Brownstown Township certificate of occupancy to sell a home
Only in some cases. Brownstown Township does not inspect an ordinary owner-occupied resale, but it does require a certificate of occupancy (new construction); certificate of compliance (vacant property); rental inspection in these situations: Rentals (registration + inspection, $200 single-family house inspection) and vacant properties (registration; Certificate of Compliance $75) only; the Certificate of Occupancy application is a new-construction final-inspection form and no sale/transfer trigger exists.
Verified against Building Inspection & Services Fee Schedule (May 2026) - Charter Township of Brownstown on October 27, 2026. Fees, forms and timelines are set by the city and change without notice. Confirm with the Community Services / Building Department 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 Brownstown Township rule at a glance
| Required to sell? | Limited cases |
|---|---|
| What the city calls it | Certificate of Occupancy (new construction); Certificate of Compliance (vacant property); rental inspection |
| When it applies | Rentals (registration + inspection, $200 single-family house inspection) and vacant properties (registration; Certificate of Compliance $75) only; the Certificate of Occupancy application is a new-construction final-inspection form and no sale/transfer trigger exists. |
| Fee | Rental: registration $25/unit, single-family house inspection $200, re-inspection $75; Vacant: registration $250, renewal $250, Certificate of Compliance $75; C of O application (construction) $50 residential |
| Lead time | C of O: minimum 3-5 working days to process |
| Department | Community Services / Building Department |
| Phone | 734-675-0166 |
Brownstown Township requirements (official) · Application / form · City website
“SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSE INSPECTION $200” — Brownstown Township, Building Inspection & Services Fee Schedule (May 2026) - Charter Township of Brownstown
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 Brownstown Township 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
- Allen Park Required to sell
- Belleville Required to sell
- 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 Brownstown Township?
Not for an ordinary owner-occupied resale. Brownstown Township requires a certificate of occupancy (new construction); certificate of compliance (vacant property); rental inspection only when: Rentals (registration + inspection, $200 single-family house inspection) and vacant properties (registration; Certificate of Compliance $75) only; the Certificate of Occupancy application is a new-construction final-inspection form and no sale/transfer trigger exists..
What is a point-of-sale (pre-sale) inspection in Brownstown Township?
It is the same thing as the certificate of occupancy (new construction); certificate of compliance (vacant property); rental 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 Brownstown Township's answer differs from its neighbours'.
Who schedules the Brownstown Township inspection, and how far ahead?
Usually the seller orders it from the Community Services / Building Department; C of O: minimum 3-5 working days to process. Order it the week the listing goes live: a failed inspection with a two-week requeue is what blows a 30-day close.
Is this Brownstown Township information current?
It was read from Brownstown Township'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 Services / Building Department 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.