Elgin — Ch. 16.44 Roominghouses § 16.44.030
License; required; fee
Operative Text
It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to conduct, keep, manage or operate, or cause to be conducted, kept, managed or operated, a roominghouse without a license therefor. Such license shall be issued only to persons of good moral character and shall not be transferable. All such licenses granted under this chapter shall expire on December 31 after the same shall be issued and shall be renewed annually, subject to the same conditions as the original license. Such license shall be issued by the city clerk and the annual fee for said license shall be in the amount as provided in the most recently enacted ordinance establishing fees for various city services, permits, licenses, use of facilities and other matters. Said fee shall accompany the application therefor. No roominghouse shall provide for more than the number of persons permitted by the housing code of the city, as amended, and as may be amended from time to time.
Elgin Ch. 16.44 Roominghouses § 16.44.030 establishes that operating a roominghouse within the city without a valid license is unlawful. Licenses are issued by the city clerk only to individuals deemed of good moral character, expire each December 31, must be renewed annually under the same conditions, and are non-transferable. The provision also caps occupancy at the number of persons permitted under the city's housing code.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 16.44.030, a compliant roominghouse operator secures a license from the Elgin city clerk before opening or continuing operations, pays the applicable fee—set by the city's most recently enacted fee ordinance—along with the application, and renews that license each year before December 31. Operators also ensure that the number of residents never exceeds the occupancy limit established by Elgin's housing code. Because the license is non-transferable, a new owner or manager of an existing roominghouse would need to obtain their own license rather than rely on a prior operator's.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 16.44.030 of Elgin's Municipal Code requires that any roominghouse you live in be properly licensed by the city clerk and operated within the occupancy limits set by the city's housing code. If you have reason to believe your roominghouse is being operated without a valid license or in excess of permitted occupancy, you may contact the City of Elgin to inquire about the property's licensing status or file a concern with the appropriate city department. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Elgin municipal regulations can help you understand what options may be available to you.
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 6, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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