County Building Permits
Macomb County, MI - 2026 Building Permit Guide
How to apply for a building permit in unincorporated Macomb County, Michigan. Permit authority, application steps, fees, and inspection requirements.
Permit Authority
Macomb County does not present itself as a countywide enforcing agency for general building permits in unincorporated territory. Instead, county permit administration centers on overlays such as soil erosion, drain, road, and health approvals, while township-level building departments handle structural and trade permits where the parcel lies.
- Department
- Macomb County Public Works, Department of Roads, and Health Department
- Address
- County Administration Building, 1 South Main St., Mount Clemens, MI 48043
- Phone
- Public Works Soil Erosion 586-469-5327; Public Works Plan Review/Drain 586-469-5910; County Main 586-469-5100
Online Permit Portal
Platform: Macomb County Public Works permit portal • Account required: Yes • Submission: Online only
Additional resources:
Application Process
- Determine the actual local building jurisdiction first. In Macomb County, a parcel outside a city still sits in a township, so general building and trade permits are usually township-issued rather than county-issued.
- If county overlays are triggered, use the Macomb County Public Works permit portal for drain permits and soil erosion permits, including plan upload, comments, inspection scheduling, payment, and permit download.
- Use the Macomb County Department of Roads permit path for county road right-of-way or driveway work where applicable.
- Use the Macomb County Health Department for well and septic permits where a site is not served by public systems.
- Coordinate county approvals with the applicable township building department before starting construction.
Typical processing time: Residential and smaller soil erosion projects average about a week, larger first reviews can take about 30 days, and drain permits are approximately 90 days from submittal depending on complexity.
Source: Macomb County Public Works, Department of Roads, and Health Department
General Requirements
County permits are required for county-level overlays such as soil erosion, drain work, county road right-of-way work, and septic/well systems. General building permit requirements depend on the township having jurisdiction over the parcel.
Required Documents
- Public Works portal expects permit request details, uploaded plans, and supporting materials
- Soil erosion plans and drain review materials are project-specific
- Health and road permits have separate submittal packets
- Permit validity
- Public Works FAQ notes additional work can be added only if the permit is in good standing and not expired; no general countywide expiration policy for all overlay permit classes was consolidated on one page.
- Owner-builder
- County overlay pages do not post a separate owner-builder program for general building permits.
- Contractor requirements
- County overlay portals serve developers, builders, engineers, and homeowners; state licensing rules still apply to regulated construction work.
Fees
- Plan check fee
- Embedded within county overlay review programs; project-specific.
- Permit fee formula
- Mixed, permit-type specific.
- Reinspection fee
- Public Works notes transfer fees, violation-related reinspection scheduling, and stop-work/violation consequences under soil erosion rules.
- Payment note
- Public Works portal allows fee payment online and permit download after approval.
Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule.
Work That Does NOT Require a Permit
Contact the Macomb County Public Works, Department of Roads, and Health Department to confirm whether your project requires a permit before starting work.
Inspections
How to Schedule
- Public Works portal for drain inspection scheduling (online)
- Other soil erosion inspection types may require a phone call (phone)
- Inspection hours
- Public Works phone support Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Typical inspection sequence: Overlay-specific. Drain and soil erosion reviews occur through the county portal; township building/trade inspections are separate and must be coordinated with the local township.
Additional Resources
- Public Works Permit Portal
- Department of Roads
- Health Department - Well/Septic
- Soil Erosion Ordinance
- License lookup guide: Michigan Contractor License Requirements
- Contract template: Michigan Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
- Michigan hub: Michigan Contractor License & Permit Hub
Information on this page was last verified: March 2026. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with the Macomb County Public Works, Department of Roads, and Health Department before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Macomb County Building Permit FAQ
- Do I need a building permit in unincorporated Macomb County, MI?
- County permits are required for county-level overlays such as soil erosion, drain work, county road right-of-way work, and septic/well systems. General building permit requirements depend on the township having jurisdiction over the parcel.
- How much does a building permit cost in unincorporated Macomb County, MI?
- Fees are calculated as: Mixed, permit-type specific.. Plan check fee: Embedded within county overlay review programs; project-specific..
- How do I apply for a building permit in unincorporated Macomb County, MI?
- 1. Determine the actual local building jurisdiction first. In Macomb County, a parcel outside a city still sits in a township, so general building and trade permits are usually township-issued rather than county-issued. 2. If county overlays are triggered, use the Macomb County Public Works permit portal for drain permits and soil erosion permits, including plan upload, comments, inspection scheduling, payment, and permit download. 3. Use the Macomb County Department of Roads permit path for county road right-of-way or driveway work where applicable. 4. Use the Macomb County Health Department for well and septic permits where a site is not served by public systems. 5. Coordinate county approvals with the applicable township building department before starting construction.
- How long does it take to get a building permit in unincorporated Macomb County, MI?
- Typical processing time is Residential and smaller soil erosion projects average about a week, larger first reviews can take about 30 days, and drain permits are approximately 90 days from submittal depending on complexity..
- How do I schedule a building inspection in unincorporated Macomb County, MI?
- Inspections can be scheduled via: Public Works portal for drain inspection scheduling, Other soil erosion inspection types may require a phone call.
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