Were You Aware?

The City of El Dorado has an ordinance under the International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) that prevents properties with unresolved code violations from being transferred without proper disclosure and accountability. If you are handling property transactions, please review the following requirements:

Property Transfers & Code Violations

Per Section 107.6 of the 2009 IPMC, it is unlawful for a property owner to sell, transfer, mortgage, lease, or otherwise dispose of a property that has received a compliance order or notice of violation from the City of 
 El Dorado unless one of the following occurs:

1. All violations are resolved via permitted work and inspection by the Building Official before the transfer of ownership OR
2. The seller provides the buyer (or transferee, mortgagee, or lessee) with a true copy of the compliance order or notice of violation AND
3. The seller submits to the City a signed and notarized statement from the buyer acknowledging receipt of the violation notice and fully accepting responsibility for required corrections.

Consequences for Non-Compliance

Failure to comply with these requirements may result in:

• Misdemeanor charges with fines of up to $500 per offense and/or imprisonment for up to 30 days.
• The City placing a lien on the property to recover unpaid fines, abatement costs, and administrative fees.
• Additional civil or criminal penalties as prescribed by local ordinances.

How to Check for Code Violations

If you are a real estate agent, title company, or prospective buyer and want to verify whether a property has outstanding code violations from the City of El Dorado, the following options are available:

• Contact the Community Development Office: Call (316) 321-9100 or email engineering@eldoks.com to request information about potential violations.
• Submit a Request: We encourage proactive due diligence by checking for compliance orders before completing a transaction.

Why This Matters

Selling or transferring a property does not eliminate code violations—instead, it shifts the responsibility to a new owner who may not be aware of existing issues. The City of El Dorado is committed to ensuring compliance and accountability for all property owners and will issue citations to those who attempt to transfer ownership without addressing violations.

Also, feel free to reach out with any other questions regarding properties, including flood plains, zoning, land use, and other regulatory concerns.