Highland Park certificate of occupancy to sell a home
Only in some cases. Highland Park does not inspect an ordinary owner-occupied resale, but it does require a non-owner occupied certificate (rental certificate) in these situations: Non-owner-occupied (rental) dwellings need a Non-Owner Occupied Certificate renewed every 2 years; no owner-occupied resale requirement found.
Verified against City of Highland Park - Application for Rental Certificate (Non-Owner Occupied Certificate) on October 27, 2026. Fees, forms and timelines are set by the city and change without notice. Confirm with the Building Department, 12050 Woodward Ave 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 Highland Park rule at a glance
| Required to sell? | Limited cases |
|---|---|
| What the city calls it | Non-Owner Occupied Certificate (Rental Certificate) |
| When it applies | Non-owner-occupied (rental) dwellings need a Non-Owner Occupied Certificate renewed every 2 years; no owner-occupied resale requirement found. |
| Fee | $150 per unit (1-2 family); $300 + $25/unit multi-family; $75 one-time owner registration; $75 re-inspection after first |
| Department | Building Department, 12050 Woodward Ave |
| Phone | (313) 252-0050 ext. 209 |
Highland Park requirements (official) · Application / form · City website
“landlord certificate required by City Ordinance” — Highland Park, City of Highland Park - Application for Rental Certificate (Non-Owner Occupied Certificate)
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 Highland Park 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 Farms Required to sell
- Grosse Pointe Park Required to sell
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 Highland Park?
Not for an ordinary owner-occupied resale. Highland Park requires a non-owner occupied certificate (rental certificate) only when: Non-owner-occupied (rental) dwellings need a Non-Owner Occupied Certificate renewed every 2 years; no owner-occupied resale requirement found..
What is a point-of-sale (pre-sale) inspection in Highland Park?
It is the same thing as the non-owner occupied certificate (rental certificate) 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 Highland Park's answer differs from its neighbours'.
Is this Highland Park information current?
It was read from Highland Park'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, 12050 Woodward Ave 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.