What is a certificate of occupancy, and will I need one?

A certificate of occupancy (CO) is a document from a building department confirming that a completed building passed inspection and may be used for its intended purpose. Cities that run building permit programs commonly issue one after the final inspection, and lenders, insurers and utilities may ask for it. Many rural Texas counties do not issue COs; Bastrop County, for example, says it issues neither building permits nor certificates of occupancy in unincorporated areas. For TDLR-decaled modular buildings, a city cannot add its own amendments to the state codes as a condition of issuing a CO. Ask your local office whether a CO, or some other final approval, applies.

Check your local rule. This varies by state, county or city. Your permitting office has the final word; the official lookup pages below show you who that is.

Sources

• Letter: Certificate of OccupancyBastrop County, Texas
• Industrialized Housing and Buildings Program HistoryTexas Department of Licensing and Regulation
• Code Bulletin A-1501 R1: Temporary Uses and StructuresCity of Philadelphia L&I