Wayne certificate of occupancy to sell a home
Yes. Wayne requires a city inspection and a certificate of compliance (residential dwelling certification) before a home sale can close or the buyer can move in. Sale or other transfer of ownership of a residential dwelling requires a Certificate of Compliance after city inspection (Codified Ordinances Ch. 1484).
Verified against CHAPTER 1484 Residential Dwelling Certification - City of Wayne Codified Ordinances on October 27, 2026. Fees, forms and timelines are set by the city and change without notice. Confirm with the Building Inspection and Planning Department (ordinance names Department of Public Services) 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 Wayne rule at a glance
| Required to sell? | Required to sell |
|---|---|
| What the city calls it | Certificate of Compliance (Residential Dwelling Certification) |
| When it applies | Sale or other transfer of ownership of a residential dwelling requires a Certificate of Compliance after city inspection (Codified Ordinances Ch. 1484). |
| Department | Building Inspection and Planning Department (ordinance names Department of Public Services) |
Wayne requirements (official) · City website
“Approval is hereby given for the sale or other transfer of ownership interest of the above described premises.” — Wayne, CHAPTER 1484 Residential Dwelling Certification - City of Wayne Codified Ordinances
What this means for your closing
Build the inspection into the listing timeline, not the closing week. Order it from the Building Inspection and Planning Department (ordinance names Department of Public Services) 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 Wayne 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 Wayne?
Yes. Wayne requires a city inspection and a certificate of compliance (residential dwelling certification) on a residential sale. Sale or other transfer of ownership of a residential dwelling requires a Certificate of Compliance after city inspection (Codified Ordinances Ch. 1484).
What is a point-of-sale (pre-sale) inspection in Wayne?
It is the same thing as the certificate of compliance (residential dwelling certification) 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 Wayne's answer differs from its neighbours'.
Is this Wayne information current?
It was read from Wayne'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 Inspection and Planning Department (ordinance names Department of Public Services) 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.