Benton Charter Township, Michigan Building Permit Guide

In Benton Charter Township, Berrien County, the township’s Building Department reviews plans, issues building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, water and sewer permits and does zoning administration, from the second floor of the township hall at 1725 Territorial Road, Benton Harbor (269-925-7284, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Loyall Bennett is the Chief Building Official. Berrien County has no building program, and the City of Benton Harbor next door is a separate jurisdiction. Building fees are based on construction value under the township’s schedule, and trade permits start at a $75 application fee plus a $75 final inspection.

What requires a building permit in Benton Charter Township?

The township splits small projects between a building permit and a free zoning compliance permit, and its forms spell out the line. New buildings and additions use the building permit application, and signs and demolition have applications of their own.

New houses also go through the zoning compliance form, because every house must pass the township’s compatibility test for its neighborhood: the site plan and drawings show roof pitch and overhang, size, construction type, storage space (100 square feet or 10% of the floor area, whichever is less) and the driveway. The inspector or zoning officer visits the site and replies in writing within a week.

What the township decides and what the state holds

The state jurisdiction list shows Benton enforcing all four construction codes, and its building application says electrical, mechanical and water and sewer permits are issued under the township’s own authority. The township sets its fees, its zoning ordinance and its rental registration program; it notes that its ordinances on Municode are being updated.

Benton Charter Township building department: who handles permitting

The Building Department is a full-service office staffed by ICC-certified professionals: it handles plan review, inspections, zoning administration and planning. Loyall Bennett is the Chief Building Official. Electrical, mechanical and plumbing inspectors are listed on each permit application, and rental housing has its own inspector.

Benton Harbor addresses. The township shares the Benton Harbor mailing city with the City of Benton Harbor, a separate government; the state list shows the city enforcing building and electrical itself while the state handles its mechanical and plumbing permits. The township says a parcel ID that starts with 11-03 is inside Benton Charter Township.

Benton Charter Township permit types

The department posts applications for building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, sign and demolition permits, water and sewer installation or repair inspections, zoning compliance, the Planning Commission, the Zoning or Construction Board of Appeals, rental registration, home occupations, a utility disconnect form for demolitions, and garage sales. A permit is processed only when the information is complete, the fees are paid and the inspector has approved the proposed work; the issued permit is then mailed.

Residential permits

• New houses and additions. A scaled site plan (if the footprint grows) and two sets of drawings with foundation plan, floor plans, cross-section and elevations. Homes over 3,500 square feet of habitable space need a design professional’s seal.
• What to attach. A septic permit or a statement that you will connect to sewer, a copy of the residential builder’s license (unless the owner signs the homeowner affidavit), contractor insurance, an address request with the drive location, and for a new house a homestead affidavit so the exemption carries over at occupancy.
• Homeowner permits. An owner may do the work and sign the affidavit for a single-family home the owner occupies or is about to occupy. The form warns that the owner gives up recourse against an unlicensed contractor, and that a permit may be revoked if the applicant is not the person on site doing the work.

Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles residential permit filing, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.

Demolition and signs

A demolition permit lets the township confirm that utilities are disconnected (a completed certificate of utility disconnect is attached), that every foundation is out of the ground, that the building is properly cut off from township water and sewer, and that the site is filled, compacted, cleared of accessory buildings and seeded for mowing. Sewer and water disconnects must be mapped on a scaled drawing for the property file, and a future reconnection may need camera work to verify the lines. A detached accessory building may not stay on a lot once the main building is gone, a plan for safe removal may be required, and the department does not issue lead or asbestos abatement permits. Sign permits are filed at the counter and priced on the total construction cost.

Rental registration

Rental property in the township is registered every year with the Building Department under the township’s rental ordinance, which is based on the ICC Property Maintenance Code. The 2026 registration form was due at the township hall before March 1, 2026, costs $50 per rental unit in cash or by check, and comes with an inspection scheduled by the department.

Commercial permits

Commercial and industrial buildings need sealed drawings and a site plan, and they go through zoning compliance review for the use. Planning Commission review applies where the zoning ordinance calls for it; regular meetings are held on the second Monday of each quarter, with special meetings on the second or fourth Monday as needed.

For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit expediting through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.

What comes before the building permit

• Zoning. Zoning compliance review on every application; allow 10 business days for a written zoning request.
• Driveway. A Road Commission for Berrien County permit for any new drive cut on a public road, before the building permit is issued.
• Soil erosion. A Berrien County Drain Commissioner permit when soil is disturbed within 500 feet of a lake, river, other water body or waters of the state, including drain districts and storm culverts, before the building permit is issued.
• Well and septic. A Berrien County Health Department well permit copy is needed to verify potable water before move-in, and a septic permit where there is no sewer.
• Water and sewer. Township water and sewer installation or repair permits, plus any connection fees for a first hookup to township lines.

Benton Charter Township permit costs and fees

The building permit application says building fees are based on the 1997 UBC fee schedule and asks applicants to call for the figure; plan review fees are charged on the same application. Value means the full cost of the work, including mechanical systems and site improvements, as if someone else were doing it. Trade fees are printed on the current applications.

An application is not complete until its fees are paid. The department takes cash, check or credit card; a card payment by email needs the township’s authorization form and a copy of the cardholder’s driver’s license, and the township posts a separate schedule of card fees.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Benton enforces the electrical, mechanical and plumbing codes, so the township issues all three trade permits under its own authority, along with township water and sewer line permits. Applicants call the trade inspector named on the application to book each inspection, with 24 hours’ notice.

• Electrical. When an existing service is re-energized, only the application fee and the service fee are charged. A permit is invalid if work does not start within six months of issue.
• Mechanical. Replacing a water heater in the same place, with the same vent and gas route, costs $80 in all. Duct and piping are priced by the foot with minimum charges.
• Plumbing. Plans are not required for one- and two-family homes of 3,500 square feet or less, minor alterations, or buildings that need fewer than 12 plumbing fixtures; water and sewer line repairs also need the township’s water or sewer permit.
• Homeowners and contractors. Each trade form has a homeowner affidavit that the owner signs twice; contractors give their state license number, workers’ compensation carrier and employer numbers or the reason they are exempt.

How to apply for a Benton Charter Township building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Applications without fees are incomplete and are not processed. Plans should reflect any changes made in plan review and be kept on the building site. A missing driveway or soil erosion permit holds up the building permit, since both must be in hand before it is issued.

Inspections and certificates in Benton Charter Township

No work may start until a building inspector allows it. The permit holder must call for every inspection and give 24 hours’ notice: building and rental inspections through the department at 269-925-7284, and electrical, mechanical and plumbing inspections directly with the inspector listed on the permit. Water and sewer line inspections are scheduled as the permit directs.

Every trade permit includes one $75 final inspection, and extra visits are $75 each. For a new house the township transfers the homestead exemption at the certificate of occupancy, and a copy of the well permit is needed before move-in where the home is on a well.

Michigan building code in Benton Charter Township

FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Benton Charter Township (community 260031) as a participating National Flood Insurance Program community, with flood maps effective April 25, 2024; the building application lists DEQ approval among the permits an applicant may need.

Michigan enforces one statewide construction code under the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act (1972 PA 230); local units cannot amend it, and enforcement sits with the city, village or township, a county program or the state Bureau of Construction Codes, sometimes split by trade. Michigan rules

Benton Charter Township permit search and official resources

Requests for permit files, plans or inspection records go on the township’s FOIA request form, filled out in full and emailed to the Building Department. Parcel lookups by name, address or parcel ID are available through the Beacon parcel search linked on the department page.

• Benton Charter Township Building Department
• Building permit application (revised June 23, 2026)
• Electrical permit application
• Mechanical permit application
• Plumbing permit application
• Zoning compliance permit application
• Demolition permit application
• Sign permit application
• 2026 rental property registration form
• Planning Commission application
• Zoning or Construction Board of Appeals application
• Planning Commission
• Zoning Board of Appeals
• FOIA request form
• Michigan Statewide Jurisdiction List (Bureau of Construction Codes)
• FEMA Community Status Book, Michigan

Benton Charter Township building permit FAQs

Do I need a permit for a fence in Benton Township?

A fence up to 6 feet needs a free zoning compliance permit with a site plan; a taller one needs a building permit. Front-yard fences are limited to 4 feet.

Does a deck need a building permit?

A deck attached to the house does. A detached deck at grade needs only the free zoning compliance permit.

Does a shed need a permit?

A one-story storage shed under 200 square feet on a residential lot needs only zoning compliance; larger or taller sheds, or ones used as garages, need a building permit.

How much is a building permit?

It is based on the full value of the work under the 1997 UBC schedule; the township asks you to call 269-925-7284 for the amount.

Can a homeowner do the work?

Yes, on a single-family home the owner occupies or is about to occupy, by signing the homeowner affidavit; the permit may be revoked if someone else does the work.

Is Benton Charter Township the same as Benton Harbor?

No. The City of Benton Harbor enforces its own building and electrical codes, and the state handles its mechanical and plumbing permits.

Who issues driveway and soil erosion permits?

The Road Commission for Berrien County issues driveway permits, and the Berrien County Drain Commissioner issues soil erosion permits for work within 500 feet of water.

Simplify Benton Charter Township permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Michigan. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Benton Charter Township permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.