Batavia CHAPTER 27 MULTIPLE FAMILY RENTAL BUILDINGS § 3-27-4
ISSUANCE AND RENEWAL OF RENTAL LICENSE
Operative Text
A. An initial rental license shall be obtained for all rental property subject to this chapter: 1. Within sixty (60) days of the effective date of this chapter; or 2. Prior to the issuance of an occupancy permit. B. All new rental licenses shall be issued for the year ending on December 31, regardless of when the rental license is issued. C. An annual fee shall be charged as follows: 6 - 50 units $100.00 51 - 100 units 200.00 101 - 200 units 300.00 201 - 300 units 400.00 300+ units $500.00 + $1.00 per apartment over 500 D. All rental licenses shall expire on the December 31st following the date of issuance, unless previously revoked. E. No rental license shall be transferrable to another owner or from one rental property to another rental property. Each new owner of rental property subject to this chapter shall apply for a new rental license within thirty (30) days of assuming title to the rental property and shall diligently complete the requirements for a rental license. F. No license shall be issued or renewed unless the owner has first made application for a rental license on a form provided by the Community Development Department and has submitted all documentation and information required therewith. The Community Development Department shall develop application forms and make them available to the public. G. No rental license shall be issued or renewed to an owner who does not reside in or have an office or place of business in Kane County unless the owner has retained a property manager who resides in or has an office or place of business in Kane County or the owner has identified a designated agent who resides in or has an office or place of business in Kane County for purposes of receiving notices. H. No rental license shall be issued or renewed unless the owner identifies a successor designated agent for the receipt of notice in the event that the owner, property manager or primary designated agent who resides or has an office or place of business in Kane County is absent from Kane County for thirty (30) consecutive days or more. Such a designation shall be made in writing and shall accompany each application form. I. A complete application shall be filed for renewal of the rental license no less than thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the present rental license. J. No rental license shall be issued or renewed unless the owner has passed an exterior and interior (common area) code inspection. Said inspection shall determine compliance with all Building and Property Maintenance Codes including, but not limited to, the International Building Code and the International Property Maintenance Code versions that have been adopted by the City Council. K. Any person holding a rental license shall give notice in writing to the Community Development Department prior to the transfer of ownership of rental property or within twenty four (24) hours thereafter. Such notice shall include the name and address of the person succeeding to the ownership of the rental property. If the notice of transfer is not given as required herein, the person holding the rental license shall be liable for any violations of this chapter that occur until the new owner applies for and is issued a new rental license. Any person who acquires ownership of rental property in the City must apply for a rental license within thirty (30) days of the acquisition of the ownership interest and diligently complete the requirements for a rental license. L. A rental license that is issued shall be conditional until the provisions in section 3-27-5 of this chapter have been satisfied. M. If the conditions in section 3-27-5 of this chapter are not satisfied with due diligence, the license shall become null and void. (Ord. 13-42, 11-4-2013, eff. 12-1-2013)
Section 3-27-4 of Batavia's Chapter 27 establishes the rules governing how rental licenses for multi-family buildings are obtained, maintained, and transferred. Licenses are tied to the calendar year, expire each December 31st, and cannot be transferred between owners or properties — each new owner must apply within 30 days of taking title. The provision also sets annual licensing fees on a sliding scale based on unit count, requires passing a code inspection of exterior and common areas, and mandates that owners either be locally based in Kane County or designate a local agent and a backup successor agent for receiving official notices.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of multi-family rental properties subject to § 3-27-4 generally maintain a current rental license by submitting a complete renewal application to the Community Development Department at least 30 days before December 31st each year, along with the applicable fee based on unit count. Compliant operators ensure they either maintain a Kane County presence or have both a primary and a successor designated agent on file who do, and they keep those designations current in writing with each application. When ownership changes hands, § 3-27-4 requires written notice to the Community Development Department before or within 24 hours of the transfer, and the prior license holder remains liable for violations until the new owner obtains their own license.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 3-27-4, tenants in Batavia multi-family buildings have an interest in knowing whether their landlord holds a valid, current rental license, since the provision requires owners to pass exterior and common-area code inspections before a license is issued or renewed. If a property changes hands, the rule places responsibility on the prior owner for any violations that occur until the new owner is licensed, which may be relevant context when reporting maintenance or code concerns to the Community Development Department. Tenants who believe their building is being operated without a required license or that ownership-transfer notice rules under § 3-27-4 were not followed may contact Batavia's Community Development Department or a local tenant-rights organization to understand available options.
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 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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