The Department of Administration directs, facilitates, and assists municipal departments and agencies in delivering services to Newark residents, businesses, and visitors as efficiently and cost effectively as possible.
As per City Ordinance prior to the transfer of ownership of a residential or mixed used property a code compliance certificate and a fire department certificate of must be obtained. Both certificates require and inspection by the Code Enforcement Division and the Fire Department. As part of the code compliance a zoning review will performed.
Use of this one-stop portal will significantly speed up the processing time and carries an additional service fee – you will be able to request and pay for the Fire Inspection as well.
To begin you will need to create an account which will allow you to track your application as it is routed through the various departments that will participate in the review.
Important: Only the property owner or his/her agent can request and obtain a Certificate of Code Compliance. Exception
What is a Certificate of Code Compliance?
A Certificate of Continued Compliance (CCC) is required when selling or transferring the ownership of a residential and mixed used properties. The Certificate is issued after satisfactory inspection for compliance with City Ordinance and a Zoning review. A Fire Safety inspection is also required.
What is the process to obtain a CCC?
To request a CCC you must submit an application and pay the required fee(s).
Prior to scheduling your inspection be sure to review the fire checklist of items the inspector will be checking – this will save you time and re-inspection fees. Also ensure that you do not have any opened Building/ Construction permits.
Who is responsible for obtaining the Certificate of Code Compliance?
A CCC is good for 90 days from the date of issuance. The Fire Certificate expires after six months from the date of issuance.
Is there an expiration date for the certificate once it has been issued?
The certificate fee is refundable prior to the inspection. After the inspection has occurred, the fee is not refundable.
What if the property has violations and the buyer is willing to take responsibility for correcting them?
The buyer can take responsibility for correcting violations (they must be corrected after the closing) by completing an Affidavit. To affidavit process requires;
If property is being purchased by a corporation or LLC, the formation and or an operating agreement must be provided.
Note: Certificates are only given to the Seller or the Seller’s Agent