Woodhaven certificate of occupancy to sell a home
Yes. Woodhaven requires a city inspection and a certificate of review / certificate of approval (occupancy inspection) before a home sale can close or the buyer can move in. All residential sales or transfers of one- and two-family dwellings (sale, land contract, purchase option); excludes gifts, devise, lease, lien foreclosure and rentals holding a current certificate of compliance.
Verified against Building & Ordinance Enforcement - City of Woodhaven on October 27, 2026. Fees, forms and timelines are set by the city and change without notice. Confirm with the Building & Ordinance Enforcement 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 Woodhaven rule at a glance
| Required to sell? | Required to sell |
|---|---|
| What the city calls it | Certificate of Review / Certificate of Approval (occupancy inspection) |
| When it applies | All residential sales or transfers of one- and two-family dwellings (sale, land contract, purchase option); excludes gifts, devise, lease, lien foreclosure and rentals holding a current certificate of compliance. |
| Fee | $200 resale inspection; $40 per inspector re-inspection (2024 fee schedule) |
| Lead time | Apply no more than 30 days before listing; inspection report valid 6 months if sale does not close |
| Who orders it | Seller |
| Buyer can assume repairs? | Buyer may assume corrections via notarized agreement filed with building official; repairs due within 6 months (Buyer's Affidavit form posted) |
| Department | Building & Ordinance Enforcement |
| Phone | (734) 675-4930 |
Woodhaven requirements (official) · Application / form · City website
“the City of Woodhaven requires an occupancy inspection on all residential sales or transfers.” — Woodhaven, Building & Ordinance Enforcement - City of Woodhaven
What this means for your closing
Build the inspection into the listing timeline, not the closing week. Order it from the Building & Ordinance Enforcement 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 Woodhaven 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 Woodhaven?
Yes. Woodhaven requires a city inspection and a certificate of review / certificate of approval (occupancy inspection) on a residential sale — $200 resale inspection; $40 per inspector re-inspection (2024 fee schedule). All residential sales or transfers of one- and two-family dwellings (sale, land contract, purchase option); excludes gifts, devise, lease, lien foreclosure and rentals holding a current certificate of compliance.
What is a point-of-sale (pre-sale) inspection in Woodhaven?
It is the same thing as the certificate of review / certificate of approval (occupancy inspection) 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 Woodhaven's answer differs from its neighbours'.
Who schedules the Woodhaven inspection, and how far ahead?
The seller orders it from the Building & Ordinance Enforcement; Apply no more than 30 days before listing; inspection report valid 6 months if sale does not close. 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 Woodhaven?
Buyer may assume corrections via notarized agreement filed with building official; repairs due within 6 months (Buyer's Affidavit form posted) Confirm the current terms with the city before writing it into the purchase agreement.
Is this Woodhaven information current?
It was read from Woodhaven'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 & Ordinance Enforcement 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.