Barstow, Cal., Code of Ordinances ch. 5.91 § 5.91.050
Annual rental permit required/change of ownership
Operative Text
Every owner of one or more dwelling units that are rental properties, whether single family or multi-family dwelling units, or any combination thereof, shall be required to obtain an annual rental permit for each rental property within 60 days of becoming a residential rental unit, or being converted to a residential rental unit. An annual rental permit shall be issued after the rental property has passed an initial rental property inspection of each dwelling unit located on the parcel as provided in section 5.91.080 and has complied with all other applicable laws, including payment of the annual rental permit fees. No interior inspection shall take place without the consent of the owner, their authorized representative, or tenant, unless the building inspector or their designee has an inspection warrant or upon exigent circumstances. Landlords may also self-certify and accept all liability that their property is in compliance with the city's housing and property maintenance standards by completing the city's self-certification checklist. The annual rental permit shall not be transferable. Upon property ownership change, the annual rental permit issued to the prior property owner shall be null and void and such annual rental permit file shall be closed. New property owners must make application for the required annual rental permit within 30 calendar days of taking ownership of rental property(ies). Licenses will be backdated to the first day of the month in which ownership is recorded with the County of San Bernardino.
Barstow Code of Ordinances ch. 5.91 § 5.91.050 requires every owner of residential rental property in Barstow — whether single-family or multi-family — to obtain an annual rental permit for each property. The permit must be secured within 60 days of a unit becoming a rental, and it follows either a passed inspection of each dwelling unit or a completed self-certification checklist. Permits are not transferable between owners: when a property changes hands, the existing permit becomes void, and the new owner must apply for a fresh permit within 30 calendar days of taking ownership, with the license backdated to the first day of the month ownership was recorded with San Bernardino County.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Barstow Code of Ordinances ch. 5.91 § 5.91.050, compliant rental property operators in Barstow obtain an annual rental permit for each property before the 60-day deadline and keep permits current for every unit in their portfolio. When acquiring a rental property, operators typically submit a new permit application within 30 calendar days of taking ownership, since the prior owner's permit is automatically voided at transfer. Operators may satisfy the inspection requirement either by scheduling a city inspection of each dwelling unit or by completing the city's self-certification checklist and accepting the associated liability for compliance with housing and property maintenance standards.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Barstow Code of Ordinances ch. 5.91 § 5.91.050 establishes that tenants have a right to know their landlord holds a valid annual rental permit, and that no interior inspection of a rental unit may occur without the tenant's consent, an inspection warrant, or exigent circumstances. If a landlord has not obtained the required permit — including after a change of ownership — tenants may have grounds to raise that non-compliance in relevant proceedings or file a concern with the City of Barstow. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with San Bernardino County housing regulations can help tenants understand what options may be available under this provision.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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