Farmington Hills certificate of occupancy to sell a home
Only in some cases. Farmington Hills does not inspect an ordinary owner-occupied resale, but it does require a rental certificate of compliance in these situations: Rental single-family dwellings only (Rental Certificate of Compliance; owner must notify the department of changes within 30 days); no sale/transfer inspection found.
Verified against Guide to Single-Family Dwelling Rental Certification Process (Feb 2025) on October 27, 2026. Fees, forms and timelines are set by the city and change without notice. Confirm with the Planning & Community Development 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 Farmington Hills rule at a glance
| Required to sell? | Limited cases |
|---|---|
| What the city calls it | Rental Certificate of Compliance |
| When it applies | Rental single-family dwellings only (Rental Certificate of Compliance; owner must notify the department of changes within 30 days); no sale/transfer inspection found. |
| Fee | $140 rental registration (+3% if paid by card) |
| Department | Planning & Community Development |
| Phone | 248-871-2545 |
Farmington Hills requirements (official) · Application / form
“obtain a Rental Certificate of Compliance for a Single-Family Rental Dwelling” — Farmington Hills, Guide to Single-Family Dwelling Rental Certification Process (Feb 2025)
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 Farmington Hills 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
- Commerce Township Not required
- Farmington 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 Farmington Hills?
Not for an ordinary owner-occupied resale. Farmington Hills requires a rental certificate of compliance only when: Rental single-family dwellings only (Rental Certificate of Compliance; owner must notify the department of changes within 30 days); no sale/transfer inspection found..
What is a point-of-sale (pre-sale) inspection in Farmington Hills?
It is the same thing as the rental certificate of compliance 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 Farmington Hills's answer differs from its neighbours'.
Is this Farmington Hills information current?
It was read from Farmington Hills'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 Planning & Community Development 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.