Berkley certificate of occupancy to sell a home
Only in some cases. Berkley does not inspect an ordinary owner-occupied resale, but it does require a vacant property registration / vacant property repair letter in these situations: Vacant residential/commercial buildings must be registered ($200) and are subject to Building Official inspection; a purchaser of a vacant property with listed violations signs a repair affidavit; no inspection stated for an ordinary occupied resale.
Verified against City of Berkley Vacant Property Registration Application on October 27, 2026. Fees, forms and timelines are set by the city and change without notice. Confirm with the Community Development (Building & Planning) 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 Berkley rule at a glance
| Required to sell? | Limited cases |
|---|---|
| What the city calls it | Vacant Property Registration / Vacant Property Repair Letter |
| When it applies | Vacant residential/commercial buildings must be registered ($200) and are subject to Building Official inspection; a purchaser of a vacant property with listed violations signs a repair affidavit; no inspection stated for an ordinary occupied resale. |
| Fee | $200 vacant property registration |
| Who orders it | Seller |
| Buyer can assume repairs? | Purchaser signs the Vacant Property Repair Letter affidavit agreeing to correct listed violations within 30 days after closing unless the Building Official approves otherwise |
| Department | Community Development (Building & Planning) |
| Phone | 248-658-3320 |
Berkley requirements (official) · Application / form · City website
“Building Official shall be permitted to inspect the interior and exterior” — Berkley, City of Berkley Vacant Property Registration Application
What this means for your closing
For a typical owner-occupied sale nothing is owed to the city. If the home falls into one of the cases above, treat it like a required city: order the inspection the week of listing and ask about temporary certificates and repair escrows.
The tax bill changes hands too: after a sale the taxable value uncaps, so the buyer's bill is not the seller's. See Berkley 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 Oakland County
- Auburn Hills Not required
- Bloomfield Hills Not required
- Bloomfield Township Not required
- Clawson Limited cases
- Commerce Township Not required
- Farmington Limited cases
- Farmington Hills Limited cases
- Fenton Limited cases
- Ferndale Limited cases
- Hazel Park Limited cases
- Highland Township Not required
- Huntington Woods Limited cases
All Oakland County municipalities are on the C of O hub.
Common questions
Do I need a certificate of occupancy to sell a house in Berkley?
Not for an ordinary owner-occupied resale. Berkley requires a vacant property registration / vacant property repair letter only when: Vacant residential/commercial buildings must be registered ($200) and are subject to Building Official inspection; a purchaser of a vacant property with listed violations signs a repair affidavit; no inspection stated for an ordinary occupied resale..
What is a point-of-sale (pre-sale) inspection in Berkley?
It is the same thing as the vacant property registration / vacant property repair letter 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 Berkley's answer differs from its neighbours'.
Who schedules the Berkley inspection, and how far ahead?
The seller orders it from the Community Development (Building & Planning). 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 Berkley?
Purchaser signs the Vacant Property Repair Letter affidavit agreeing to correct listed violations within 30 days after closing unless the Building Official approves otherwise Confirm the current terms with the city before writing it into the purchase agreement.
Is this Berkley information current?
It was read from Berkley'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 Community Development (Building & Planning) 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.