Fire Prevention Bureau

43 South Duke Street

York, Pennsylvania 17401

Telephone: 717-849-2209

Facsimile: 717-812-9831

The Fire Prevention Bureau is responsible for enforcement of the Fire and Property Maintenance Codes and licenses and inspects all tenant occupied properties in the City.  The following excerps from the Codified Ordinances are the applicable requirements for tenant occupied properties.

ARTICLE 1761
Licensing and Inspection of Tenant Occupied Residential and all Institutional Occupancies

1761.01 SCOPE.
The provisions of this Article shall provide for the licensing and inspection of all buildings and structures defined by the Building Code as Group I (Institutional) or Group R (Residential) that are tenant occupied. (Ord. 11-2006. Passed 3-7-06.)

1761.02 INTENT.
To ensure the public health, safety and welfare insofar as they are affected by the continued occupancy and maintenance of tenant occupied Group I and Group R buildings and structures. (Ord. 11-2006. Passed 3-7-06.)

1761.03 DEFINITIONS.

“Person” means an individual or individuals, a partnership, an association, a corporation, a joint stock company, a trust, an unincorporated association or any other group or legally recognized entity and/or the owners or officers in such legally recognized entities.

“Owner” means any individual, corporation, partnership or any other groups as a unit having a legal or equitable interest in a property, including the guardian of the estate of any such person, and the executor or administrator of the estate of such person if ordered to take possession of real property by a court, provided that any ownership right created by an installment sales agreement shall be recorded with the Recorder of Deeds Office in and for York County. 

“Tenant” means any person residing in a dwelling unit not listed on the deed or recorded sales agreement, regardless of exchange of rent. Husband or wife, domestic partner, son or daughter, mother or father or sister or brother of the owner, residing within the same dwelling unit shall not be considered a tenant.

“Institutional” or “Group I” Occupancy means a building or structure, or portion thereof, classified by the Building Code as Group I-1, I-2, I-3 or I-4.

“Residential” or “Group R” Occupancy means a building or structure, or portion thereof classified by the Building Code as Group R-1, R-2, R-3, R-4 or defined by this Article as Group R-5.

“Group R-5 Occupancy” means existing one-and two-family dwellings and oneand two-family dwellings designed and constructed under the International Residential Code. (Ord. 11-2006. Passed 3-7-06.)

1761.04 LICENSING OF OCCUPANCY USES.
No person shall offer for occupancy or operate a Group I or Group R Occupancy without first obtaining a license from the Department of Fire/Rescue Services. (Ord. 11-2006. Passed 3-7-06.) 

1761.05 GENERAL STANDARDS FOR APPLICATION OF LICENSE, LATE FEE, INSPECTION AND ACCESS TO DWELLING; INSPECTION FEE.
(a) Every person applying for a license under this article shall supply such information as the Department requires and shall pay an annual license fee as established by resolution of Council, on or before January 31st of the year for which it is issued or the annual license fee shall be increased in accordance with the following schedule:

(b) An inspection fee established by resolution of Council shall also be charged.  However, where the owner occupies a unit therein, a license fee and inspection fee need not be paid on the unit during such occupancy. The Department shall inspect all Group I Occupancies and all tenant occupied Group R Occupancies according to the following schedule to determine that no violations of the City’s Fire Prevention or Property Maintenance Codes are in existence.  The inspection shall include  all units in the property.