What is required to get a certificate of occupancy?

What is a certificate of occupancy, and why do you need it? If you want to know, you have come to the right place.

It identifies the number of people your business can accommodate, and it is also one of the last steps your business should complete before you can open doors for customers.

How to get a certificate of occupancy can vary by state, but you should know that it includes a full inspection of the building and facilities by a professional. 

But the main question is, what is the requirement? Well, we have listed some of them.

Types of inspections you will need

General Building Inspection

The occupancy certificate has to pass inspection from a licensed inspector in areas like structural integrity, electrical wiring, and plumbing. 

If you cannot find a general inspector, you have to secure the services of different state-licensed inspectors to satisfy the inspection requirements. 

Another important thing you should do is to make some changes to your system if the inspector recommends it. This would help you to become a step closer to getting your occupancy certificate. 

Health Inspection

The next step of how to get a certificate of occupancy is to get the health board on deck. They have to inspect your health facilities to ensure the septic systems are working smoothly.

Inspecting the septic system is important to ensure on-site storage tanks have no leaks or clogs, which can cause the system to backup. If you want your certificate, you should make all changes possible. 

Fire Marshal Inspection

Another important step of getting the occupancy certificate is to get the approval of the local fire marshal. 

They will evaluate the space where you intend to house your business and verify if the smoke detectors or fire extinguishers are working effectively.

You have to make the necessary changes to your building’s fire safety procedures so that the fire marshal can give you your certificate. 

Miscellaneous Inspections

That’s not all. If you want to know how to get a certificate occupancy, you should still look into other required inspections. For instance, if you have certain types of equipment on your property, you should get an inspection. 

If you have a working elevator, you should get an inspection from an elevator inspector to ensure that nothing is wrong. 

Also, if you have a water purification system or any other system on-site that works under high pressure, you should get that inspected before you open the facility. Without it, your business is not going to survive. 

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What if you don’t get the occupancy certificate?

You must get your certificate. Failure to do so could mean you would be facing legal action by your council. You could also face a fine which could accumulate for each day you had the property but not the certificate of occupancy. 

Last thoughts

So now you know how to get a certificate of occupancy and the repercussions of not having one. You should make a point to get one immediately as this would help you progress.