What Can You Build Without a Permit in Michigan? (2026)
The 30-second answer for Michigan
In Michigan, the projects you can usually build without a building permit are a small detached shed, a short freestanding deck, a fence under the height cap, a low retaining wall, and cosmetic interior work. The exact limits Michigan enforces are in the table below — and your city can be stricter than the state. The catch every homeowner needs to hear: even when no permit is required, the building code, zoning setbacks, and any HOA rules still apply. Permit-exempt means the paperwork is waived, not the rules.
How Michigan sets the rules
Michigan enforces a mandatory statewide Michigan Residential Code (MRC) administered by the LARA Bureau of Construction Codes. The 2015 MRC (based on the 2015 IRC, adopted with Michigan amendments) remains the code in effect. A rule set adopting the 2021 IRC was set to take effect August 29, 2025, but a July 7, 2025 court order (Home Builders Association of Michigan v. LARA) stayed it, so the 2015 edition still governs as of 2026.
Permit-exempt limits in Michigan
These are the thresholds we verified for Michigan. Treat each one as the most you can usually do without pulling a permit — a stricter city amendment always wins.
| Project | Michigan permit-exempt limit |
|---|---|
| Detached shed / accessory building | Follows the IRC baseline: no building permit for a one-story detached accessory structure (shed) if floor area does not exceed 200 sq ft (Mich. Admin. Code R 408.30505). Zoning setback approval and any electrical/plumbing/mechanical work still require separate permits. |
| Deck | Stricter than baseline. Per R 408.30505, decks/porches/patios/landings are permit-exempt only if ALL apply: not exceeding 200 sq ft, not more than 30 in above grade at any point, NOT attached to a dwelling or accessory structure, AND not within 36 inches of a dwelling or accessory structure. Grand Rapids: any deck attached to the house or over 30 in above grade needs a permit. Detroit: same 200 sq ft / 30 in thresholds via BSEED. |
| Fence | Follows baseline: a fence not more than 7 ft high is exempt from a building permit (R 408.30505). Local ordinances differ; Grand Rapids requires a fence permit for essentially any fence regardless of the state building-code height threshold. |
| Retaining wall | Follows baseline: a retaining wall not more than 4 ft in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall is exempt, unless supporting a surcharge (R 408.30505). |
| Patio (on grade) | An at-grade or near-grade patio falls under the same decks/porches/patios exemption: permit-exempt if not over 200 sq ft, not more than 30 in above grade, not attached, and not within 36 inches of a dwelling or accessory structure. Zoning/lot-coverage rules can still apply. |
Baseline: 2021 International Residential Code, Section R105.2. See the national project-by-project guide for how each threshold works.
Can you do the work yourself in Michigan?
Michigan's residential builder licensing law exempts an owner who builds or alters a single-family residence for their own use and occupancy from needing a builder's license, so a homeowner may act as their own general contractor. Most building departments require the owner to sign a homeowner affidavit at permit application. On resale, Michigan's Seller Disclosure Act (MCL 565.957) requires disclosing the known condition of structural/mechanical systems, including owner-performed additions or alterations.
What's different about Michigan
2021 code adoption stayed by court
The 2015 Michigan Residential Code still governs statewide because a July 7, 2025 court order stayed the 2021 IRC/IECC rule set that would have taken effect August 29, 2025. Confirm current status before relying on 2021 thresholds.
Deck exemption adds a 36-inch proximity test
Michigan's R 408.30505 exempts a small deck/patio only if it is both detached AND not within 36 inches of the dwelling or an accessory structure — a proximity rule stricter than the generic IRC language.
Above-ground pool has a 5,000-gallon cap
Michigan exempts a prefabricated above-ground pool only if less than 24 in deep AND not greater than 5,000 gallons; a water tank on grade is likewise exempt only up to 5,000 gallons — a volume ceiling the baseline IRC depth-only test omits.
"Permit-exempt" does not mean rule-free
I spent 25 years as a firefighter before I built PermitDeck, so let me be blunt about the part that gets people hurt. "No permit" never means "no rules." When a project is exempt in Michigan, three things are still true — and now you are the one responsible for them, because no inspector is coming to check:
- Building code still applies. An exempt deck in Michigan still has to meet the structural rules of IRC R507 — real footings, a proper ledger, and guards. A shed still has to carry your local snow and wind load. The code does not care whether a permit was pulled.
- Zoning and setbacks still apply. Exempt does not mean you can put it anywhere. Setbacks from property lines, easements, lot-coverage caps, and corner-lot sight lines all still bind you — and a neighbor complaint can force you to move it.
- HOA rules are separate. Your HOA architectural review is a private contract, not a government permit. You can be fully permit-exempt with your city and still be forced by your HOA to tear something out.
The big Michigan cities
Permits are pulled locally, so your city's building department has the final word. Here are the two largest, with a link straight to their office.
Detroit
BSEED applies the state 200 sq ft shed threshold, but any shed with electrical, plumbing, or mechanical connections needs a permit regardless of size, and Zoning Code Chapter 50 setbacks apply to all accessory structures.
Detroit building departmentGrand Rapids
Even an accessory structure under 200 sq ft still requires a Planning Residential Accessory Structure (zoning) permit here, and structures 200 sq ft or larger require a Residential Building Permit.
Grand Rapids building departmentTurns out you do need a permit? We'll match you with pros who pull it
If your project crosses one of these Michiganthresholds, the cleanest path is to hire a licensed pro who pulls the permit in their own name and stands behind the inspection. Tell us the project once and we'll send it to up to three verified local pros. It's free, it's capped at three, and we never sell your information — the opposite of the lead-farm sites.
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What happens if you needed a permit and skipped it
Guessing wrong on the exemption is not a small risk. The common outcomes are a stop-work order, a fine (often double the normal permit fee), and being ordered to open finished work back up for inspection or tear it out. The expensive part usually lands later: unpermitted work routinely kills a home saleat the buyer's inspection, and an insurance claim can be denied if the damage traces back to unpermitted construction. Most jurisdictions do allow a retroactive (after-the-fact) permit — it costs more, but it clears the record.
Full detail: what happens if you build without a permit and how to get a building permit.
Michigan permit-exemption FAQs
Do I need a permit to build a shed in Michigan?
No state building permit is needed for a one-story detached shed of 200 square feet or less under Michigan Residential Code R 408.30505. But you still must meet local zoning setbacks, and any electrical, plumbing, or mechanical work requires its own permit. Cities like Grand Rapids also require a zoning permit even for smaller sheds.
What deck can I build without a permit in Michigan?
A deck or patio is building-permit-exempt only if it is 200 square feet or less, no more than 30 inches above grade at any point, not attached to the house or an accessory structure, and not within 36 inches of either. Any attached deck, or one close to the house, needs a permit. Always confirm zoning locally.
Which residential building code is currently in effect in Michigan?
The 2015 Michigan Residential Code, administered by the LARA Bureau of Construction Codes, remains in effect statewide. A 2021 IRC update was scheduled for August 29, 2025 but was stayed by a July 7, 2025 court order, so the 2015 thresholds still apply. Confirm the current status with your local building department before you build.
Can I build on my own home in Michigan without a licensed contractor?
Yes. Michigan's builder-licensing law exempts owners doing work on their own single-family residence for their own use, so you can act as your own general contractor and pull the permit, typically by signing a homeowner affidavit. If you later sell, the Seller Disclosure Act requires disclosing the known condition of any work you performed.
Sources we verified against
Every threshold on this page is anchored to Michigan's building code or the sources listed above. Where a number varies by city and we could not verify it, we say "verify locally" rather than guess — a permit page you cannot trust is worse than no page at all.
Find a verified pro in Michigan
Permit or not, a licensed pro builds it to code the first time. Browse our verified directories — phone and website on every listing, and we never sell your info.
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