Resale CO checklist
Cape May City
Cape May County, New Jersey · Checked September 30, 2026
Certificate of Occupancy Required
Certificate of Zoning Compliance (transfer of title) · Construction & Zoning Office (Zoning Officer)
- Zoning compliance review of the property's use and number of units before transfer of title
| Certificate of Zoning Compliance application | $85.00 |
Smoke and CO alarm certificate Required
- Sale of Property Form (created March 2025) still names the certificate as covering a portable fire extinguisher, but the Bureau's web page says fire extinguishers are no longer required in one- or two-family dwellings for sales or rentals; if one is kept it must be maintained (approved hanger, serviced within 12 months)
- Smoke alarms no older than 10 years; battery-only smoke alarms must be the 10-year sealed battery type (listed on the Bureau page as top rental violations)
- Carbon monoxide alarm near sleeping areas and on every level when there are fuel-burning appliances, an attached garage or a fireplace
City of Cape May Bureau of Fire Prevention
| Smoke/CO certificate (1-2 family), application received more than 10 business days from settlement | $150 |
| Smoke/CO certificate (1-2 family), application received 4 to 10 business days from settlement | $250 |
| Smoke/CO certificate (1-2 family), application received fewer than 4 business days from settlement | $375 |
