Certificate of Occupancy is a document issued by a local government agency, certifying that a building meets certain requirements and codes that indicate its fitness to house tenants. These requirements differ across building types, as well as cities and states, and are usually required to be met by new developments.
A certificate of occupancy is telling that a building is in livable conditions, and that it doesn’t prove as a threat to the well-being of an occupant. This document is usually obtained in tandem with a building permit.