Gibraltar certificate of occupancy to sell a home
Yes. Gibraltar requires a city inspection and a certificate of approval (sale of property / property transfer inspection) before a home sale can close or the buyer can move in. Sale of a home requires a city housing inspection (fire-system/code compliance) and Certificate of Approval before closing.
Verified against Building and Safety - City of Gibraltar on October 27, 2026. Fees, forms and timelines are set by the city and change without notice. Confirm with the 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 Gibraltar rule at a glance
| Required to sell? | Required to sell |
|---|---|
| What the city calls it | Certificate of Approval (Sale of Property / Property Transfer Inspection) |
| When it applies | Sale of a home requires a city housing inspection (fire-system/code compliance) and Certificate of Approval before closing. |
| Fee | $225 flat (includes first and follow-up inspection); $50 re-inspection/lockout |
| Lead time | 'Plan ahead' to allow time for corrections before closing; no lead time stated |
| Who orders it | Either party |
| Department | Building Department |
| Phone | 248-938-4535 |
Gibraltar requirements (official) · Application / form
“you will need to have an inspection conducted on your home to ensure compliance with the Fire System requirements” — Gibraltar, Building and Safety - City of Gibraltar
What this means for your closing
Build the inspection into the listing timeline, not the closing week. Order it from the Building Department 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 Gibraltar 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
- Brownstown Township Limited cases
- Dearborn Required to sell
- Detroit Not required
- Ecorse Required to sell
- Flat Rock 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 Gibraltar?
Yes. Gibraltar requires a city inspection and a certificate of approval (sale of property / property transfer inspection) on a residential sale — $225 flat (includes first and follow-up inspection); $50 re-inspection/lockout. Sale of a home requires a city housing inspection (fire-system/code compliance) and Certificate of Approval before closing.
What is a point-of-sale (pre-sale) inspection in Gibraltar?
It is the same thing as the certificate of approval (sale of property / property transfer 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 Gibraltar's answer differs from its neighbours'.
Who schedules the Gibraltar inspection, and how far ahead?
Either party orders it from the Building Department; 'Plan ahead' to allow time for corrections before closing; no lead time stated. 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 Gibraltar information current?
It was read from Gibraltar'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 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.