Commerce Township certificate of occupancy to sell a home
No. Commerce Township does not require a city inspection or certificate of occupancy to sell an owner-occupied home. Certificate of Occupancy is triggered by new construction, alteration, or change of use under the zoning ordinance; no sale, transfer or re-occupancy trigger for existing dwellings.
Verified against Commerce Township Zoning Ordinance Article 1 - Administration and Enforcement (Sec. 1.09 Certificates) on October 27, 2026. Fees, forms and timelines are set by the city and change without notice. Confirm with the Building, Water & Sewer 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 Commerce Township rule at a glance
| Required to sell? | Not required |
|---|---|
| What the city calls it | Certificate of Occupancy |
| When it applies | Certificate of Occupancy is triggered by new construction, alteration, or change of use under the zoning ordinance; no sale, transfer or re-occupancy trigger for existing dwellings. |
| Department | Building, Water & Sewer Department |
| Phone | 248-624-0110 |
Commerce Township requirements (official)
“No building or structure, or parts thereof, which is hereafter erected or altered, shall be occupied” — Commerce Township, Commerce Township Zoning Ordinance Article 1 - Administration and Enforcement (Sec. 1.09 Certificates)
What this means for your closing
Nothing is owed to the city for an ordinary resale, so the only inspection in play is the buyer's own. The seller still has Michigan's statutory disclosure duty, and any open building permit should be closed out before listing: it is the one thing a title company or lender in Commerce Township will still ask about.
The tax bill changes hands too: after a sale the taxable value uncaps, so the buyer's bill is not the seller's. See Commerce 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 Oakland County
- Auburn Hills Not required
- Berkley Limited cases
- Bloomfield Hills Not required
- Bloomfield Township Not required
- Clawson Limited cases
- 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 Commerce Township?
No. Commerce Township does not inspect or certify an ordinary residential resale. Certificate of Occupancy is triggered by new construction, alteration, or change of use under the zoning ordinance; no sale, transfer or re-occupancy trigger for existing dwellings.
What is a point-of-sale (pre-sale) inspection in Commerce Township?
It is the same thing as the certificate of occupancy 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 Commerce Township's answer differs from its neighbours'.
Is this Commerce Township information current?
It was read from Commerce 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 Building, Water & Sewer 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.