Plymouth certificate of occupancy to sell a home
Only in some cases. Plymouth does not inspect an ordinary owner-occupied resale, but it does require a certificate of compliance (rentals); certificate of occupancy (building permits) in these situations: Rentals only: rental housing inspection with Certificate of Compliance (transferable to new owner for $50); the fee schedule has no resale/re-occupancy inspection fee for owner-occupied homes, only a C of O application fee tied to building permits.
Verified against City of Plymouth Fee Schedule (Building / Housing Inspection Fees, effective 7/1/2025) on October 27, 2026. Fees, forms and timelines are set by the city and change without notice. Confirm with the Community Development Department / 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 Plymouth rule at a glance
| Required to sell? | Limited cases |
|---|---|
| What the city calls it | Certificate of Compliance (rentals); Certificate of Occupancy (building permits) |
| When it applies | Rentals only: rental housing inspection with Certificate of Compliance (transferable to new owner for $50); the fee schedule has no resale/re-occupancy inspection fee for owner-occupied homes, only a C of O application fee tied to building permits. |
| Fee | $350 application for certificate of occupancy (building); rental: $70 registration, $100 initial inspection, $90 re-inspection, $50 certificate of compliance, $50 transfer of certificate of compliance to new owner |
| Department | Community Development Department / Building Department |
| Phone | (734) 453-1234 ext. 232 |
Plymouth requirements (official) · City website
“Transfer certificate of compliance to new owner 7/1/2025 $50.00” — Plymouth, City of Plymouth Fee Schedule (Building / Housing Inspection Fees, effective 7/1/2025)
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 Plymouth 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 Plymouth?
Not for an ordinary owner-occupied resale. Plymouth requires a certificate of compliance (rentals); certificate of occupancy (building permits) only when: Rentals only: rental housing inspection with Certificate of Compliance (transferable to new owner for $50); the fee schedule has no resale/re-occupancy inspection fee for owner-occupied homes, only a C of O application fee tied to building permits..
What is a point-of-sale (pre-sale) inspection in Plymouth?
It is the same thing as the certificate of compliance (rentals); certificate of occupancy (building permits) 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 Plymouth's answer differs from its neighbours'.
Is this Plymouth information current?
It was read from Plymouth'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 Community Development Department / 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.