Middletown Township

Certificate of Occupancy Required

Residential Certificate of Occupancy (CO) for sale · Middletown Township Building & Inspection Department (Housing)

• Housing inspection under the International Property Maintenance Code (4 inch address numbers, no double cylinder locks, working heat, water heater relief line, combustion air louvers, solid core or steel garage fire door, roof, range, plumbing, no extension cords, GFCI outlets, handrails and guards, neat yard, metal dryer hose, pool barriers)
• All open permits must have a final inspection, and permits and approvals are needed for recent construction
• Smoke detector and carbon monoxide compliance certificate from the Fire Prevention Office, sent to the Building Department as part of the CO
• If the home is occupied, an adult must be present at the inspection
• A 60-day conditional CO is available if the buyer signs and notarizes an agreement to close open permits and fix violations and not move in until the Township allows it

• Phone: 732-615-2106
• Timing: Inspection timing depends on the inspector's daily workload. The CO must be issued before transfer of title or occupancy.
• Application: https://middletownnj.org/DocumentCenter/View/7789/Application-for-Inspection-and-Assurance-of-a-Certificate-of-Occupancy-PDF

Smoke and CO alarm certificate Required

• Ten-year sealed battery or hardwired smoke alarms in each bedroom and on each level within ten feet of the bedrooms (crawl spaces and unfinished attics excluded); UL listed with a test button; hardwired alarms from original construction may not be replaced with battery units
• Carbon monoxide alarm on each level and within ten feet of the bedrooms (battery, plug-in or part of a central station system)
• Central station alarm systems need a letter from the monitoring company that the system works
• An adult (18 or older) must be present; pets secured
• No fire extinguisher needed (the Township FAQ says the February 2025 law removed it)