Saint Clair Shores certificate of occupancy to sell a home
Only in some cases. Saint Clair Shores does not inspect an ordinary owner-occupied resale, but it does require a building inspection (vacant/foreclosed property policy); certificate of occupancy is commercial in these situations: Registered vacant/foreclosed properties (vacant over one year with utilities shut off) need a $150 building inspection before a new owner takes occupancy; rentals must be registered; no inspection stated for an ordinary resale.
Verified against Vacant or Foreclosed Property Registration Application & Policy (City of St. Clair Shores) on October 27, 2026. Fees, forms and timelines are set by the city and change without notice. Confirm with the Community Development & Inspections 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 Saint Clair Shores rule at a glance
| Required to sell? | Limited cases |
|---|---|
| What the city calls it | Building inspection (vacant/foreclosed property policy); Certificate of Occupancy is commercial |
| When it applies | Registered vacant/foreclosed properties (vacant over one year with utilities shut off) need a $150 building inspection before a new owner takes occupancy; rentals must be registered; no inspection stated for an ordinary resale. |
| Fee | $150 vacant/foreclosed registration; $150 building inspection; commercial C of O application $400 |
| Who orders it | Buyer |
| Buyer can assume repairs? | Policy says the property cannot be occupied or rehab started until inspected; commercial temporary C of O may require cash/performance bond |
| Department | Community Development & Inspections |
| Phone | 586-447-3340 |
Saint Clair Shores requirements (official) · Application / form · City website
“A building inspection ($150 Fee) will be required for the safety of the owner” — Saint Clair Shores, Vacant or Foreclosed Property Registration Application & Policy (City of St. Clair Shores)
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 Saint Clair Shores 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 Macomb County
- Eastpointe Limited cases
- Lenox Township Limited cases
- Macomb Township Limited cases
- Mount Clemens Limited cases
- Roseville Limited cases
- Shelby Township Limited cases
- Sterling Heights Limited cases
- Utica Limited cases
- Warren Limited cases
All Macomb County municipalities are on the C of O hub.
Common questions
Do I need a certificate of occupancy to sell a house in Saint Clair Shores?
Not for an ordinary owner-occupied resale. Saint Clair Shores requires a building inspection (vacant/foreclosed property policy); certificate of occupancy is commercial only when: Registered vacant/foreclosed properties (vacant over one year with utilities shut off) need a $150 building inspection before a new owner takes occupancy; rentals must be registered; no inspection stated for an ordinary resale..
What is a point-of-sale (pre-sale) inspection in Saint Clair Shores?
It is the same thing as the building inspection (vacant/foreclosed property policy); certificate of occupancy is commercial 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 Saint Clair Shores's answer differs from its neighbours'.
Who schedules the Saint Clair Shores inspection, and how far ahead?
The buyer orders it from the Community Development & Inspections. 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 Saint Clair Shores?
Policy says the property cannot be occupied or rehab started until inspected; commercial temporary C of O may require cash/performance bond Confirm the current terms with the city before writing it into the purchase agreement.
Is this Saint Clair Shores information current?
It was read from Saint Clair Shores'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 & Inspections 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.