Resale CO checklist
Old Tappan Borough
Bergen County, New Jersey · Checked October 4, 2026
Certificate of Occupancy Required
Rental and Resale Certificate (RRC, formerly CCO): Certificate of occupancy, resale and/or rental certificate · Borough of Old Tappan Building Department (Construction Official or his agent), with a fire inspection
- All open permits must be closed before the sale; check open permits before applying
- Someone over 18 must be at the house until the inspectors finish; inspectors do not call ahead
- Furnace/boiler flue connections sealed; replaced water heaters and mechanical equipment need a permit and an approval sticker
- Sump pumps discharge outside, not to the sanitary sewer; anti-tip brackets on stoves where required; rigid visible kitchen exhaust ducts
- Electrical outlets, switches, boxes and panels covered; no lamp cords on fixed appliances
- Handrails on 4 or more risers; guards on landings over 30 inches and open basement stairs; garage walls/ceilings next to the house sheet-rocked
- Pool gates and fencing compliant (self-closing, self-latching, latches 54 inches); lawn and bushes trimmed; no property maintenance violations
- Smoke alarms on every level (under 10 years old, 10-year sealed battery or hardwired, per the house's construction era) and a CO alarm within 10 feet of every bedroom
- Kitchen fire extinguisher 2A:10B:C, no more than 10 lbs, mounted within 10 feet of the kitchen (form still lists it)
- Resale-only certificates (buyer not occupying) need a notarized letter from the purchaser's attorney
| Residential inspection fee (application form; one check can cover building and fire inspections) | $125 |
| Re-inspection (application form) | $50 |
| Certificate fee, request more than 10 business days before inspection (Code Section 100-14.6) | $50 |
| Request 4 to 10 business days before inspection (Code) | $75 |
| Request less than 4 business days before inspection (Code) | $125 |
| Reinspection if the first inspection fails (Code) | $50 |
Smoke and CO alarm certificate Required
- Smoke alarms on every level including the basement, within 10 feet of bedroom doors, under 10 years old; hardwired and interconnected as required by the year the house was built
- Carbon monoxide alarm within 10 feet of the bedroom doors (battery or plug-in accepted); CO alarm inside bedrooms with fuel-burning appliances
- Portable fire extinguisher 2A:10B:C within 10 feet of the kitchen, mounted no higher than 5 feet, serviced/tagged within 12 months or with a receipt (form still lists it)
- Monitored alarm systems: password must be available
Borough of Old Tappan (Building Department schedules; Fire Prevention Bureau, Fire Marshal)
| Residential inspection fee covering building and fire inspections (application form) | $125 |
