When the construction of a home is completed and all the final inspections are done, the local building department issues a Certificate of Occupancy, also called a “C.O.” in the building trades, which literally means that it is now allowed to be occupied. The date of the Certificate of Occupancy determines the year of the home.

   The Alachua County Property Appraiser’s Office provides this definition of “actual year built”: 

The year that a building on the property was originally constructed. The year 1900 is used when no year of construction is on file.

    You might see an “effective year built,” which is essentially an adjustment of the age of the house made by the property appraiser based on its condition. To find out more, go to our blog post ”What is the difference between actual and effective year built?”

   If you are trying to figure out the age of an older house, see our blog post ”How do you find out when the house was built?”

    It’s also worth noting that the date that the building permit was issued determines what version of the building code applies to the construction of the home, and it can easily be a year earlier than when the Certificate of Occupancy was issued.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

  To learn more strategies for getting the best possible home inspection, here’s a few of our other blog posts:

• How can I make sure I don't get screwed on my home inspection? 

• How thorough is a home inspector required to be when inspecting a house?

• Should I trust the Seller's Property Disclosure Statement?

• Can I do my own home inspection?

• How can homebuyers protect themselves against buying a house over a sinkhole? 

• The seller gave me a report from a previous home inspection. Should I use it or get my own inspector? 

    To read about issues related to homes of particular type or one built in a specific decade, visit one of these blog posts:

• What are the common problems to look for when buying a 1940s house?

• What are the common problems to look for when buying a 1950s house?

• What are the common problems to look for when buying a 1960s house?

• What are the common problems to look for when buying a 1970s house?

• What are the common problems to look for when buying a 1980s house?

• What are the common problems to look for when buying a 1990s house?

• What problems should I look for when buying a country house or rural property? 

• What problems should I look for when buying a house that has been moved?

• What problems should I look for when buying a house that has been vacant or abandoned?

• What are the most common problems with older mobile homes?

• What do I need to know about a condo inspection?

• What are the "Aging In Place" features to look for when buying a retirement home?

   Visit our HOME INSPECTION page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.