Fees, valuation & enforcement
Permit fees are a project input. Enforcement exposure is a project risk. Use the official schedule where available, then confirm valuation, trade permits, plan review, and inspection charges with the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
Official fee pathway
The final charge may depend on declared construction value, occupancy classification, square footage, plan review, state surcharges, trade permits, technology fees, and inspection activity. Do not use a neighboring city’s fee table as a substitute for this jurisdiction.
Fee desk contact
517-241-9313 (LARA BCC permits); local municipal building departments use their own numbers
Ask the counter to confirm current charges before submitting a project with multiple trades or a change of use.
Financial exposure
Plan for building, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, fire, energy, zoning, septic, right-of-way, or other reviews that the project scope triggers. The lowest initial permit fee is not always the lowest project cost.
Enforcement exposure
When work begins without authorization, the agency may halt the site, require corrective plans, impose additional fees, withhold inspection release, or require concealed work to be exposed for review.
Closeout exposure
A missing final inspection or certificate can complicate occupancy, refinancing, sale, insurance, and utility connection. Preserve the approved plans and signed inspection record through closeout.
Professional field note
Even when a cosmetic or minor project does not require a building permit, zoning, floodplain, shoreline, historic, utility, fire, or right-of-way controls may still apply. Confirm the full jurisdictional picture before work starts.
Source trail
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
This record is marked Municipal Fallback. Confirm whether a city, state agency, or other local authority controls the parcel before filing.
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 517-241-9313 (LARA BCC permits); local municipal building departments use their own numbers.
N/A for plan review; LARA publishes an inspection-request response within two business days and typical inspection performance within five business days. Local municipal review times vary.
Apply through the responsible local municipal building department or, where LARA has authority, through Accela or the BCC-324 form. The inspector's telephone number is provided on the issued permit; call with the job location, permit number, and contact information when work is ready. The state form says LARA will respond to an inspection request within two business days to schedule and that inspections are typically performed within five business days, subject to the schedule.
Michigan's current published codes for 2026 are the 2021 Michigan Building Code (effective April 9, 2025), 2015 Michigan Residential Code (still in effect while the 2021 residential update remains enjoined), 2021 Michigan Rehabilitation Code (effective April 9, 2025), 2021 Michigan Mechanical and Plumbing Codes (effective March 12, 2024), 2023 National Electrical Code with Michigan amendments (effective March 12, 2024), and 2021 Michigan Commercial Energy Code (effective April 22, 2025). Local agencies may administer these codes under their delegated authority. Michigan LARA states that ordinary repairs may be performed without a building permit when they do not cut or remove structural members or required means of egress and do not affect regulated standpipe, water, sewer, drainage, gas, electrical, mechanical, public-health, or general-safety systems. Exemptions do not authorize code-violating work. Confirm cosmetic, accessory, agricultural, and minor-work exemptions with the applicable city or township because Genesee County has no countywide building-permit program.
Why permit costs vary
Building departments commonly calculate charges from valuation, occupancy, floor area, project type, plan review effort, trade scope, state surcharges, and inspection activity. A remodel that appears small on paper may still trigger structural, energy, fire, or utility review. Ask the permit counter which disciplines apply before you finalize the construction budget.
The same discipline applies to enforcement. Correcting unpermitted work after finishes are installed can require demolition, revised plans, additional inspections, and schedule disruption. Authorization is usually the less expensive project-management decision.