Civil Penalties
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 686B.991
in effect§ 686B.991 Civil Penalties
(a) Failure to Obtain a License. Any owner or operator who operates, rents, leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses a short-term rental without a valid license in violation of Section 686B.03 shall be fined five thousand dollars ($5,000.00).
(b) Advertising Without a License. Any owner or operator that advertises, or causes to be advertised, a short-term rental without a valid license in violation of division (a) of Section 686B.05 shall be fined one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per violation. Each day a short-term rental without a valid license is advertised shall constitute a separate violation.
(c) Completing a Reservation Without a License. Any owner or operator that completes a reservation for a short-term rental that does not have the license required under division (b) of Section 686B.05 shall be fined one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for each offense.
(d) Failure to Display License. Any owner or operator that fails to prominently display the short-term rental license at the main entrance of the short-term rental unit in violation of division (c) of Section 686B.05 shall be fined one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per violation. Each day of non-compliance constitutes a separate violation.
(e) Offering a Short-Term Rental in Violation of Section 686B.06. Any owner or operator, with a valid license, who otherwise offers a short-term rental in violation of the regulations and standards set forth in Section 686B.06 shall be fined one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for the first offense and three thousand dollars ($3,000.00) for a second and any subsequent offense.
(f) Operation Without a Variance. Any person operating a short-term rental without a variance in violation of Section 686B.07 shall be fined five thousand dollars ($5,000.00).
(g) Failure to Register. Any booking agent that violates Section 686B.08 shall be fined one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500.00). Each year of non-compliance constitutes separate offense.
(h) The fines charged under this section shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other penalties, civil or criminal, that may be charged against any person for a violation of these Codified Ordinances, including but not limited to penalties under Section 686B.99, Chapter 193 and Chapter 630.
(i) The Commissioner or designee, the Director of Building and Housing or designee, the Director of Public Health or designee, and the Director of Public Safety or designee, as may be applicable, have the authority to charge the civil penalties under this section.
(j) A civil penalty imposed under this section may be appealed to the applicable administrative officer or their designee, within ten (10) days after receipt of the civil penalty. The administrative officer shall grant the appeal or conduct a hearing within thirty (30) days of the filing of the appeal. The administrative officer shall have jurisdiction to affirm or reverse the civil penalty. A person aggrieved by a final decision of the administrative officer may further appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals within thirty (30) days after the administrative officer’s written decision.
(Ord. No. 561-2026. Passed 6-1-26, eff. 11-28-26)
Source: City of Cleveland, Ohio, Codified Ordinances and City Charter (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/cleveland/latest/cleveland_oh/0-0-0-54049Fetched: 11/1/2026