How to get a residential rental licence

As of February 13, 2023, property owners in Ward 1 or Ward 2 whose buildings contain one to four dwelling units need to get a residential rental licence for each unit. To apply, you will need to provide contact information for yourself and others who are responsible for the property. You will also need to provide documents that show you are operating your rental property safely and appropriately.

Renting your property in Windsor

As part of the Residential Rental Licensing (RRL) Pilot Study, owners of buildings in Ward 1 or Ward 2 that contain four or fewer units must get a licence for units they rent or market for rent. You can confirm which ward your property is in by using the City's Public Property Inquiry tool or by referring the study area map.

A unit may not require a licence if it is:

Occupied by the owner or their immediate family (parents, children, spouse)
A hotel, motel, or inn
Already licensed by the City as a guest house, bed-and-breakfast, or lodging house
A provincially regulated retirement home, long-term care home, or special care home
Social or affordable housing

Qualify to apply for a residential rental licence

To apply for a residential rental licence owned by one or more individuals, you must:

Be at least 18 years old, and,
Have legal status to work in Canada.

If none of the individuals who own the unit meet these criteria, you can assign someone who does meet these criteria to act as your authorized agent.

To apply for a licence for a unit owned by a corporation, you must:

Be at least 18 years old, and,
Be a director or officer of the corporation, or,
Be authorized to act on the behalf of the corporation in writing.

If you are not able to be in Windsor to submit your application yourself, you will need to assign someone you trust who can to be your authorized agent.

To act as an authorized agent, you must:

Be at least 18 years old, and,
Be authorized to act on behalf of the owner in writing.

Complete the application form

To complete the residential rental licence application form, you will need to know:

The street address of the unit
General information about the unit's layout, including the number of bedrooms
The name, date of birth, and contact information of all property owners

If you do not live in Windsor, you will need to provide contact information for someone locally who is responsible for the unit, like a property manager.

The application form can be filled in digitally, but you will need to print the form on paper and bring it in person to City Hall to submit it.

Complete the property standards and safety checklist

Every residential rental licence includes a site visit from Building By-law and Fire Protection Officers to make sure the dwelling unit is safe and well maintained. The property standards and safety checklist was made to help you understand the conditions officers will look for so you can fix them before the site visit.

To complete the property standards and safety checklist, read the guidelines provided at the top of each section in italics and the condition statement for each item. While doing so, ask yourself the following:

Do I understand what the condition statement describes?
Is the condition applicable to the unit?
Do I have the knowledge to determine if the condition is met?

If you want more detail on a condition description, refer to the appropriate by-law. You may find it helpful to review the definitions listed at the beginning of the by-law to understand the specific meaning of some words used. You can search the Table of Contents (if present) or do a keyword search (Control [Ctrl] plus F in most browsers) for the terms used in the condition description you want more detail on.

If you need help interpreting how a provision applies to your specific circumstances, or want advice on the available or best way to fix something, you will need to speak to an appropriate professional or subject expert. City staff can only provide general information and cannot interpret or provide advice on specific circumstances.

Arrange for an Electrical System Safety Assessment (ESSA)

To submit a new application, you need to show that your unit was evaluated by a Licensed Electrical Contracting (LEC) business recently and that no defects were found during the assessment. More information about ESSAs is provided on the Electrical Safety Authority's website.

Before submitting their complete application, property owners should contact an LEC to arrange for a licensed electrician to visit their unit and check for issues. Once the electrician has confirmed that no visible defects are present, they can provide the owner with a signed document similar to this sample Electrical System Safety Assessment (ESSA) Licensed Electrical Contracting (LEC) letter.

To be accepted, the letter must include:

The LEC business name, contact information, and ECRA/ESA licence number
The property owner's name and mailing address
The municipal address of the unit
The date the ESSA was performed, which must be no more than 6 months prior to the date of application
The name of the electrician performing the ESSA and their findings

The cost for an ESSA is determined by each LEC business. You can find a local LEC using the Electrical Safety Authority's Contractor Locator.

After you get a residential rental licence for your unit for the first time, you will only need to provide an ESSA when renewing your licence once every five years.

Gather supporting documentation

When you come to City Hall to submit your licence application, you will need to bring several documents with you to prove your identity and show that you qualify to apply. These documents must be originals or certified copies and cannot be submitted online. Documents that cannot be provided in English will need to be translated by a certified translator.

To apply for a licence for a property you own, you will need:

Two pieces of government-issued identification (ID) for each owner listed on the application:

One photo ID
One demonstrating Canadian citizenship, Canadian residency, or legal work status

Proof of property ownership:

Property deed or title

Proof of property insurance that:

Includes liability coverage of at least $2,000,000 per occurrence for damage and liability
Identifies the property is used as a rental
Requires notification to the licence commissioner of any intended cancellation by the insurer at least 14 days in advance

To apply for a licence for a property owned by a corporation, you will need:

Two pieces of government-issued identification:

One photo ID
One demonstrating citizenship

Proof of property ownership:

Property deed or title

Proof of property insurance that:

Includes liability coverage of at least $2,000,000 per occurrence for damage and liability
Identifies the property is used as a rental
Requires notification to the licence commissioner of any intended cancellation by the insurer at least 14 days in advance

A completed and signed business ownership declaration form, and,
A copy of the business's partnership agreement, or,
A corporate profile report dated no more than 30 days prior to the application date

If you are acting as an authorized agent, you will also need to bring two pieces of government-issued identification for yourself, including one photo ID.

Get a police record check

Every licence application must include a police record check for each owner issued no more than 30 days from the date you submit your application and pay the application fee. If the owner is a partnership or a corporation, you will need to bring a police record check for each partner or for each director, officer, or shareholder with more than 30% of shares.

A police record check must be issued by the local police service where the requestor lives. If you live in Windsor, you can request a Level 1 Criminal Record Check (CRC) through Windsor Police Services. If you live outside of Windsor, you can request a similar document from your local police service.

If you are applying for multiple licences on the same day, you can use the same police check documents for all of them.

Where to apply

Licence applications must be made in person at:

350 City Hall Square West, Suite 110
Windsor, Ontario
Canada
N9A 6S1

The Licensing counter is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. City Hall is closed on weekends and holidays.

Licensing fees

The fee for a new licence application is $466. You can pay this fee in Canadian cash, business cheque, or by debit, Visa, or Mastercard in person at the Licensing counter.

The licence fee you pay when you submit your application includes the cost of one visit from Building and Fire. Additional fees may apply if more than one visit is required to show that the unit meets the licence requirements. Additional fees are charged according to the City's User Fee Schedule.

Site visits from Building and Fire

After you submit your complete application and pay the licence fee, City staff will contact you to arrange for a time where a Building By-law Officer and a Fire Prevention Officer will visit your unit and verify the conditions you indicated on the property standards and safety checklist.

Property owners need to ensure they give appropriate notice for entry if a unit is currently occupied in order to allow the attending officers to enter. If officers cannot complete their evaluation because they cannot access all or part of a unit, they will have to return at a later date and you may be charged additional fees to cover the cost of re-inspection.

Once officers from Fire and Building can confirm that the unit meets required standards, Licensing staff will be notified to issue your licence.