CPHD
Certificate of Occupancy
A Certificate of Occupancy Permit shall be obtained by the owner or owner's agent. Applications are submitted to the Zoning Office a minimum of two weeks prior to the scheduled occupancy date. Time shall be allowed to conclude final trade inspections prior to the occupancy inspection, which can include Inspection Services, Zoning, the Health Department and Public Works. It is critical to arrange for fire protection system inspections a minimum of two weeks prior to the scheduled occupancy date. A pre-occupancy meeting can be arranged with Inspection Services thirty (30) days prior to occupancy. The owner or owner's agent must be present at that meeting for coordination purposes. Generally, only one Certificate of Occupancy Permit is required for each new project or tenant. A large commercial or multi-family project may require a shell and core certificate for inspection and occupancy of the common areas and garage; a partial certificate for floors, units or spaces; and a master certificate for inspection of the site and completion of the site plan conditions. A temporary Certificate of Occupancy may be issued by the building official when appropriate.
