What is a Red Tag?

A red tag is the county or city’s way of flagging a structure, property, or part of structure or property as unsafe for occupancy. A large red or orange sign, large enough to be seen from the road, is placed on the front of the tagged structure by the code a code enforcement officer so everyone is aware the property has been deemed unsafe to enter. If, without written authorization, someone enters the property, they can be arrested for trespassing.

Code Violation Letter

Along with a Red Tag sign, a Code Violation Letter will be sent to the owner of the property outlining the following:

• Reason for the Red Tag (enforcement action)

• Itemized list of code violations

• Corrective action required

• Deadline for corrective action (generally between 30 and 60 days)

• Enforceable penalties for late- or non-compliance

Why was my property Red Tagged?

Red Tags are posted due to a number of different reasons. The most common are:

• Building code violations

• Structural issues

• Lack of building permit for construction performed or ongoing

Why can’t I just ignore a Red Tag?

Most properties that are red tagged must be vacated and cannot be lived in, rented, or sold until the red tag is removed.

Unless the stated violations are corrected or in the process of being corrected by the required deadline, penalties will begin to be incurred on the property. This means fines, levies, liens, and restrictions will be placed against the property and will continue to increase the longer the violations remain open. After these penalties are assessed, even when the violations are corrected and the Red Tag removed, they will remain on the property title until they are paid.

Do NOT remove the Red Tag sign from your property. This may result in serious fines and penalties and will only serve to cause more issues. Only a code enforcement officer may remove a posted Red Tag.

How do I get a Red Tag removed?

Each Red Tag will look a little different depending on the violation and the required steps may vary, but the most common steps are:

1. Understand the violation and what is required to correct it.

2. Obtain the necessary permits.

3. Implement required updates.

4. Schedule and pass an inspection with the county.

Once the property passes their inspections, the Red Tag will be removed and the property cleared for occupancy.

What can SRQ Drafting do to help?

The most common red tag is due to lack of obtaining the proper construction permits required for a renovation of or addition to a property. SRQ Drafting is a team of trained professional here to help you through the process of obtaining the proper construction permits for your property. Obtaining a construction permit may consist of:

• Site plan

• Existing Layout

• New Layout

• Building Code Callouts

• Supporting Documents

Building code violations and structural issues often require the help, expertise, and oversight of a General Contractor to resolve as demolition, construction, engineering, and more may be required. Although we can offer insight, building code information, referrals, and recommendations on how to resolve these issues, we are not licensed General Contractors and cannot act or provide the services as one. We are happy to provide you with referrals to General Contractors we work with and trust.

Contact Us today to get started!

We're committed to providing our clients with the highest quality of service. We'll work with you every step of the way to ensure that your property violation is resolved quickly and efficiently.

Contact Us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you get your red tag removed.