Frequently Asked Questions

The City does not currently track residential rents, and there is no source for obtaining necessary rental market information specific to San Pablo. A rental registry program would help the City collect data regarding rent and other relevant information about rental units and it will further inform the City Council about housing stock, trends, and the rental market generally.

Rental unit is defined in the ordinance as any building, house, or other structure, including any portion thereof, used as a dwelling or place of residence by a Tenant. 

Rental units that need to be registered include all or any portion of a single-family residence, multi-family residence, duplex, triplex, condominium, apartment building, or accessory dwelling unit (ADU). The rental units excluded are: a room or any other portion of a dwelling that is occupied by the Landlord or a member of the Landlord's immediate family, an on-site manager's unit, and housing accommodations in hotels, motels, supportive housing and transitional housing.

A landlord has to register their rental units using the forms provided by the City. Registration is complete only when all required information has been provided to the City and all outstanding fees and penalties, if applicable, have been paid. Upon completion of the initial registration of a rental unit(s), the City shall issue a registration certificate, which shall include the expiration date for the registration of the applicable rental units.

The registration certificate expires annually. The landlord must complete the renewal registration within 30 days after expiration. 

The fees to register your rental unit is $20 per account and $7 per unit. For example, for a 4 unit apartment building, it would be a total of $48 ($20 per account, $7 x 4 units=$28).

If landlord fails to registration and pay fees within the 30 days after expiration, penalties will apply. Penalties will apply in the amount of ten percent (10%) beginning on day thirty one (31) post expiration and an additional ten percent (10%) for each thirty (30) day period thereafter that the registration remains incomplete or is not paid-in-full. In no event will the penalties exceed fifty percent (50%) of the annual registration fee.

If a landlord fails to register or pay all or any portion of the rent registry fees, the City may charge a penalty of $100 in addition to outstanding registration fees and any costs incurred in collecting the outstanding fee(s).  

Payments can be made online at https://sanpablo.hdlgov.com/ or can be mailed to: City of San Pablo - Landlord Registration, 8839 N. Cedar Ave #212, Fresno, CA 93720