Point-of-sale inspections in Northeast Ohio

Updated November 2026

Which Cleveland-area cities require a point-of-sale inspection, what the fees and escrow rules are, and what happens when violations are not fixed before closing.

Point-of-sale inspections are mostly a Cuyahoga County suburb rule. The City of Cleveland itself only requires a Certificate of Disclosure, plus an exterior inspection of vacant one to three unit homes. Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Garfield Heights, Maple Heights, University Heights and about twenty other suburbs require a full inspection.

Escrow rules differ a lot

Timing

Some cities, such as Cleveland Heights, want the certificate before you sign a purchase agreement. Certificates usually expire after six months or one year, so order the inspection close to listing, not months ahead.

Septic and wells

Even cities without a housing inspection, like Brecksville, Broadview Heights and Seven Hills, send septic homes to the Cuyahoga County Board of Health before sale.

Step by step

1. Apply to the city building or housing department and pay the inspection fee. Do this before you list, because some cities require the certificate before you sign a purchase agreement.
2. An inspector visits. Depending on the city, this covers the exterior only or the interior too.
3. You receive a certificate of inspection listing violations. Show it to buyers.
4. Fix the violations and pass a re-inspection to get a certificate of compliance.
5. Or the buyer signs an assumption form, and repair money (often 100% to 150% of a contractor estimate) is held in escrow until the city signs off.

Cities with this requirement