MCOCA doesn’t apply to new construction

Pennsylvania’s Municipal Code and Ordinance Compliance Act (MCOCA) states that municipalities that require a use and occupancy (U&O) inspection prior to a property resale must, after performing the inspection, issue a resale certificate.

The law prevents municipalities from holding up sales over property maintenance issues, and allows buyers and sellers to negotiate over the costs of repairs. However, MCOCA only applies to property resales — it does not apply to new construction.

The inspection process for new construction falls under the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, as well as any additional inspection requirements enacted by the municipality.

Photo: Avel Chuklanov on Unsplash