A occupancy certificate is a document issued by a local government agency or a building department stating building compliance with applicable building codes and other laws, and indicates it to be in an appropriate condition for occupancy.
The procedures and requirements for the certificate vary greatly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and on the type of structure. In the United States, obtaining a certificate is usually required anytime:
- new building built
- buildings built for one use will be used for another (for example, industrial buildings converted for residential use)
- occupancy change of commercial or industrial buildings, or ownership changes in commercial, industrial, or family housing buildings
The purpose of obtaining a residential certificate is to prove that, by law, the house or building is in a condition that is fit for habitation. Generally, such certificates are necessary to occupy the structure for everyday use, as well as to sign contracts to sell space and close mortgages for space.
The occupancy certificate is proof that the building complies substantially with the plans and specifications that have been submitted to, and approved by, local authorities. This completes the building permit - a document that the applicant must submit to the local authority prior to construction to indicate that the proposed construction will comply with the procedures, codes and laws.
Video Certificate of occupancy
Temporary shelter certificate (TCO)
The temporary shelter certificate grants the owner and the owner of the building all the same rights as a residential certificate, but only for a temporary period. In New York City, TCO is normally active for 90 days from the date of publication, after which it expires. It is very legal, and not uncommon in certain situations, for building owners to re-register TCO, following all the necessary steps and inspections to hypothetically extend their TCO for another time period.
Temporary shelter certificates are generally sought and obtained when buildings are still in small construction stages, but there are certain parts or quantities of floors considered to be habitable, and, after TCO issuance, may be legally occupied or sold.
Maps Certificate of occupancy
New York City
In New York City, for buildings to obtain a residential certificate (CO), the structure must pass through a series of inspections, as well as walk-throughs from the Department of Buildings. In many cases, inspections include, but are not limited to, pipeline inspection, fire-fighting system inspections, fire alarm system inspections, electrical inspections, fire pump pressure tests, architectural inspections (where inspectors check whether buildings are built in accordance with architects stamped and approved images ), elevator inspection, lobby completion, and inspection to see if the building matches the number of entrances required for its size. After all the inspections have been passed, the last step is generally to walk-through by members of the Department of Buildings, who see that no major construction is left at the work site, that there is no barrier to the entrance, no security hazards in the building, and that everything in the building was built according to plan. If the inspector approves his walk-through, a certificate of occupancy is usually given.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments