Grosse Pointe Farms certificate of occupancy to sell a home
Yes. Grosse Pointe Farms requires a city inspection and a certificate of occupancy (property maintenance code inspection) before a home sale can close or the buyer can move in. Residential property-maintenance (Certificate of Occupancy) inspection program for existing homes; city form does not spell out the sale/lease trigger.
Verified against Grosse Pointe Farms - Building Permits document center (Property Maintenance Inspection Application (Certificate of Occupancy)) on October 27, 2026. Fees, forms and timelines are set by the city and change without notice. Confirm with the Department of Public Services / Building Department, 90 Kerby Rd 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 Grosse Pointe Farms rule at a glance
| Required to sell? | Required to sell |
|---|---|
| What the city calls it | Certificate of Occupancy (Property Maintenance Code Inspection) |
| When it applies | Residential property-maintenance (Certificate of Occupancy) inspection program for existing homes; city form does not spell out the sale/lease trigger. |
| Fee | $200 residential (2026 application); 2015 permit fee schedule lists C of O fee $150 and $77 re-inspection |
| Lead time | Inspections Tue/Wed/Thu 9:00 AM-12:00 PM only; utilities must be on |
| Who orders it | Either party |
| Department | Department of Public Services / Building Department, 90 Kerby Rd |
| Phone | (313) 885-4285 |
Grosse Pointe Farms requirements (official) · Application / form · City website
“UTILITIES MUST BE TURNED ON AT TIME OF INSPECTION.” — Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Farms - Building Permits document center (Property Maintenance Inspection Application (Certificate of Occupancy))
What this means for your closing
Build the inspection into the listing timeline, not the closing week. Order it from the Department of Public Services / Building Department, 90 Kerby Rd 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 Grosse Pointe Farms 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
- Gibraltar Required to sell
- Grosse Ile Township Limited cases
- Grosse Pointe 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 Grosse Pointe Farms?
Yes. Grosse Pointe Farms requires a city inspection and a certificate of occupancy (property maintenance code inspection) on a residential sale — $200 residential (2026 application); 2015 permit fee schedule lists C of O fee $150 and $77 re-inspection. Residential property-maintenance (Certificate of Occupancy) inspection program for existing homes; city form does not spell out the sale/lease trigger.
What is a point-of-sale (pre-sale) inspection in Grosse Pointe Farms?
It is the same thing as the certificate of occupancy (property maintenance code 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 Grosse Pointe Farms's answer differs from its neighbours'.
Who schedules the Grosse Pointe Farms inspection, and how far ahead?
Either party orders it from the Department of Public Services / Building Department, 90 Kerby Rd; Inspections Tue/Wed/Thu 9:00 AM-12:00 PM only; utilities must be on. 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 Grosse Pointe Farms information current?
It was read from Grosse Pointe Farms'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 Department of Public Services / Building Department, 90 Kerby Rd 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.