Richland County’s new Residential Rental Property Registration Program will change registration and business license requirements for residential rental properties in unincorporated areas of the county.
With the changes, the county aims to increase the number of rental property registrations and provide greater health and safety protections for renters.
On February 7, Richland County Council passed an ordinance that calls for residential landlords who own a single rental property to simply register that property through the county’s Business Service Center. Landlords who own and rent more than one residential unit, including duplexes, are now required to register those properties and obtain a business license.
Previously, residential landlords were only required to obtain a business license if they owned three or more rental units. The new program lowers the residential unit licensing threshold from three units to two and implements a registration-only requirement for owners of a single rental unit.
“This program will ultimately help the county reduce blight and unsafe living conditions within our neighborhoods by having property owners, tenants, property management companies and property managers register their residential rental properties in unincorporated Richland County,” said Zachary Cavanaugh, director of Richland County Business Services.
“This is another step forward in our commitment to improve the quality of life for Richland County residents,” Cavanaugh said.
Property owners can find more information, along with required forms for property registration and new business applications, on the Business Service Center page at www.richlandcountysc.gov. They can also contact the Business Service Center at 803-576-2287 or visit in person during business hours: 2020 Hampton St., Suite 1050, Columbia.
