Every owner of a 3 or more unit residential property shall tender to a prospective buyer, at the time of the transfer of ownership of such property, a valid certificate of compliance or a notice of Lincoln Minimum Housing Code deficiencies issued by the Building Official.
Application
The owner of any 3 or more-unit residential property desiring to sell or transfer the same shall file an application for a certificate of compliance.
Certificate of Compliance Application
Fees
The Building Official is hereby authorized to establish reasonable fees for inspections made pursuant to an application for a certificate of compliance, which fees, before becoming effective, shall be approved by the mayor. (Ord. 16530 &2; December 6, 1993).
- $90 for first 3 units;
- $12 for each additional unit;
- $70 fire inspection fee
After the application is accepted by our office, you will receive an email with the invoice for payment. We accept checks and online payment. Make checks payable to Building and Safety and put the property address or permit number on the check. Our office's mailing address is 555 S. 10th St., Suite 203, Lincoln, NE 68508. If you would like to pay online, please see the following instructions below.
- Pay online by going to Accela Citizen Access. You do NOT have to create an account or login.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and under Building click Search Applications.
- Enter your permit number in the Record Number field and click Search.
- Go to Payments and click Fees
- Click Pay Fees
- Click Continue Application
- Enter your payment information
- Click Submit Payment
Inspections
After the COC is paid for, a Housing Inspector will contact the seller to the property to schedule an inspection.
A Housing Inspector and a Fire Inspector will inspect the apartment building or hotel/motel or boarding house. The inspection includes the exterior of the building, common hallways and grounds, and interiors of apartment units or hotel rooms.
Inspectors will determine if the following items are in poor repair, missing, or improperly constructed (the following lists are not all-inclusive)
Inspection Checklist Items
Exterior: Deteriorated/Missing Areas
- Soffit
- Fascia
- Siding
- Trim
- Handrails – height and connection
- Guardrails – height, condition, intermediate rails
- Stairs – condition and spacing
- Premises ID
- Gutters – clogged/hanging
- Screens – missing/torn
- Windows
- Foundation
- Drainage from structure
- Paint condition – 25% or more missing is a violation
- Roof Structure
- Locks – doors and windows
Exterior: Weatherproofing
- Doors
- Windows – broken or boarded
- Roof
- Foundation Walls
- Siding
- Mortar
- Porch/Patio Deck
- Garbage Storage/Removal
Interior: Inadequate Maintenance
- Surface coverings – carpet, vinyl, counter tops
- Floors deteriorated – holes, buckling
- Walls deteriorated
- Ceilings deteriorated
- Suspended ceilings
- Paint interior
Interior: Structural Hazard
- Floors
- Foundation
- Stairs
- Ceilings
Interior: Inadequate Sanitation
- Inadequate sanitation
- Light – ventilation
- Utility shut-off
- Appliance – defective
- Mold/Mildew
- Occupancy – improper
- Lighting – halls and stairs
- Roach/Rodent/Insects
- Supplied Equipment – operational
- Maintenance of doors, trim, cabinets
- Bath exhaust fan
- Dryer venting to exterior
Interior Plumbing: Install Gas Line Shut-off Valve
- Kitchen stove
- Dryer
- Water Heater
- Gas-fired appliance
Interior Plumbing: Repair
- Water heater – drip leg
- Installs without permit
- Waste system deteriorated
- Waste system back-up
- Kitchen sink
- Lavatory
- Shower
- Tub
- Toilet leaks
Interior Plumbing: Water Supply Leak
- Kitchen sink
- Lavatory
- Shower
- Tub
- Toilet
Interior Plumbing: Inadequate Sanitation Facilities
- Lavatory
- Bathtub or shower
- Inadequate water
- Water-heater repair
- Plumbing (sewer line)
- Privacy separation
Fire/Life Safety
- Smoke Detectors
- Fire Door Separation
- Fire doors close and latch
- Egress
- Exit sign lights and location
- Fire resistive construction
- Combustibles stored by fuel burning appliances
- Exits – provided
- Emergency Lights
- Fire Extinguishers
- Impeded exiting
- Storage under stairs
- Fire Extinguishers – out of date
- Alarm Systems
- Grills on decks
Electrical Safety
- Hazardous electrical wiring
- Garbage disposal wiring
- GFCI outlet improperly wired
- Continuous use of extension cords
- Exposed wiring
- Missing outlet covers
- Light fixtures – hazardous wiring
Issuance
The Building Official shall issue a certificate of compliance for a 3 or more-unit property only after an inspection of the property has been conducted and found that the property complies in all respects with the Lincoln Minimum Housing Code. If such 3 or more-unit property is found not to be in compliance with the Lincoln Minimum Housing Code the Building Official shall issue a notice of deficiencies.
NOTE TO BUYERS: If you purchased a multi-family property without a Certificate of Compliance, it will be your responsibility to purchase a Certificate of Compliance. Please contact the Department of Planning and Development Services at 402-441-7521 and speak with the Chief Housing Inspector. Any minimum property maintenance code deficiencies will be the current property owners' responsibility.
Validity
A certificate of compliance shall be valid only for ninety (90) days from the date of issuance. A certificate of compliance shall not be deemed a warranty or guarantee that a 3 or more-unit property complies with all provisions of the Lincoln Property Maintenance Code or other applicable laws and ordinances, nor shall the City be held responsible for any violations not noted or discovered by the Building Official during his/her inspection of the house.