L.A. Mun. Code ch. XV art. 1; ch. XVI art. 5 § 151.15
PENALTIES FOR LATE REGISTRATION AND FOR FAILURE TO POST NOTICE THAT PROPERTY IS SUBJECT TO THE RENT STABILIZATION ORDINANCE (Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance and Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance)
Operative Text
(Amended by Ord. No. 181,744, Eff. 7/15/11.) Any landlord who fails to pay the fee for registration or registration renewal in accordance with the provisions of Section 151.05 of this Chapter shall be deemed delinquent. The landlord shall pay a penalty equal to one hundred and fifty percent of the fee per subject rental unit for any delinquency incurred after the effective date of this amendment. For any delinquency incurred prior to the effective date of this amendment, the landlord shall pay a penalty of $6.00 for a delinquency incurred prior to January 1, 1989, and a penalty of $14.00 for a delinquency incurred subsequent to January 1, 1989, and prior to the effective date of this amendment. Any landlord who pays a fee after the Department has notified the landlord of the landlord’s delinquency in failing to comply with the registration requirements of this Chapter prior to the effective date of this amendment shall pay a penalty of $15.00 for a delinquency incurred prior to January 1, 1989, and a penalty of $28.00 for a delinquency incurred subsequent to January 1, 1989, and prior to the effective date of this amendment per subject rental unit in addition to the amount of the fee. The Department shall notify a landlord of failure to post a notice in accordance with the provisions of Subsection I. of Section 151.05 of this Chapter. If a landlord fails to post the notice within seven days of Department notification, the landlord shall pay a fine of $250 for each day after the seventh day that the landlord fails to post the notice. If the Department determines that good cause exists for a landlord’s failure to timely pay the registration fee in accordance with the provisions of Section 151.05 of this Chapter, or failure to post a notice in accordance with the provisions of Subsection I. of Section 151.05 of this Chapter, the Department may waive the penalties or fines required by this Section. The Department may promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Section.
Under L.A. Mun. Code ch. XVI art. 5 § 151.15, landlords who miss the deadline to pay their Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) registration fee are considered delinquent and face a penalty equal to 150% of the registration fee per rental unit for violations occurring after July 15, 2011. Separate, older penalty tiers apply to delinquencies that predate that amendment. Additionally, landlords who fail to post the required RSO notice after being notified by the Department can face fines of $250 per day for each day beyond a seven-day cure window, though the Department retains discretion to waive penalties when good cause is shown.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of RSO-covered properties generally stay in compliance with § 151.15 by paying registration and renewal fees on time as required under Section 151.05 and by prominently posting the required RSO notice on each subject rental unit. When the Los Angeles Housing Department issues a notice of failure to post, compliant operators typically cure the deficiency within the seven-day window to avoid the $250-per-day fine that begins on day eight. If circumstances prevented timely payment or posting, operators commonly document those circumstances and contact the Department to explore whether a good-cause waiver under § 151.15 may be available.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 151.15, tenants living in RSO-covered units have an interest in whether their landlord has properly registered the property and posted the required notice, because a landlord's delinquent registration status can affect rent increase eligibility and other RSO protections. Tenants who believe their landlord has not registered or has not posted the required notice can file a complaint with the Los Angeles Housing Department, which is the agency responsible for notifying landlords of violations and assessing penalties under this provision. Tenant-rights organizations in Los Angeles can help residents understand how a landlord's registration status under § 151.15 may relate to broader RSO rights and available remedies.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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