Melvindale certificate of occupancy to sell a home
Yes. Melvindale requires a city inspection and a certificate of occupancy before a home sale can close or the buyer can move in. All sales of property; certificate valid 2 years from effective date; escrow required for all as-is sales.
Verified against Building Department | City of Melvindale 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 Melvindale rule at a glance
| Required to sell? | Required to sell |
|---|---|
| What the city calls it | Certificate of Occupancy |
| When it applies | All sales of property; certificate valid 2 years from effective date; escrow required for all as-is sales. |
| Fee | $205 single-family ($180 + $25 admin); $275 two-family; $75 min re-inspection per field with violations; $55 temporary C of O or waiver ($40 + $15); escrow minimum $500 plus $45 application + $25 admin |
| Lead time | Inspections Wednesday and Friday 9:00 AM-1:00 PM only; fees paid before scheduling; apply for waiver at least one week before closing; results by phone next business day after 1:00 PM |
| Who orders it | Either party |
| Buyer can assume repairs? | Purchaser requests in writing to take responsibility for repairs; city may issue Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (conditional occupancy) or Waiver for Sale Only (no occupancy) with escrow (min $500, inspector may require more); up to 6 months to complete repairs |
| Department | Building Department |
| Phone | 313-429-1060 |
Melvindale requirements (official) · Application / form · City website
“A Certificate of Occupancy Inspection is REQUIRED PRIOR TO ALL SALES.” — Melvindale, Building Department | City of Melvindale
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 Melvindale 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 Melvindale?
Yes. Melvindale requires a city inspection and a certificate of occupancy on a residential sale — $205 single-family ($180 + $25 admin); $275 two-family; $75 min re-inspection per field with violations; $55 temporary C of O or waiver ($40 + $15); escrow minimum $500 plus $45 application + $25 admin. All sales of property; certificate valid 2 years from effective date; escrow required for all as-is sales.
What is a point-of-sale (pre-sale) inspection in Melvindale?
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 Melvindale's answer differs from its neighbours'.
Who schedules the Melvindale inspection, and how far ahead?
Either party orders it from the Building Department; Inspections Wednesday and Friday 9:00 AM-1:00 PM only; fees paid before scheduling; apply for waiver at least one week before closing; results by phone next business day after 1:00 PM. Order it the week the listing goes live: a failed inspection with a two-week requeue is what blows a 30-day close.
Can the buyer take on the repairs in Melvindale?
Purchaser requests in writing to take responsibility for repairs; city may issue Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (conditional occupancy) or Waiver for Sale Only (no occupancy) with escrow (min $500, inspector may require more); up to 6 months to complete repairs Confirm the current terms with the city before writing it into the purchase agreement.
Is this Melvindale information current?
It was read from Melvindale'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.