Administrative overview · FIPS 26003
Alger County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
County
This county profile is the primary starting point for unincorporated-area permitting.
Responsible agency
Alger County Building Codes
For a project in or near Alger County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
906-387-2727; cell 906-420-5525
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
101 Court Street, Munising, MI 49862
Operating hours
Operating hours not verified
Review expectation
N/A; the county publishes no general permit-review timeline.
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Alger County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
Alger County Building Codes is the identified county-level authority for this profile. Confirm that the property is in its service area before filing.
How should I begin an application?
No verified online portal was located in the reviewed public materials. Contact 906-387-2727; cell 906-420-5525 and request the current application route before preparing a final submittal.
How long might review take?
N/A; the county publishes no general permit-review timeline.
How are inspections scheduled?
Do not start work or conceal installations before the permit and required inspections. The inspector's telephone number is provided on the permit; call with the job location, permit number and contact information, giving as much advance notice as possible. The county states that an inspection request is answered within two business days for scheduling and inspections are typically performed within five business days, subject to the schedule.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Current Michigan codes identified by the state LARA code-book page for 2026: 2021 Michigan Building Code (effective April 9, 2025); 2015 Michigan Residential Code (current code, effective February 8, 2016, with later 2021 residential rules held by court order); 2021 Michigan Rehabilitation Code (effective April 9, 2025); 2021 Michigan Mechanical Code and 2021 Michigan Plumbing Code (effective March 12, 2024); 2023 National Electrical Code/Michigan Electrical Code (effective March 12, 2024); and 2021 Michigan Commercial Energy Code (effective April 22, 2025). Michigan's official permit guidance exempts ordinary repairs only when they do not cut away walls or structural supports, alter required means of egress, or affect regulated plumbing, gas, electrical, mechanical, public-health or general-safety work. Alger County's application also notes that sealed plan documents are generally not required for one- and two-family dwellings under 3,500 square feet and public works under $15,000; this is a plan-submission exception, not a blanket permit exemption. The county says all commercial work requires a permit and advises confirming any small accessory structure or cosmetic project with the Building Codes Inspector.