A Certificate of Occupancy (CO) is the official document issued by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (typically the local building department) certifying that a building or tenant space is safe to occupy and complies with all applicable building, fire, and life-safety codes for its intended use.
The CO is the final regulatory milestone of most construction projects. It is issued only after all required inspections (final building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire, health where applicable) have passed and any conditions of approval have been satisfied. Operators cannot legally open for business without a CO. Temporary Certificates of Occupancy (TCO) are sometimes issued for limited use while final items are completed.