What is a Certificate of Occupancy and how to obtain it?

A certificate of occupancy (or also called CO) is a legal document issued by a city government or metropolitan authority. The certificate confirms that a building or structure is constructed according to the safety codes. A building cannot be legally used or occupied unless a certificate of occupancy is obtained. There are two types of Certificate of Occupancy; Temporary and Final. The temporary certificate is issued for short term use of building provided that there are no health hazards. The local post office may also require certificate of occupancy to start delivering mail to the property.

Who issues a Certificate of Occupancy?

The Building or Housing Department of the local city government is usually responsible for the issuance of the certificate.

How do I get an occupancy certificate?

The applicant submits an application to the building department to obtain the certificate. In the application form, the applicant gives detail about the building, address, covered area intended usage. If any fee or additional documents are required, they have to be submitted along with the application.

A Certificate of occupancy is issued after a number of inspections. The building inspector performs these inspection to ensure that building is safe for the intended usage. The inspections include verification of building land dimensions, structural drawings, fire protection system, electrical and plumbing installation, the height of building and number of stories. Besides, the building department can carry out additional inspections if applicable.

Large-scale industrial, public and commercial buildings generally have stringent inspection checks then private buildings. The certificate confirms a building’s compliance with building codes and by-laws.

How long does it take to get the certificate?

It may take 5–10 business days after the application for certificate of occupancy is submitted. Temporary certificate has shorter processing time.

What documents are needed for submitting Certificate of Occupancy application?

The applicant may need following documents for submitting the application.

• Online or Paper based Application
• Ownership Proof
• Construction Permits
• Soil Testing Report
• Building Layout
• Structural Drawings
• Plumbing and Electrical Drawings
• Electrical Inspection Report
• Plumbing Inspection Report
• Fire Hazard Inspection Report

Other documents may also be required as applicable.

What if the inspections are not passed?

If the building does not pass any inspection, the building inspector will give a list of observation that should be addressed. You will also be given a certain amount of time to correct these issues. Once the issues are corrected, you can call for re-inspection. However, additional fees may incur if re-inspection is performed.

Are there any fees?

Yes, depending on the type of certificate or building, the building department will charge a fee. Certificate of Occupancy fees in some US cities are as under:-

• Cedar Park, Texas — $70
• Deer Park, Texas — $120
• Balcones Heights, Texas — $150
• Detroit, Michigan — No Fee
• Chesapeake, Virginia — $30 + 2% state levy
• New Orleans, Louisiana — $190
• City of Blainem, Minnesota — $60
• Red Oak, Texas — $50
• Plainview, Texas — $25
• Victorville, California — $52.40
• City of Raleigh, North Carolina — $276
• San Diego
• TCO — $410.08
• Re-issuance — $41.0.08

Check with your local building department about the current fees.

Originally published at https://openthedata.com on January 25, 2020.