Inside East Lansing, permits come from the city itself: the Building Division of the Department of Planning, Building and Housing at City Hall, 410 Abbot Road (Building Division (517) 319-6921; department line (517) 319-6810), runs the building code and the electrical, mechanical and plumbing codes, including in the small part of the city that lies in Clinton County. Homeowners and contractors apply only online through BS&A, and the city says small projects usually take one to five business days to process and large ones five to 15. Every building and trade permit starts with a $60 non-refundable application fee.
What requires a building permit in East Lansing?
The Building Division’s permit table ties each permit to typical jobs: a building permit for egress windows, alterations, additions and tents; a roof permit for a new roof or re-roof; a plumbing permit for water heaters and sprinkler systems; a mechanical permit for furnaces and air conditioners; an electrical permit for light fixtures and fire alarms; a paving permit for paving; and a sign construction permit for commercial signs. Exterior work in a historic district also needs a Certificate of Appropriateness. The city’s “Who Do I Contact” chart adds basement and attic finishing, wall-moving bathroom remodels, chimneys and waterproofing systems for homes.
No building permit (zoning still applies)
- One-story detached accessory buildings of 200 square feet or less
- Fences up to 7 feet under the code, but the city caps fences at 3 feet in front yards and 6 feet elsewhere
- Retaining walls up to 4 feet that hold back no surcharge
- Painting, flooring, cabinets, countertops and similar finish work
- Prefabricated above-ground pools under 24 inches deep and up to 5,000 gallons
- Detached decks of 200 square feet or less, no more than 30 inches high, at least 36 inches from the house and not serving a door
Permit needed
- A tear-off and new roof (a second layer over the old shingles needs no building permit)
- Any pool deeper than 24 inches, including inflatable and temporary pools, with a 4-foot barrier
- Paving a driveway, parking area or walk on private land, plus a Public Works permit for any approach or sidewalk in the street right-of-way
- Solar arrays, which take a solar permit and an electrical permit
- Moving a counter that changes the wiring, which turns finish work into an electrical job
Even exempt sheds, tanks, walks and decks still need zoning approval. Trade exemptions are narrow: minor electrical repairs, portable heating or cooling units, and clearing stoppages or stopping leaks without replacing pipe.
What East Lansing decides and what the state holds
The construction code itself is state law, and the city’s building page says homes are reviewed under the 2015 Michigan Residential Code. East Lansing sets its own fees and controls zoning (including a 40% lot-coverage cap for homes and a 60% green-space rule), the 1989 historic preservation code, a soil erosion ordinance (Sec. 34-71), rental licensing and its Building Board of Appeals.
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Get a free quote →East Lansing building department: who handles permitting
The state’s Statewide Jurisdiction List (Bureau of Construction Codes, rev. Nov. 6, 2026) shows East Lansing enforcing all four codes itself. Ingham County runs no building program, so the county never issues permits here.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | Building Division, Department of Planning, Building and Housing, City Hall, 410 Abbot Road, East Lansing, MI 48823 |
| Phone | Building Division (517) 319-6921; Planning, Building and Housing (517) 319-6810; City Hall (517) 337-1731 |
| Hours | City Hall: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Department head | Tim Schultz, Building & Code Administrator |
| Filing | BS&A Online, with separate homeowner and contractor entry points |
| Soil erosion | City Public Works Department, (517) 337-9459 |
| Flood insurance | Participating NFIP community (FEMA ID 260089), current maps dated August 16, 2011 |
About 46,900 of the city’s 49,355 residents (Census Bureau 2025 estimate) live in the Ingham County part; the other 2,451 live in the Clinton County part, where the city’s own Building Division still issues permits. The city notes that FEMA’s flood maps for that Clinton County portion identify several formerly exempt properties as being in the floodplain.
East Lansing permit types
Each permit category has its own BS&A application. Homeowners use the homeowner link; contractors first file the city’s BS&A Contractor Profile Registration and License Renewal Form so their state license is on record, and must keep it current.
Residential permits
- Additions need a detailed site plan and detailed building plans; decks and porch steps need a basic site plan with detailed plans. Both go through zoning review, plus historic review in a historic district.
- Remodels such as basement or attic finishing need detailed building plans, and replacing more than 100 square feet of drywall needs a permit; a new air conditioner needs a basic site plan and zoning review but no building plans.
- Roof permits cover a full tear-off; the residential roof permit is a flat package covering the application, rough and final inspections.
- Solar systems under 10 kW are also priced as a package, and every solar job needs a separate electrical permit; the city posts a solar checklist.
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Commercial permits
Commercial work follows the same online route, but plans must be stamped and sealed by a licensed architect or other design professional, and the city’s licensing page says no builder license is needed on the commercial side. Jobs that need special inspections use the city’s Special Inspections Program forms: a statement of special inspections, an inspection and testing agreement, minimum inspector qualifications and a log. Sign construction permits are priced by sign area, and tents have their own requirements sheet.
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What comes before the building permit
- Zoning review. The $60 base fee covers zoning review of setbacks and lot coverage; a zoning compliance letter costs $250.
- Planning approvals. Under the land development fees adopted by City Council on May 27, 2025, residential site plans cost $1,000 plus $25 per dwelling unit, special use permits start at $1,200, rezonings $1,200 plus $100 per acre, and lot splits $600 (or $225 when handled administratively).
- Zoning Board of Appeals. Variances cost $500 and are heard on the first Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. at the East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road; applications are due by 5 p.m. about five weeks earlier (for example, December 2, 2026 for the January 6, 2027 meeting).
- Historic District Commission. Most exterior work in a historic district or on a landmark needs a Certificate of Appropriateness ($100) before work starts, even fences and re-roofs; the commission meets monthly after a public hearing, so file at least a month ahead.
- Soil erosion and right-of-way. Grading must meet the city’s soil erosion ordinance, and driveway approaches or sidewalks in the street need a Public Works permit.
East Lansing permit costs and fees
The Building Division’s fee page lists the amounts below; it does not cite an adopting resolution, while the city code says Building Board of Appeals fees are set in the city’s budget resolution. Every building, roof, paving, sign, solar and trade permit carries a $60 non-refundable application fee.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application / zoning review / base fee | $60, non-refundable |
| Each inspection | $70 |
| Valuation $1 to $2,000 | $70 |
| $2,001 to $25,000 | $70 + $14 per extra $1,000 |
| $25,001 to $50,000 | $392 + $12 per extra $1,000 |
| $50,001 to $100,000 | $692 + $10 per extra $1,000 |
| $100,001 to $500,000 | $1,192 + $9 per extra $1,000 |
| $500,001 to $1,000,000 | $4,792 + $7.75 per extra $1,000 |
| $1,000,001 to $5,000,000 | $8,667 + $5.57 per extra $1,000 |
| Over $5,000,000 | $31,667 + $3.50 per extra $1,000 |
| Plan review | None up to $50,000 of valuation; 8% of the building permit fee above |
| Residential roof permit | $60 + $140 (application, rough and final inspections) |
| Solar under 10 kW | $60 + $140; larger systems by value |
| Demolition | $100 house or duplex; $68 private garage; $220 multi-family or commercial |
| Building Board of Appeals filing | $150 |
| Re-inspection / investigation | $70 / $100 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Worked example. An addition valued at $150,000 falls in the $100,001 to $500,000 band: $1,192 for the first $100,000 plus $9 for each of the next 50 thousands ($450) gives a valuation fee of $1,642. Because the value is over $50,000, plan review adds 8% of that fee, or $131.36, and the $60 application fee is charged on top. The fee page lists $70 per inspection under the same heading; ask the division how many inspections it will bill for your job.
Trade permits are itemized on top of the $60 base fee: for example a furnace with ducts $30, an electrical service up to 200 amps $35, each plumbing fixture $10, plus a required $70 final inspection.
Trade permits and who may pull them
Electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits are all city permits in East Lansing, filed through the same BS&A system as the building permit. The city’s licensing page sets out who can sign for each.
- Electrical: work must be done by a licensed electrical contractor with a master electrician, except that a homeowner may do work in their own home.
- Plumbing: a licensed plumbing contractor with a master plumber does the work, with the same homeowner exception.
- Mechanical: a licensed mechanical contractor, or the homeowner in their own home. A commercial boiler also needs a state permit.
- Building: a homeowner repairing or remodeling their own home, or building a new home they will live in and doing the work themselves, needs no residential builder license and signs the affidavit on the permit application; anyone working on someone else’s home needs a state residential builder license.
The Building Division also runs a cross-connection control program for backflow devices, and lawn sprinkler and backflow devices are priced on the plumbing fee page.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →How to apply for an East Lansing building permit
Use the city’s permit table, the “Who Do I Contact” chart and the list of projects that need no permit to see which permits, plans and reviews apply; call (517) 319-6810 if the job is not listed.
Confirm setbacks and lot coverage, and file a Certificate of Appropriateness, variance or site plan first where one is needed.
Homeowners register as homeowners; contractors submit the BS&A Contractor Profile Registration and License Renewal Form with current license details.
Submit the application for each permit type with the site plan, building plans and any fillable PDFs the category asks for; sealed plans for commercial work.
BS&A emails you when the permit has been processed and is ready for payment, and again when it can be printed.
Request each inspection through BS&A and keep the approved permit and plans on site.
Review, corrections and what causes delay
The stated processing times (one to five business days for small projects, five to 15 for large ones) run only on a complete file, so a missing site plan, an expired contractor license in the BS&A profile, or a historic or zoning approval that has not been granted will hold the permit. Historic district cases need a public hearing, and a variance adds a monthly Zoning Board of Appeals cycle. If the Building Division denies a code request, the Building Board of Appeals ($150) must decide within 30 days of the appeal.
Inspections and certificates in East Lansing
Inspections are requested online through BS&A, with separate homeowner and contractor screens, and the city posts instruction guides for both. Building permits priced by valuation carry a $70 charge per inspection, and every electrical, mechanical and plumbing permit ends with a required $70 final inspection.
- Re-inspections cost $70, an investigation inspection $100, and inspections outside normal hours $115 per hour.
- Special inspections on commercial jobs are documented on the city’s statement, agreement and log forms.
- Pools deeper than 24 inches, even inflatable ones, must be fenced: the city asks for a 4-foot fence with pickets no wider than 4 inches.
A new building or a change of use is ready for occupancy only after the final inspections pass; ask the Building Division whether your project needs a certificate of occupancy or only final approvals. Rental homes also need a city rental license, which is a separate Housing Division inspection program.
Michigan building code
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
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Get a free quote →East Lansing permit search and official resources
BS&A emails applicants as a permit moves through processing, payment and printing, so keep the account used to apply. Older files, plans and inspection records are public records: the city takes Freedom of Information Act requests online or in writing by mail, fax or email to the City Clerk, who is the FOIA coordinator ((517) 319-6914).
- East Lansing Building Information (permit table and contacts)
- Apply for a permit online (BS&A homeowner and contractor links)
- Schedule an inspection online
- Building Division fees
- Electrical permit fees
- Projects not requiring a permit
- What type of license is required, and when
- Home improvement guidelines (roofs, fences, pools, paving)
- Land development application fees (Council resolution, May 27, 2025)
- Zoning Board of Appeals meetings and deadlines
- Historic preservation and Certificates of Appropriateness
- FEMA flood maps for East Lansing
- Freedom of Information Act requests
- Ingham County soil erosion permitting agencies map
- Michigan Statewide Jurisdiction List (Bureau of Construction Codes)
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →East Lansing building permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in East Lansing?
The city’s Building Division in the Department of Planning, Building and Housing, which also issues the electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits. That includes the part of the city in Clinton County.
Can I apply for a permit in person in East Lansing?
The city says all permit applications are now online through BS&A, with separate homeowner and contractor links. Call (517) 319-6810 if you need help with the system.
How much does a building permit cost in East Lansing?
A $60 non-refundable application fee plus a valuation fee: $70 up to $2,000 of work, rising in bands, for example $1,642 for a $150,000 job before the 8% plan review charge that applies above $50,000.
Do I need a permit for a shed or fence in East Lansing?
A one-story detached shed of 200 square feet or less needs no building permit, but every structure needs zoning approval. Fences need no building permit, but the city limits them to 3 feet in front yards and 6 feet elsewhere, and historic properties need a Certificate of Appropriateness.
Do I need a permit to replace my roof?
Yes if you tear off the old shingles; adding a second layer over them needs no building permit. In a historic district every roof job needs a Certificate of Appropriateness.
Can a homeowner pull permits in East Lansing?
Yes. The city says homeowners need no builder, electrical, plumbing or mechanical license for work in their own home, and must sign the affidavit on the application; work on someone else’s home needs licensed contractors.
Who issues soil erosion permits in East Lansing?
The city itself, through its Public Works Department ((517) 337-9459), under the city’s own soil erosion ordinance; the Ingham County Drain Commissioner does not issue them inside the city.
Simplify East Lansing 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.
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More Michigan permitting guides
Ingham County
Read guide →Lansing
Read guide →Meridian Charter Township
Read guide →Eastpointe Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Eaton County Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Egelston Township Building Permit Guide
Read guide →This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about East Lansing permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.