The last inspector’s signature is not the last administrative step in obtaining a Cleveland certificate of occupancy. The owner must deliver the completed golden-rod sign-off sheet to Records Administration in City Hall, Room 517. That submission starts the certificate process. City occupancy instructions
Before arranging a move-in or opening date, establish which document the project needs and who will carry the signed sheet through the final handoff.
The City’s examples of when a certificate is required include new construction, changes of use and certain major alterations or repairs. Establish the requirement for your own project with the department; this guide is not a ruling on a particular building.
Follow the sheet, not just the appointments
The City supplies the sheet during permitting. It lists required approvals, including building, fire and applicable mechanical inspector signatures. If you did not receive one, the instructions direct you to Room 505. They do not establish a replacement procedure for a lost original that already has signatures.
Use this LSL handoff check with the actual sheet:
- Identify the person holding the original and where it will be available for inspectors.
- Compare the signatures obtained with every approval listed on the sheet.
- Resolve missing approvals with the responsible office.
- Submit the completed original to Room 517; retain a copy and any submission acknowledgment.
- Obtain the issued certificate and check its property, authorized use and any conditions.
The City’s instructions require the applicant to retain the sheet until approvals are secured. Our custody and copy suggestions help avoid a missing-document delay; they do not create an alternative approval process. Certificate procedure
The City lists a $60 certificate fee, usually collected during permitting. Check whether it was already paid before submitting another payment; the instructions require it at sheet submission if it was not collected earlier. Certificate fees
Ordinary certificate or time-limited use?
An ordinary certificate follows the structure. Relevant changes can require new approval; a routine ownership change is not the same as a new use. Time-limited occupancy instead requires the Chief Building Official’s approval of safe partial use, with appropriate inspections. The City lists $60 per 30 days and a written request identifying unfinished work when additional time is needed. Occupancy policy
For a time-limited certificate, make a calendar entry using the expiry shown on the issued document, not the day a fee was paid. Attach these questions to the reminder:
- Exactly which part of the building may be occupied?
- What work or approvals remain unfinished?
- Who is preparing the extension request?
- Has additional time actually been granted?
- What is the next expiry date in the approved document?
Do not roll the date forward yourself after sending a letter or payment. An extension request and an approved extension are different things.
Resolve a missing result with the certificate office
Records Administration lists occupancy contacts at 216-664-3095 and 216-664-2825, and bhco@clevelandohio.gov. Its address is 601 Lakeside Avenue, Room 517, Cleveland, Ohio 44114.
When following up, identify the address, permit and sheet-submission date, then ask which approval or issuance step remains outstanding. A public permit-status result does not answer every occupancy question.
Do not substitute a violation letter, contractor invoice or rental registration for the certificate. For selecting the appropriate property-record request, see Cleveland’s violation and authorized-use records.
What LSL checked for this guide
This guide was checked against the City’s certificate procedure and record-custodian information on September 13, 2026. LSL created the handoff and expiry checks; we did not review a private building, establish its safe occupancy, or obtain discretionary approval on anyone’s behalf.