Certificate of Occupancy
The Dallas Development Code requires that "Except for single family and duplex uses, a person shall not use or change the use of a building, a portion of a building, or land without obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) from the building official."

A new CO is needed for:

 - The first use of land or a building
 - A change of use of land or a building
 - A change of tenant on an existing CO, or
 - An existing use increases or decreases floor area

A "record change" can be made to a CO when only the name of the business (DBA) changes. The cost is $30.00. For multifamily uses, this option is only available when no code violations are on record for the apartment. If code violations exist on record, a new CO must be applied for and inspections of the building are made. You must have multi-tenant approval from Code Compliance PRIOR to applying for a CO.

View PDF of Fee Schedule

What is a Temporary CO?
A temporary CO allows occupancy of a structure or suite while certain non-safety related work such as landscaping is near completion. The cost for a temporary CO is $500.00.  You can apply for a TCO after you have submitted an application with the City. TCOs need to be applied for through the phase or parent record (dependent on type of project).

Where do I go to obtain a CO?
All CO's are applied through DallasNow. TCO's are reviewed and approved by the district managers.

How long does it take to obtain a CO?
If the proposed use is the same as the previous use, CO applications submitted through DallasNow are typically approved within 24 hours and inspections can be scheduled promptly. There is no need to visit a district office in person for same-use COs.  However, if the proposed use is determined to be a change of use or a first-time use, the application will be routed to our Building Code and Zoning teams for review. In these cases, a site plan, floor plan, and potentially a parking analysis may be required. The review process for change-of-use COs may take up to two weeks, depending on the complexity of the project.  

What Special Rules Apply if my Establishment Sells Alcoholic Beverages?
See Alcohol Measurement Checklist

What are the procedures to obtain a CO?
To obtain a CO, submit your application and Land Use Questionnaire through DallasNOW, along with the appropriate fee. 

• If the proposed use is different from the previous use, the application will be routed for review by the Building Code and Zoning teams. In these cases, you may be required to upload a site plan, floor plan, and possibly a parking analysis. 

• If the proposed use is the same, most applications are processed within 24 hours, and inspections can be scheduled without delay.

How do I make changes to an existing Certificate of Occupancy (CO), such as updating the DBA or Occupant Load?
Changes to an existing CO—such as updating the Doing Business As (DBA) name or modifying the Occupant Load—must be submitted through DallasNow as a stand-alone CO application.  When applying, be sure to clearly describe the specific changes being requested in the CO application description (e.g., “Updating DBA to XYZ Company” or “Requesting new occupant load based on revised floor plan”).  Our staff will review the request and verify if additional documentation is needed to support the change. Once approved, a new CO reflecting the changes will be generated through DallasNow.