C3 Articles   •   July 24, 2018

Certificate of occupancy in Houston: how to get one

If you plan to open, move, or change a business in a Houston building, you will almost always need a certificate of occupancy (CO), sometimes called an occupancy permit. UnicornSS helps owners, tenants, and developers figure out what the city will ask for, gets the paperwork moving, and spots problems before a lease is signed or a plan is drawn.

What is a certificate of occupancy?

A certificate of occupancy is the city’s record that a building, or a space within it, may be used for a specific purpose. It is tied to the address, the use (for example office, retail, restaurant, or warehouse), and the occupant load. A new building needs one before people move in, and an existing space usually needs a new one when the tenant or the use changes. The Houston Permitting Center can confirm whether your specific change needs a new certificate.

What does a Houston certificate of occupancy look like?

It is a document issued by the City of Houston that identifies the property and the use the city has approved for it. Keep it somewhere easy to find, because landlords, lenders, and inspectors often ask to see it.

How to get a certificate of occupancy in Houston

1. Confirm the use. Decide exactly what the space will be used for. This drives everything else.
2. Check the building and site. Look at prior permits, the existing CO, and whether the space already meets code for the new use.
3. Apply through the Houston Permitting Center. If the space needs work, the certificate is typically tied to the building permit for that work.
4. Complete any required work and inspections. The inspections required depend on the use and the scope of work.
5. Receive the certificate. Once inspections pass and fees are paid, the city issues the CO.

Common requirements

• Property address and legal description
• Proposed use and occupant load
• Floor plan or site plan, prepared by your design firm where required
• Passing inspections (building, fire, and others depending on the use)
• Payment of city fees, listed on the Houston Permitting Center fee schedule

When drawings or sealed plans are needed, UnicornSS coordinates with your design firm and our partner-managed MEP, structural, and civil teams. Licensed engineers seal the work; we manage the process.

How long does it take?

Timing depends on whether any construction is needed, how ready the space is for inspection, and current city workloads. A simple change of tenant with no work can move faster than a space that needs a buildout. We give you a realistic schedule after reviewing your space.

Change of use: where projects get stuck

A change of use, such as turning an office into a restaurant or a retail space into a gym, can trigger new requirements for exits, restrooms, fire protection, parking, and accessibility. These are often the items that delay an opening or add cost after a lease is signed. If your plans include work on the space, see our office tenant buildout services.

Before you lease or buy: checks that save time

The sooner we look at a property, the more problems we can head off. Before you sign, we can check:

• Building lines and setbacks. Whether planned additions or site work fit within the building line on the plat.
• Platting and replat needs. Whether the lot is platted for what you want to do, or needs a replat under Chapter 42. See development planning.
• Variances. Whether a rule can be met as written or a variance request is the better path. See Houston variance requests.
• Zoning and land use rules. Houston has no traditional city-wide zoning, but deed restrictions, Chapter 42, parking, and other land use rules still shape what a property can be used for.
• Permit history. Open permits or unapproved past work that could hold up a new CO.

How UnicornSS helps

Our project and program management covers occupancy work from the first property review through the final certificate. We work alongside your design firm rather than replace it, keep the application moving, and coordinate inspections. We cannot guarantee city approval or timelines, but we make sure nothing is missing on our side. Browse all UnicornSS services.

Talk to us before you sign

Looking at a space in Houston? Call UnicornSS at 713-369-0925 before you lease or buy, and we will tell you what the city is likely to ask for.