Allen Park certificate of occupancy to sell a home
Yes. Allen Park requires a city inspection and a certificate of occupancy (residential sales inspection) before a home sale can close or the buyer can move in. All residential dwellings listed for sale on/after March 1, 2022 need a Certificate of Occupancy prior to closing (Ord. 04-2019, Sec. 10-404).
Verified against Residential Sales Inspection - City of Allen Park on October 27, 2026. Fees, forms and timelines are set by the city and change without notice. Confirm with the Building Department (Building and Engineering) before you list, sign or close; this page is general information from a licensed broker, not legal advice, and Match Realty is not responsible for decisions made in reliance on it.
The Allen Park rule at a glance
| Required to sell? | Required to sell |
|---|---|
| What the city calls it | Certificate of Occupancy (Residential Sales Inspection) |
| When it applies | All residential dwellings listed for sale on/after March 1, 2022 need a Certificate of Occupancy prior to closing (Ord. 04-2019, Sec. 10-404). |
| Fee | $175 single/two-family (covers initial and final inspection); $50 cancellation/no-entry/utilities-off; $100 expedited after-hours |
| Lead time | Allow 2 weeks to schedule; inspections Tue/Thu 9-4; report within 5 business days; C of O usually within 72 hours of final |
| Who orders it | Seller |
| Buyer can assume repairs? | Buyer may assume violations: minimum $500 escrow (10% non-refundable) plus signed Assuming Violations affidavit and escrow agreement before closing; repairs within 6 months; Conditional Occupancy possible with Building Dept written approval ($50 per 60-day extension) |
| Department | Building Department (Building and Engineering) |
| Phone | 313-928-4441 |
Allen Park requirements (official) · Application / form · City website
“all residential dwellings for sale will be required to have a Certificate of Occupancy prior to closing” — Allen Park, Residential Sales Inspection - City of Allen Park
What this means for your closing
Build the inspection into the listing timeline, not the closing week. Order it from the Building Department (Building and Engineering) as soon as the home is listed, fix the usual items before the inspector arrives (handrails, smoke and CO alarms, GFCI outlets, address numbers, sidewalk slabs, peeling exterior paint), and ask whether a buyer can assume repairs under a bond or escrow if something cannot be fixed before closing.
The tax bill changes hands too: after a sale the taxable value uncaps, so the buyer's bill is not the seller's. See Allen Park property taxes for the 2025 millage and the uncapped bill on a $350,000 home. For the state transfer tax owed at closing, use the Michigan transfer tax calculator.
Nearby in Wayne County
- Belleville Required to sell
- Brownstown Township Limited cases
- Dearborn Required to sell
- Detroit Not required
- Ecorse Required to sell
- Flat Rock Required to sell
- Gibraltar Required to sell
- Grosse Ile Township Limited cases
- Grosse Pointe Required to sell
- Grosse Pointe Farms Required to sell
- Grosse Pointe Park Required to sell
- Hamtramck Limited cases
All Wayne County municipalities are on the C of O hub.
Common questions
Do I need a certificate of occupancy to sell a house in Allen Park?
Yes. Allen Park requires a city inspection and a certificate of occupancy (residential sales inspection) on a residential sale — $175 single/two-family (covers initial and final inspection); $50 cancellation/no-entry/utilities-off; $100 expedited after-hours. All residential dwellings listed for sale on/after March 1, 2022 need a Certificate of Occupancy prior to closing (Ord. 04-2019, Sec. 10-404).
What is a point-of-sale (pre-sale) inspection in Allen Park?
It is the same thing as the certificate of occupancy (residential sales inspection) requirement: a city inspector checks the home against the property-maintenance code before the sale closes or the new owner moves in, and the city issues a certificate (or a temporary one with repairs escrowed) when it passes. Michigan has no statewide rule; each city or township sets its own, which is why Allen Park's answer differs from its neighbours'.
Who schedules the Allen Park inspection, and how far ahead?
The seller orders it from the Building Department (Building and Engineering); Allow 2 weeks to schedule; inspections Tue/Thu 9-4; report within 5 business days; C of O usually within 72 hours of final. Order it the week the listing goes live: a failed inspection with a two-week requeue is what blows a 30-day close.
Can the buyer take on the repairs in Allen Park?
Buyer may assume violations: minimum $500 escrow (10% non-refundable) plus signed Assuming Violations affidavit and escrow agreement before closing; repairs within 6 months; Conditional Occupancy possible with Building Dept written approval ($50 per 60-day extension) Confirm the current terms with the city before writing it into the purchase agreement.
Is this Allen Park information current?
It was read from Allen Park's own published requirements on October 27, 2026, and that source page is re-checked automatically every week. Cities change fees and forms without notice, so confirm with the Building Department (Building and Engineering) before you rely on it.
Point-of-sale and certificate-of-occupancy rules are local ordinances. Match Realty LLC compiles them from each municipality's own publications and does not guarantee completeness or accuracy. Always verify with the municipality. This page is general information from a licensed broker, not legal advice.