On Monday, April 21, 2025, the Fishers City Council voted unanimously to implement the Home Rental Registration & Permitting Program via Fishers Code of Ordinances Chapter 163. Rental registration opens June 2025, with enforcement beginning January 1, 2026.

Ordinance Chapter 163

How to Register Your Rental Property

The City of Fishers uses an online software system called Slate by Tolemi to register single-family, long-term rental properties.

For a visual step-by-step guide on how to register your rental property, click here.

How to register:

Step 1: Click here to access the registration software site
Step 2: Create an account by clicking “Start” or use existing credentials to log in by clicking “Sign In.”
Step 3: Once logged in, select the blue “Start New” button and select “Rental Registration.”
Step 4: Search for your property address using the street address or parcel ID of your rental property. Select the address you want to register and select “Next.”
- To add multiple properties, search for additional addresses and follow the prompts to complete. Once all addresses have been added, select “Next.”
- To add units to your property address, select “Add Unit” and follow the prompts to complete.
Step 5: Complete the prompts in the following “Property Information” step
Step 6: Add or Assign Property Owner. Select “Create New” from the drop-down box to add a property owner or agent to act on behalf of the owner associated with the property or properties. Complete the form(s) and follow the prompts to assign the property owner to the related properties.
Step 7: Review submission and select “Submit.”

Registration FAQs

What is the rental registration and permitting ordinance?

Chapter 163 of the Fishers Code of Ordinances (Home Rental Registration and Permitting Program) was signed into City ordinance on April 21, 2025. The ordinance enacts:
1. Registration & Permitting Requirement for all single-family, long-term rentals in Fishers.
2. Rental Permit Cap that limits available permits to be issued to less than 10% of long-term rentals per subdivision. Legacy rentals (prior to the ordinance’s effective date of January 1, 2026) will not be subject to, nor counted toward, the 10% cap.

I need to register my rental property. Where do I go to register?

The City of Fishers uses an online software system called Slate by Tolemi. Property owners may register rental properties by clicking here. Visual step-by-step instructions for registering your property can be found here.

LINK: Rental Property Registration
LINK: Visual step-by-step instructions (PDF)

I believe I qualify for an exemption. How do I process this?

Click here to access the Rental Property Exemption Form. Property owners who believe their property is exempt from the ordinance must complete it. The owner will be notified of the exemption approval or denial via the email provided on the form.

LINK: Rental Property Exemption Form

What are the exemptions included in the ordinance?

An extensive list of exemptions is included in Chapter 163 of the Fishers Code of Ordinances (Home Rental Registration and Permitting Program).

General exemptions include: renting to a dependent or parent, if you have been relocated for a job in the last year, if selling the property would cause an undue burden on the property owner (i.e. situations of death and divorce), if the property had been listed on the market for 6 months and failed to sell, if the owner is deployed military and must rent out of the home while deployed.

Property owners may file a Rental Property Exemption form to process the exemption.

If the property exemption is not covered in the ordinance or is denied by staff, the property owner may file an appeal.

LINK: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/348d2d8efb5e421e9ad09fbdaf475c68

I received a letter incorrectly identifying my property as a rental. How do I fix this?

Property owners may complete the Rental Property Correction Request Form. After the form is submitted, the owner will receive an email follow-up to confirm whether their correction is approved. If approved, the property will be removed from our records as a rental.

When do I have to have my rental property registered by?

Enforcement of the ordinance begins on January 1, 2026. All rental properties must be registered by December 31, 2025.

I am in a subdivision with over 10% rentals. Can I keep my current rental?

If the rental property is registered before December 31st, 2025, it will be grandfathered into the rental ordinance and permitted, even if it is in a subdivision with over 10% rentals.

After January 1, 2026, newly registered rental properties in neighborhoods with rentals at or above 10% will be denied the permit.

I am an unincorporated property. Do I need to register?

No. Only incorporated (within the city of Fishers) single-family rentals, townhomes, or platted condominiums must register.

Do I have to pay for this permit?

No. There is no fee for the application or permit.

Do I need to renew my permit annually?

No permits are valid until the ownership of the property changes.

Do I need to register all of my rental properties in Fishers?

Yes. Each individually platted rental property, even if under the same ownership, must be registered and permitted to operate. Slate by Tolemi allows for property owners to register multiple properties under the same account.

About the Program

In 2022, the City of Fishers released a public report that found it imperative to the City’s long-term vibrancy to maintain high-quality rental stock as many older homes that are currently owner-occupied enter the rental market.

Considering this trend and the increasing numbers of out-of-state ownership (47% of all SF rentals) and institutional investor ownership (25% of all SF rentals), the City Council passed an ordinance that requires registration of every single-family rental property within Fishers City limits as well as enforce a 10% maximum cap of single-family rental properties.

What are the goals of this Ordinance?

GOAL #1: Protecting Homeownership & Vibrant Neighborhoods

Homeowners have a vested interest in the vibrancy of their community and in building equity in their homes by investing in and improving their properties.
Investors are primarily focused on generating income from rental properties. While landlords may invest in maintenance and safety costs, their main priority is maintaining a profitable rental revenue stream, which does not include investments in vibrancy or quality of life improvements.

Homeowners, on average, spend $4,900 per year on home improvements (2015-2023). Investment and improvements in owner-occupied homes have continued to increase. In 2023, homeowners spent over $9,500 on average on home improvement projects alone. Furthermore, neighborhoods with high concentrations of rentals have less building permit activity, suggesting less investment overall
*Source: Improving America’s Housing 2025, Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University
The Social Spillovers of Homeownership, University of Colorado + Clemson University, 2025

GOAL #2: Addresses current and future risks of oversaturation of single-family rentals in a small number of neighborhoods.

While rental housing options are critical to a diverse housing inventory, certain subdivisions within Fishers are oversaturated with rental units, which may contribute to decreased property values and a lack of neighborhood vibrancy.

– The city has 50 subdivisions with over 10% rentals.
– 17 subdivisions between 20-29% rentals
– 9 neighborhoods with +30% rentals

While institutional investors originally brought attention to this topic, they are just a fragment of the broader challenge. The proposed ordinance addresses the challenge of oversaturation of rentals in neighborhoods.

Program Launch Timeline (June 2025 – January 2026)

Communication and outreach will occur with homeowners and HOAs in June 2025.
- An initial notice will be mailed to suspected long-term rental property owners.
120 days prior to enforcement date, a second notice will be mailed to property owners of suspected long-term rental properties.
90 days prior to enforcement date, a notice will be sent to long-term rental property owners
60 days prior to enforcement date, a notice will be sent to long-term rental property owners
30 days prior to enforcement date, a final notice will be sent to long-term rental property owners
An estimated implementation date of January 1, 2026, will coincide with enforcement beginning and all long-term rentals being registered.

Ordinance FAQ’s

Why does the City have this ordinance instead of allowing HOAs to manage this policy at the neighborhood level?

In working alongside HOAs since 2022, this has been an ongoing challenge they have been unable to address due to strict voting requirements required for covenant changes and a lack of resources to enforce regulations.

Does this ordinance prevent my HOA from implementing more stringent regulations?

No, the ordinance serves as a maximum level. HOAs may choose to implement stricter regulations with lower rental rate percentages for their neighborhood.

How much will it cost to register a long-term rental property?

There is no cost to register a long-term rental property through this program.

Does the ordinance include long-term rentals for condos and townhouses?

Yes, the Ordinance applies to single-family homes, condos, and townhouses.

Does this ordinance apply to short-term rentals?

No, short-term rentals are not regulated by this Ordinance. For short-term rentals, please refer to the City of Fishers Unified Development Ordinance Section 5.4.6(D).

What are Legacy Rentals?

Under the proposed ordinance, Legacy Rentals are rental properties existing prior to the enforcement date of January 1st, 2026. Legacy Rentals registering prior to January 1st, 2026 will be issued a permit, regardless of whether they are in a subdivision with over 10% rentals. Subdivisions over 10% rentals will not be issued any additional rental permits, until the rental percentage drops below 10% in that neighborhood. Permits of Legacy Rentals are valid until ownership changeover of the property occurs, or until a violation warranting permit revocation occurs. See more on permit revocation in the FAQ.

Can permits be revoked?

Yes. Under the proposed ordinance, permits may be revoked for violations of Title XV of the Fishers Municipal Code, delinquency of Fishers Utilities invoices, or provisions of city ordinances that place an undue burden on public safety resources, including properties with more than seven (7) calls for service to public safety. The City of Fishers City Court will handle permit revocation. See Ordinance 022425A for more information.

Do permits expire?

Per state statute, rental permits may not expire until there is a changeover of ownership or there is a violation of the City’s enforceable ordinance or codes. See ‘Can permits be revoked?’ for more information.

Does the ordinance include fines for non-compliance?

Yes.

Failure to Register: Beginning January 1, 2026, any owner who fails to register a home rental unit or provides false or incomplete information on the home rental unit registration form in violation of §163.04 commits a civil violation and shall pay to the City a civil monetary fine of $250. Owners have thirty (30) days from obtaining ownership in a home rental unit to register that home rental unit.

Any owner who lets for occupancy a home rental unit without a permit, in violation of §163.05, commits a civil violation and shall submit their tenancy agreement to the City and pay to the City a civil monetary fine in the amounts as follows:
(1) First violation – $1,000.
(2) Second and subsequent violation – not less than $5,000 nor more than $7,500

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