Certificate of Occupancy: What It Is, How to Get One, and When a Temporary CO Helps
A certificate of occupancy is the document the building department issues when a building, or a space inside one, has passed its final inspections and may be used for its stated purpose. In unincorporated Clark County, the permit technician issues it at the end of the county permit process. In Oregon, nobody may use or occupy a building, and no change of occupancy can happen, until the building official issues one. A temporary certificate of occupancy lets you move into the finished part before every last item is done. Here is how both work in Oregon and in Vancouver, WA.
| Certificate of occupancy (CO) | Temporary certificate (TCO) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it allows | Full use of the building or space for the use on the certificate | Use of the parts that are finished and safe, before all permitted work is done |
| When it is issued | After the final inspections pass | Before final, when the building official agrees the finished part is safe |
| How long it lasts | Until the use changes or it is revoked | A period the building official sets (Vancouver: most are 30 days, extensions on request) |
| Who asks for it | The permit holder, through the final inspections | The permit holder, by request (Vancouver: 10 days before the target date) |
From Oregon Structural Specialty Code Section 111 and the City of Vancouver temporary occupancy page. Each city runs its own process, so check yours.
Working toward an opening date? We schedule the final inspections into the plan from day one, so the certificate is not what holds up your lease. Call (360) 326-2747 or see our tenant improvement and ground-up construction work.
When you need a certificate of occupancy
Under Oregon's building code, a certificate is needed before a building is used or occupied, in whole or in part, and before any change of occupancy. That covers three common cases:
- A new building, like an apartment building or a new commercial shell.
- A space changing to a new use, like a store suite becoming a preschool. That is a change of occupancy, covered in our change of use permit guide.
- An addition that adds new space to an existing building.
Work that is exempt from a permit does not need one. And the certificate is not a free pass: the Oregon code says issuing it is not an approval of any code violation, and the building official can suspend or revoke it if it was issued in error or the building violates the code.
What the certificate says
The certificate is more than a stamp. Oregon's code lists what it has to include: the building permit number, the address, the owner, the part of the building it covers, a statement that it was inspected, the building official's name, the code edition, the use and occupancy group, the construction type, the design occupant load, whether a required sprinkler system is provided, and any special conditions. Those details matter later. When a new tenant wants to use the space differently, the occupancy group and the occupant load on the old certificate are where the city starts.
In Portland, the city asks you to display the certificate where everyone inside the business can see it.
How to get a certificate of occupancy
- Finish the permitted work, including any separate permits that ride with it, such as fire alarm, sprinklers, electrical and site work.
- Pass the final inspections for every trade. In Portland, the city says that after your final inspections are approved, you ask your inspector how to get the certificate.
- Clear every condition the plan reviewers put on the permit. In Vancouver, the city will not grant a certificate until all outstanding conditions are satisfied.
- Receive the certificate from the building official, and post it in the space.
Loose ends are what hold a certificate up: a fire sprinkler permit not closed out, a plan review condition not documented, or a site item outside the building. Vancouver lists exactly those, so we track the conditions from the start of the job, not the last week.
When a temporary certificate of occupancy helps
Oregon's code lets the building official issue a temporary certificate before all the permitted work is complete, as long as the finished parts can be occupied safely, and the official sets how long it lasts. It is useful when a tenant needs to start moving in furniture and equipment, or when outside work like landscaping is waiting on the weather while the building itself is done.
Vancouver, WA spells out its process. A request has to be in at least 10 days before the target date. Most temporary certificates are valid for 30 days, and if conditions are not met by then you apply for an extension. Before approval, the fire alarm, fire sprinkler, fire underground, electrical and site development permits need to be closed out, the plan conditions have to show as met, and fire access to the site, hydrants and fire equipment has to be clear.
A temporary certificate is a bridge, not a shortcut. The items it leaves open still have to be finished and inspected before the final certificate.
Why you cannot skip it
In Oregon, a building occupied without a valid certificate falls under the State Fire Marshal's enforcement authority. Plan the certificate into your timeline the same way you plan the permit. Our guide to how long commercial construction takes shows where the final inspections fall, and who pulls the permit explains who carries it.
Where we have seen it matter
- New buildings in Portland, like the 16-unit 55th Apartments and the 4-story mixed-use building on NE Alberta, where the certificate covers the whole structure.
- Changes of use, like the retail suite in Tigard that became Ivybrook Academy preschool, and the former blood bank in Beaverton that became Uptown Family Dental.
- Southwest Washington jobs, where Vancouver and the other Clark County cities each run their own final and temporary occupancy rules; see our Vancouver commercial construction page.
Frequently asked questions
Is an occupancy permit the same as a certificate of occupancy?
In practice, yes. "Occupancy permit" is the everyday name; the building code calls it a certificate of occupancy. It is the document that says a building or space may be used for its stated purpose.
Do I need a new certificate of occupancy for a tenant improvement?
When the use or occupancy of the space changes, yes. Oregon's building code says no change of occupancy can happen until the building official issues a certificate. For a remodel that keeps the same use, the final inspections close the permit, and your inspector will tell you whether a new certificate is issued.
How long is a temporary certificate of occupancy good for?
It is set by the building official. In Vancouver, WA, most temporary certificates are valid for 30 days, and the city code caps them at 30 days from issuance, with extensions on request.
Can I open my business before I get the certificate?
No. Under Oregon's code, using or occupying a building without a valid certificate falls under the State Fire Marshal's enforcement authority. If part of the building is ready and safe, ask for a temporary certificate instead.
Who applies for the certificate of occupancy?
It follows the building permit. Whoever holds the permit, usually the general contractor on a commercial job, schedules the final inspections, and the certificate is issued once they pass.
The bottom line
A certificate of occupancy is the building department's sign-off that a space is safe to use for its purpose. You get it by finishing the work, passing every final inspection and clearing every condition. A temporary certificate can let you move into the finished part early, for a set time. Build both into your schedule from the start and they will not hold up your opening.
Modern Northwest has built commercial projects across Portland and Southwest Washington since 2005, licensed in Oregon (CCB #198582) and registered in Washington (L&I MODERNI888R7). If your opening date depends on the certificate, tell us about the project.
Need your certificate on time?
Tell us the opening date and the space. We will plan the inspections backward from it.
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