What you need in Lynn
Checked November 7, 2026 against Lynn's own pages. "Not published" means the page does not say; call the office.
Municipal lien certificate
Cost$75 per residential parcel or condo; $125 commercialLead time10 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays- Issued by
- Treasurer/Collector, 3 City Hall Square
- How to order
- City online portal; 781-598-4000
Water and sewer lien certificate
Cost$40 per meter (3 or fewer units, condo or vacant land); $100 per meter (4+ units, commercial); a separate lawn meter adds a second feeLead timeNot published- Issued by
- Lynn Water & Sewer Commission, 400 Parkland Ave
- How to order
- Lien application and a meter-reader visit; (781) 596-2400
Smoke and CO certificate
Cost$50 single-family, $100 two-family, $150 for 3 to 6 units, $500 for 7+ (Sale of Property Requirements)Lead timeWed and Thu only; 3 weeks in advance- Issued by
- Fire Prevention, 725 Western Ave
- How to order
- Online portal; (781) 596-0213; fireprevention@lynnfire.org
Title 5
CostSeptic homes onlyLead timeNot published- Issued by
- Public Health Division, 3 City Hall Square, Room 110
- How to order
- 781-586-6836
What to order when in Lynn
Before you list
Know your house
- Septic or town sewer? If septic, book a Title 5 inspector first. The inspection must be at or within 2 years before the sale.
- Built before 1978? Get the lead paint notice ready.
Before the P&S is signed
Give the notices
- Hand the buyer the state lead paint notice for a pre-1978 house. Separately, the federal rule gives the buyer a 10-day period to inspect for lead before being bound.
- Complete the seller disclosure with your attorney.
The day the P&S is signed
Book the inspection
- Book the smoke and CO inspection and replace old alarms first. The certificate is valid for 60 days.
- Your attorney orders the municipal lien certificate: 10 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Weeks before closing
Order the water read
- Request the final water read on the town's schedule (the table above has it).
Closing week
Hand over the papers
- Confirm the smoke and CO certificate is still inside its 60 days, and send the final water bill to your attorney.
Municipal lien certificate: Treasurer/Collector
Lynn's Municipal Lien Certificates page lists $75 per parcel for residential homes and condominiums and $125 per parcel for industrial and commercial property, and asks you to allow 10 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Order through the city's online portal; the page links the assessors' parcel lookup for the parcel ID. A breakdown of the balance is available by fax or email to the office. The office is at 3 City Hall Square, Lynn 01901, 781-598-4000. Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8:30 am to 4 pm, Tuesday 8:30 am to 8 pm, Friday 8:30 am to 12:30 pm.
Lynn's residential fee is three times Malden's or Medford's ($25 each). See what the certificate covers.
The second lien certificate: Water & Sewer Commission
Lynn's water and sewer are run by the Lynn Water and Sewer Commission, not the city collector. Its Lien Application page says the Commission requires a Certified Lien Certificate for any property sold in Lynn. The seller or the agent completes the application and books a meter reader visit. The Commission's application form (PDF) lists a filing fee of $40 per meter for three or fewer units, a condo or vacant land and $100 per meter for four or more units, commercial or industrial, with a second fee for a separate lawn meter. Checks go to the Lynn Water & Sewer Commission, 400 Parkland Avenue, Lynn 01905, (781) 596-2400. The web page itself gives no lead time, so ask when you book the meter reader.
This is the one that surprises sellers: the city certificate does not cover the Commission's charges. Ask your closing attorney to order both.
Smoke and CO certificate: Fire Prevention
The Lynn Fire Prevention page says to apply through the Lynn Fire Portal and to do it three weeks in advance, which is longer than most towns ask. It posts a Sale of Property application and requirements as PDFs, and an email address, fireprevention@lynnfire.org. The Sale of Property Requirements sheet lists the fees: $50 for a single-family or unit, $100 for a two-family, $150 for three to six units and $500 for seven or more, by check or money order to the City of Lynn (no cash). Inspections run Wednesdays and Thursdays only, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Download the requirements before you buy alarms; the state's checklist shows the basics.
If the house is a rental
Lynn runs a long-term apartment rental registration and inspection program. Owners of rental units, condos included, register each year ($25 initial, $15 annual per unit), pay $100 for the inspection and $25 for a reinspection, and face a $300 a day fine for an unregistered rental. The page does not say the registration applies on a sale, so we are not claiming it does. If you sell a tenant-occupied unit, register first and ask your attorney, and see selling with tenants in place and tired landlord options.
Septic or town sewer (Title 5)
Title 5 is the state septic inspection. It applies only to a house with its own septic system or cesspool (310 CMR 15.301); a house on the town sewer does not need one. We did not find a page on the Lynn site that lists which streets are on septic. The Public Health Division is at 3 City Hall Square, Room 110, 781-586-6836; its page does not mention Title 5, so confirm there first. If the house does have septic, read the Title 5 guide before you set a closing date, because a failed system changes your price and your options.
Lead paint notice
If the house was built before 1978, you give the buyer the state's Property Transfer Lead Paint Notification before the purchase and sale agreement is signed, and the buyer signs the certification. Deleading itself is only required when a child under 6 lives in the home. See the lead paint guide and what deleading costs.
State rules that set your dates in Lynn
These come from state and federal law, so they are the same in every town.
- Smoke and CO certificate: valid 60 days. The state form (FP-007C) says a certificate issued under MGL c.148 ss.26F and 26F1/2 expires 60 days after the fire department issues it. If your closing slips past that, you need a second inspection.
- Municipal lien certificate: 10 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. That is how long the collector has after a written application (MGL c.60 s.23). Final water read lead times are set by each town, not by this rule.
- Title 5 (septic houses only): inspect within 2 years before the sale. An inspection up to 3 years old counts if pumping records show the system was pumped at least once a year. If weather prevents an inspection, it can be done as soon as the weather permits and no later than 6 months after the transfer, as long as the seller tells the buyer in writing. The buyer gets a copy of the report (310 CMR 15.301(1)).
- Lead paint, houses built before 1978: the buyer's 10-day right to inspect. Before the buyer is bound by the contract, the seller must allow a 10-day period, or another period both sides agree to in writing, for a lead paint inspection or risk assessment. The buyer can waive it in writing (40 CFR 745.110, a federal rule). Ask your attorney how your purchase and sale agreement handles it.
Order it in this sequence in Lynn
- Three weeks or more before closing: apply on the Lynn Fire Portal for the smoke and CO inspection.
- As soon as you have a closing date: file the Water & Sewer Commission lien application and book the meter reader.
- Let your attorney order the city lien certificate online ($75, 10 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays).
- If the unit is a rental, check its registration status.
Print the one-page Lynn checklist: PDF or image. It repeats the offices, fees and phone numbers on this page and leaves room for your closing date.
