Pasadena Landlords Face 50% Late Fee for Unpaid Rental Registry Starting Friday

Landlords who have not registered their rental units with the City of Pasadena will face the maximum late fee starting Friday, February 6, adding $119, bringing the total registry cost per unit to $357.

The 50% penalty marks the final tier of escalating fees under the city’s rental registry program, now in its second year. Beyond the financial penalty, noncompliant landlords face additional consequences under Charter Article XVIII: tenants may withhold rent until the unit is registered, owners of rent-controlled units cannot raise rents, and property owners may be barred from evicting tenants.

The Rent Stabilization Department issued a reminder this week urging landlords to complete registration and payment by February 5 to avoid the final fee increase, according to a city press release.

The October 31, 2025, deadline to register passed more than three months ago. A seven-day grace period with no penalties ended November 7. Since then, late fees have increased in stages: 15% ($35.70 per unit) from November 8 through December 22, and 30% ($71.40 per unit) from December 23 through February 5. The 50% rate that begins Friday is the final tier.

The $238 annual registration fee applies to all residential rental units covered under the city’s rent stabilization ordinance, approved by Pasadena voters as Measure H in November 2022 with 53.8% support. Rent stabilization applies to multifamily units with certificates of occupancy issued before February 1, 1995.

As of early November, city officials reported that 1,441 of 7,266 rental properties had not yet registered. Updated compliance figures were not available in the city’s February announcement.

Landlords can complete registration and payment online through the city’s Rental Registry Portal. In-person payments by check, cash, credit or debit card are accepted at City of Pasadena Municipal Services, 100 N. Garfield Ave., Room N106, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Payments are not accepted at the Rent Stabilization Department office. Payments must be made in full.

For questions or assistance, contact the Rent Stabilization Department at (626) 744-7999 or RentalRegistry@CityofPasadena.net, or visit the Rental Registry website.

The program’s goal, according to Department Director Helen Morales, is “a hundred percent compliance.”