What is a Certificate of Occupancy?
A Certificate of Occupancy certifys that a building's compliance with applicable building codes and other laws, and indicating it to be in a condition suitable and safe for occupancy.
Not all projects require a certificate of occupancy to be issued. A certificate of occupancy is required for the following projects:
- New commercial and residential structures
- Tenant improvement of a newly occupied space
- Tenant improvement or remodel that involves a change in the occupancy type
- Other projects as determined
Getting Started:
- Submit a Public Records Request to find out if there is an exisiting Certificate of Occupancy for the home or business location. It typically takes 3-5 business days to process.
- If there is no Certificate of Occupancy or permit history on file, please contact the PDD Ombudsmen team: pdd.ombudsman@phoenix.gov.
- When required inspections are complete, the inspector will indicate a pass or fail. Any issues noted will need to be remedied and inspected again in order for a Certificate of Occupancy to be issued.
- Once all required inspections have passed and the information is documented, a Certificate of Occupancy will be automatically generated if the project requires one.
- A green tag signifying compliance with certain code requirements will be given to projects that do not require a new Certificate of Occupancy.
Certificate of Occupancy Guidelines and Additional Resources:
For more information, contact Planning & Development at 602-262-7811, or visit the Development Center, City Hall, 200 W. Washington St., second floor.
