Northfield City

Certificate of Occupancy Required

Certificate of Compliance for the Resale of One and Two Family Dwellings (CCO) · Housing Officer (City Housing and Zoning office)

• Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms in good working order, placed by the year the home was built (see fire certificate)
• Portable ABC fire extinguisher near the kitchen (see fire certificate)
• Heating certification for every oil or gas fired heating unit, from a NJ licensed plumber or HVAC contractor
• Sidewalks, walkways, stairs, driveways and parking areas in good repair
• Yard free of weeds and overgrowth; garages, fences and other accessory structures sound
• Pools clean; pools, hot tubs and spas over 24 inches deep fenced at least 48 inches high with self-closing, self-latching gates
• Exterior wood painted or protected; house number plainly visible from the street
• Roof, flashing, gutters and downspouts sound and draining properly
• Windows that open can be held open; every habitable room has at least one openable window
• Interior in good repair, sanitary, and free of rubbish or garbage
• Bathroom window or mechanical exhaust vented outdoors
• Heat provided; at least two outlets in each habitable room, a bathroom outlet, a laundry outlet, cover plates on all outlets, GFCI protection within 4 feet of water (if remodeled)
• Fences, decks, sheds, pools and similar items built without zoning or construction permits delay the certificate until corrected

• Phone: 609-641-2832 ext 140
• Timing: Inspections are made within 10 business days of the application. If settlement is 5 days or less from the application, the City does not guarantee an inspection before closing and an extra $10 fee may apply.
• Application: https://www.cityofnorthfield.org/pdf/RESALE-property-inspection-registration-packet-2026.pdf

Smoke and CO alarm certificate Required

• Smoke alarms by year built (City packet): before 1977 battery alarm on each level and within 10 feet of bedrooms; 1977 onward A/C powered (hardwired) alarms; interconnected alarms from August 1984; from March 1991 A/C powered with battery backup on each level and inside each bedroom
• Ten-year sealed battery single station smoke alarms where no alarms exist or when replacing battery alarms; hardwired alarms from original construction or a rehab project may not be replaced with battery alarms
• Replace smoke alarms 10 years from manufacture or when they fail tests; replace combination smoke/CO alarms at the end-of-life signal or 10 years
• Carbon monoxide alarm within 10 feet of bedroom doors; bedrooms with fuel burning appliances also need a CO alarm
• Portable fire extinguisher (City packet dated July 2026 still lists it): minimum 2A-10B:C, no more than 10 pounds, within 10 feet of the kitchen in the path of egress, mounted with the manufacturer's bracket with the top no more than 5 feet above the floor, serviced and tagged by a DFS-certified contractor within 12 months or a recent purchase receipt, with the owner's manual left for the new occupant