it comes to protection against retaliation.

Complaints

• Submit a complaint - You may submit a code complaint online, on the Austin 3-1-1 app, or by calling Austin 3-1-1.
• Check the status of a complaint - Contact DSD Code Connect for resources or questions about an existing complaint.
• Learn more about How to report a code violation.

Violations

• Understanding a Notice of Violation (NOV).
• Find a Notice of Violation on the ROP Dashboard.

Retaliation Protection

• Retaliation protection in English ^(PDF) and Spanish ^(PDF).

Additional resources are located in the Resources section. 

Contact

Contact us through DSD Code Connect at 512-974-2633 or by email. 

Map & Data​

Reports

Program Audit

In 2020, an audit was conducted on the Repeat Offender Program, and a report was compiled.

• Audit Report ^(PDF) 
• Informe de auditoría ^(PDF)

ROP Quarterly Reports

Contact us to request a copy an older report.

• 2024  ^(PDF)
• 2023  ^(PDF)
• 2022  ^(PDF)

Resources

Repeat Offender Program Video

ROP Education Packet — Learn about information and resources available to help you understand the program requirements and ensure your property stays safe. Download the ROP Education Packet ^(PDF). 

Common Code Violations —  Visit the Common Code Violations webpage to learn about the most common violations.

Suspension and Revocation Process  

• Registration Suspension and Revocation Process - English ^(PDF)
• Proceso de suspensión de registro y revocación - Espanol ^(PDF)

R.O.P. Inspections Calendar