Brockton Code of Ordinances ch. 4, art. II § 4-21
Rental unit registration
Operative Text
(a) All owners of private residential rental housing units ("owners"), including condominium units, in the City of Brockton shall register no later than July 1st of each year with the Public Health Division of The Brockton Department of Health and Human Services ("PHD") identifying the property by street address and the number of units that they own at each address. An owner of a rental unit, who does not reside within the subject dwelling, shall post and maintain or cause to be posted and maintained on such dwelling adjacent to the mailboxes for such dwelling or elsewhere in the interior of such dwelling in a location visible to the residents a notice constructed of durable material, not less than twenty (20) square inches in size, bearing her/his name, address and telephone number. If the owner is a realty trust or partnership, the name, address and telephone number of the managing trustee or partner shall be posted. If the owner is a corporation, the name, address and telephone number of the president of the corporation shall be posted. Where the owner employs a manager or agent who does not reside in such dwelling, such manager or agent's name, address and telephone number shall also be included in the notice. P.O. boxes do not satisfy the address requirement of this section. All owners must register each rental unit annually with PHD, and must attest to and affirm that they are familiar with their obligations to comply with this section, the State Sanitary Code (105 CMR 410), the State Building Code (780 CMR), the City of Brockton Zoning Code, Federal, State and Local fair housing regulations, and all other regulations applicable to residential dwellings, and that they intend to comply with said regulations, by signing a form provided by and approved by the commissioner of PHD. An owner owning multiple units in the same building may submit one (1) form representing all said units. Any owner residing outside of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts must designate a Brockton based resident agent authorized to accept service on the owner's behalf.
All rental unit registrations shall be recorded in an electronic database of all owners for an initial registration fee of thirty dollars ($30.00), and annual renewal fees of twenty dollars ($20.00) for each rental unit. All owner-occupied dwellings containing two (2) or fewer rental units shall not be required to pay an initial registration or annual renewal fees set forth in this subsection (b). Nothing in this subsection (b) shall relieve any owner of a rental unit of the duty to register their rental units with PHD, regardless of whether the owner is exempt from the requirement to pay annual renewal fees. The commissioner shall work to employ technology to the extent possible in order to optimize the fairness and effectiveness of the registration process.Brockton Code of Ordinances ch. 4, art. II § 4-21 requires every owner of a private residential rental unit in Brockton — including condominiums — to register annually with the city's Public Health Division by July 1st each year, identifying each property by address and unit count. Owners who do not live in the building must post a durable notice near the mailboxes or another visible interior location listing the responsible party's name, physical address, and phone number; P.O. boxes do not satisfy the address requirement. Registration carries a one-time $30 initial fee and a $20 annual renewal fee per unit, though owner-occupied buildings with two or fewer rental units are exempt from fees — but not from the registration requirement itself. Out-of-state owners must designate a Brockton-based resident agent authorized to accept legal service on their behalf.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Brockton Code of Ordinances ch. 4, art. II § 4-21, compliant rental property operators generally register each unit with the Public Health Division before the July 1st annual deadline, pay the applicable fees (unless the owner-occupied small-building exemption applies), and sign the PHD-provided attestation form affirming familiarity with the State Sanitary Code, Building Code, Zoning Code, and fair housing regulations. Operators who do not reside on-site post a durable notice of at least 20 square inches near the mailboxes or another interior location visible to residents, listing a physical — not P.O. box — address and phone number for the responsible individual, managing trustee, corporate president, or on-site manager as applicable. Owners based outside Massachusetts additionally designate a Brockton-resident agent authorized to accept service of process on their behalf.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Brockton Code of Ordinances ch. 4, art. II § 4-21 gives residents of rental housing a right to expect that their landlord has registered the unit annually with the city's Public Health Division and has posted visible contact information inside the building. If a building lacks the required notice or a tenant has reason to believe registration has not occurred, that tenant may file a complaint with the Brockton Department of Health and Human Services' Public Health Division, which administers the registration program. Tenants can also consult a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office to understand how a landlord's non-compliance with § 4-21 might be relevant to other housing matters they are navigating.
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 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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