Do you need a point-of-sale inspection to sell a house in Northeast Ohio?
It depends on the city, not the county. Cleveland, Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, Stow, and Chagrin Falls do not require a general point-of-sale (POS) inspection for a typical house, although Cleveland requires a $60 Certificate of Disclosure and Summit County homes on a well or septic system need a separate water or sewage inspection. Many inner-ring suburbs, including Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, Euclid, and Garfield Heights, do require one, and in Lake County so do Willoughby and Mentor-on-the-Lake. The seller usually pays the fee. Check the table below, then confirm with your city before you list.
By Michael N. Jones and Stacey L. Jones | The Jones Group with Keller Williams Living | Updated November 5, 2026
If you’ve been told “you’ll need a point-of-sale inspection,” your stomach may have dropped. Maybe the house is your parents’ and no one has lived there in months. Maybe it’s the home you raised your family in, and the roof and porch aren’t what they used to be. Either way, the worry is the same: what will this cost me, and will it hold up my sale?
Here’s the calm version. A point-of-sale inspection is a city requirement, not a buyer’s home inspection. The city looks at the property for code issues before it can transfer. Whether you need one, what it costs, and who fixes what all depend on the city. So the first job is to find the rule for your address.
Quick answer: where do you stand?
Usually no general POS inspection: Cleveland (see the certificate note below), Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, Stow, Chagrin Falls, Aurora, Parma, Independence, Avon, Elyria, and most of Geauga and Medina Counties.
Usually yes, expect an inspection and a fee: Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, University Heights, Euclid, Garfield Heights, Maple Heights, and many other inner-ring suburbs. In Lake County, Willoughby and Mentor-on-the-Lake.
Septic or well inspections instead: Brecksville, and homes on a well or septic system in Summit County cities such as Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, and Stow.
City-by-city guide
This table is based on the point-of-sale guide from American Title Solutions, with Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights details from city and local sources. Fees are for a typical single-family home and change often, so treat the table as a starting point.
| City | Required? | Typical fee | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland | Certificate of Disclosure, not an inspection | $60 | Lists open code violations. Vacant homes must still be registered. The exterior pre-sale inspection for vacant 1–3 family homes ended February 6, 2026. |
| Cleveland Heights | Yes | $200 | Escrow if major (Class A) violations remain. Certificate valid one year. |
| Shaker Heights | Yes | $200 | Fix violations or escrow about 150% of the estimated cost. |
| University Heights | Yes | $250 | Single-family. |
| Euclid | Yes | $225 | Certificate valid six months. |
| Garfield Heights | Yes | $200 | Buyer may be allowed to take on repairs after closing. |
| Maple Heights | Yes | $110 | Exterior required, interior optional. |
| Brook Park | Yes | $60 | Buyer completes re-occupancy paperwork before closing. |
| Beachwood | Occupancy permit | $50 | Required for change of ownership. |
| Brecksville | Septic inspection | $350 | Applies to homes with septic systems. |
| Chagrin Falls (village) | No | N/A | Occupancy permit applies to commercial property only. |
| Cuyahoga Falls | No general POS | N/A | Well or septic inspection if the home has one. |
| Hudson | No general POS | N/A | Well or septic inspection if the home has one. |
| Stow | No general POS | N/A | Well or septic inspection if applicable. |
| Twinsburg | Exterior inspection | $50 | Summit County. |
| Macedonia | Yes | $75 | Well and septic inspections also required. |
| Willoughby | Yes | $75 | Lake County. Extra fees may apply. |
| Mentor-on-the-Lake | Yes | $100 | Lake County. This is a different place from the City of Mentor. |
| City of Mentor | Not on the title company’s list | — | A 2025 check with the city said no. Confirm before you list. |
| Solon | Not on the title company’s list | — | A 2024 check said no. Confirm before you list. |
Not seeing your city? Many others are covered in American Title Solutions’ full list, and the quickest route is a call to your city’s building department.
Who pays, and what actually happens?
Almost everywhere, the owner pays the inspection fee. After that, the next step depends on the city and on what the inspector finds.
- Nothing major found. You get a certificate and move on.
- Violations found, and you fix them first. You do the work, the city re-inspects, and you receive a certificate of compliance.
- Violations found, and you don’t fix them first. In many cities the buyer can sign an agreement to take on the violations and fix them after closing. Some cities then require escrow for bigger items such as roofs, chimneys, driveways, and exterior paint. The title company often holds the money, and the city releases it only after the work passes inspection.
Escrow can be larger than the real bill because it’s based on the city’s estimate. Cleveland Heights, for example, adds 25% to its average repair cost. Ask for the city’s written estimate early.
Do you have to fix everything before you sell?
No, and that surprises most families.
You don’t have to bring a house up to showroom condition before you sell it. The city cares about the violations on its report. A buyer who is willing to take on repairs, or a plan that uses escrow, can keep the sale moving. We help families sell as-is all the time, including estate and inherited homes, homes with deferred maintenance, and homes still full of a lifetime of belongings.
What matters is knowing the rules before you set a price and sign a contract. An as-is house with a clear plan for the city’s requirements avoids the worst surprise: finding out at the last minute that closing is on hold.
The city’s paperwork is also separate from your own. Ohio sellers generally complete the Ohio Residential Property Disclosure Form, and the title company will want any required city certificate before closing.
What to do first
- Confirm your city’s rule. Call the building or housing department, or ask your title company. Ask whether an inspection, certificate, or escrow applies, and what the fee and timeline are.
- Schedule early. Inspections can add days or weeks. Book as soon as you decide to sell.
- Get the report in writing, and ask which items the city treats as major.
- Choose your path: fix it, escrow it, or sell to a buyer who will take it on. Each can work, with a different net to you.
- Run the numbers before you spend a dollar. Repairs made only to satisfy an inspection may not come back to you in the price.
If you’re also working through a bigger life change, our guides on selling a parent’s home in Ohio, probate and estate home sales, and what happens at closing may help. To see the numbers on your side of the table, read what sellers need to know about closing costs.
We aren’t attorneys or city officials, and ordinances change. This is general information, not legal advice. Fees and rules shown here were gathered from public sources in November 2026 and can change at any time. Confirm with your city before you rely on them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the City of Cleveland require a point-of-sale inspection?
Not for a typical home sale. Cleveland requires a Certificate of Disclosure (listed at $60) that discloses open code violations. The city ended its exterior pre-sale inspection for vacant 1–3 family homes on February 6, 2026, though vacant property registration still applies.
Do Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, or Stow require a point-of-sale inspection?
Not a general one. In Summit County, homes with a private well or septic system need a separate inspection through the county health department before transfer.
Who pays for a point-of-sale inspection in Ohio?
The owner typically pays the inspection fee. Repairs can be done by the seller before closing, or in many cities the buyer can agree to take on the violations, sometimes with escrow.
How much does a point-of-sale inspection cost?
It varies by city. Most single-family fees fall between about $50 and $250, such as $200 in Cleveland Heights, Shaker Heights, and Garfield Heights, and $75 in Willoughby. Septic inspections run about $350 in places like Brecksville.
What is escrow in a point-of-sale sale?
Money set aside at closing, usually held by the title company or the city, to cover repairs for major violations not fixed before the sale. It is released after the work passes inspection.
Can I sell my house as-is if it fails a point-of-sale inspection?
Often yes, depending on the city. The violations still have to be handled, either by you before closing or by the buyer afterward, sometimes with escrow. A local agent can help you plan the sale around that.
What if my city isn’t listed?
Call your city’s building or housing department, or ask your title company. Rules change, and the city has the final word.
Not sure what your house will need? Start with what it’s worth.
Curious what your home is worth today? Get your free, no-pressure home value report at hmbt.co/cX7tGq — or if you’d rather talk it through, call Michael at 216.240.1147 or Stacey at 216.577.5874 for a no-judgment conversation.
About the authors
Michael N. Jones and Stacey L. Jones lead The Jones Group with Keller Williams Living, helping Northeast Ohio families buy and sell homes since 2009. With 700+ homes sold, they specialize in downsizing, estate and probate, divorce, and as-is sales. Any home, any condition, and never any judgment. Michael brings an engineering background, and Stacey brings 24 years across healthcare, home building, and real estate.
The Jones Group with Keller Williams Living. Equal Housing Opportunity.
