The purpose of a Certificate of Occupancy (“COO” or “C of O”) is to ensure that the use of a building, structure or land in the District of Columbia conforms to the Zoning Regulations (DCMR Title 11) provisions of the DC Construction Codes, and the Green Building Act. In most cases, no person can use a building, structure, or land in the District of Columbia for any purpose other than a single-family dwelling, until a valid Certificate of Occupancy has been issued.

1. Submit your application through the online interface as described in this user guide.
2. The application will be screened and either accepted for review or deemed incomplete and put on hold until the outstanding items have been submitted or completed. Apart from missing supporting documents, DOB staff will not accept a C of O application for a property that has any outstanding building permits, trade permits, incomplete wall test, or inspections reports.
3. As soon as the application has been accepted, it will be routed for concurrent review to the required divisions and the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), if applicable.
4. Following the completion and approval of all reviews, and any required inspections that have been passed, the C of O certificate will be ready for issuance.
5. Invoices will be sent via email to the applicant to pay the fees.
6. Upon receipt of fees, the certificate will be sent by email to the applicant.