Riverview certificate of occupancy to sell a home
Yes. Riverview requires a city inspection and a residential for sale inspection (home sale) before a home sale can close or the buyer can move in. All residential home sales; city has conducted sale inspections since July 1, 2016.
Verified against Building and Engineering - City of Riverview on October 27, 2026. Fees, forms and timelines are set by the city and change without notice. Confirm with the Building & Engineering 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 Riverview rule at a glance
| Required to sell? | Required to sell |
|---|---|
| What the city calls it | Residential For Sale inspection (Home Sale) |
| When it applies | All residential home sales; city has conducted sale inspections since July 1, 2016. |
| Fee | $200 initial inspection; $75 each additional inspection |
| Lead time | Not stated; inspection windows Mon/Wed/Fri 1:30-4:00 PM and Tue/Thu 8:30 AM-12:00 PM |
| Buyer can assume repairs? | Affidavit for Assuming Violations plus Escrow Agreement (forms posted; amount not stated) |
| Department | Building & Engineering Department |
| Phone | (734) 281-4200 (permits/scheduling (734) 281-4242) |
Riverview requirements (official) · Application / form · City website
“The City of Riverview will conduct inspections on the sale of houses.” — Riverview, Building and Engineering - City of Riverview
What this means for your closing
Build the inspection into the listing timeline, not the closing week. Order it from the Building & Engineering 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 Riverview 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 Riverview?
Yes. Riverview requires a city inspection and a residential for sale inspection (home sale) on a residential sale — $200 initial inspection; $75 each additional inspection. All residential home sales; city has conducted sale inspections since July 1, 2016.
What is a point-of-sale (pre-sale) inspection in Riverview?
It is the same thing as the residential for sale inspection (home sale) 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 Riverview's answer differs from its neighbours'.
Who schedules the Riverview inspection, and how far ahead?
Usually the seller orders it from the Building & Engineering Department; Not stated; inspection windows Mon/Wed/Fri 1:30-4:00 PM and Tue/Thu 8:30 AM-12:00 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 Riverview?
Affidavit for Assuming Violations plus Escrow Agreement (forms posted; amount not stated) Confirm the current terms with the city before writing it into the purchase agreement.
Is this Riverview information current?
It was read from Riverview'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 & Engineering 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.