Garden City, Michigan Building Permit Guide

In Garden City, permits come from the city’s Building Department at City Hall, 6000 Middlebelt Road (734-793-1650; Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), where Mark Minch is the Building Official. The city enforces the building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing codes itself; Wayne County has no building program. Electrical, mechanical, plumbing and some building permits are issued on the spot, building permits that need plan review take up to a week or more, and every permit is good for six months. A home sale needs a city certificate of occupancy before the buyer moves in.

What requires a building permit in Garden City?

The Building Department issues permits for new construction and existing structures on residential and commercial sites, and its FAQ sorts common jobs by the permit they need. If you are not sure whether a job needs a permit, the department asks you to call or email before starting.

Fences must sit at least 3 inches from an existing chain-link fence and 3 inches off the ground, with post holes at least 36 inches deep. A chain-link fence may not be removed without the neighbor’s written approval, and where no chain-link fence exists a legal land survey is required at the owner’s expense. Rat walls for sheds or accessory buildings under 400 square feet must be at least 24 inches deep; larger accessory buildings need a 42-inch foundation. The department’s older “Building Permits Exemption” handout reprints a 2000 code excerpt with a 120-square-foot shed limit; the current FAQ answer is 200 square feet.

What Garden City decides and what the state holds

The construction code is the state’s and the city cannot amend it. The Bureau of Construction Codes’ Statewide Jurisdiction List shows Garden City as a local enforcing agency for all four codes and Wayne County with no county program, so all review, permits and inspections are the city’s. Garden City decides its own zoning, permit fees, contractor registration, homeowner permit policy, Knox Box rule for businesses, and certificates of occupancy for home sales and rentals.

Garden City building department: who handles permitting

The Building Department issues all building and trade permits and certificates of occupancy for new construction, sales and rentals, and provides administrative support to the Planning Commission. Zoning administration hours are Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rental registration is handled by the Ordinance Department at the Garden City Police Department ((734) 793-1748).

The city’s electrical and mechanical inspectors also work in other communities, which is why their inspections run on set days and the department asks callers not to request a specific time.

Garden City permit types

The Building Documents page carries building, electrical, flatwork, mechanical, plumbing, sign and zoning permit applications revised July 1, 2025, the Homeowner Permit Policy, the residential certificate of occupancy packet, a roof affidavit, a commercial site plan review packet and a commercial certificate of occupancy application, with handouts on decks, egress windows, fences, garages, new homes, setbacks, sheds, siding, sidewalks, sump pumps and pools.

Residential permits

• Plot plan. Include a mortgage survey or plot plan for any addition, garage, shed, pool, deck or other structure; the city posts template plot plans for left- and right-side driveways.
• Applicant. If the applicant is not the owner, a signed contract between the applicant and the owner must be attached.
• Flatwork. A flatwork permit is void if substantial construction has not started within 90 days of issue.
• Homeowner permits. Under the September 2023 Homeowner Permit Policy, the owner certifies the house is (or will be on completion) their own residence with no part rented, that they will do all the work themselves without any other person or firm helping, apply for every inspection and keep the work exposed until approved.

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

Commercial permits

No commercial permit is approved unless the property has a Knox Box, the fire department’s key access system; the Fire Department installs the entry key. New businesses should not sign a lease until they have filed the commercial certificate of occupancy application and received zoning approval; the application needs the owner’s driver’s license, a site plan, a dimensioned floor plan showing the use of each room, articles of incorporation and the federal tax ID. Commercial site plans follow the city’s site plan review packet, and the department lays out seven steps for opening a business.

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

What comes before the building permit

• Zoning. Fences, decks under 200 square feet and collection boxes use the zoning permit; site plans go to the Planning Commission, and variances to the Zoning Board of Appeals on its own application. A draft 2026 Housing Readiness Master Plan amendment is posted on the Planning and Zoning page.
• Soil erosion. Wayne County is the soil erosion agency for Garden City: earth changes over one acre or within 500 feet of surface water need a county permit before earthwork (734-326-3936).
• County roads. Work in a county road right-of-way needs a permit from the Wayne County DPS Permit Office, 33809 Michigan Avenue, Wayne (734-858-2774); driveway approaches and public sidewalks go on the city flatwork permit with the Public Services (DPS) fee.

Garden City permit costs and fees

The city prints its trade, flatwork and zoning fees on each permit application (revised July 2025) and its home-sale fees in the certificate of occupancy packet (revised September 15, 2025). The building permit itself has “Permit Fee” and “Plan Review Fee” lines the department fills in, and its FAQ says to call 734-793-1650 or email the department for the cost of a building permit.

Starting work before a permit is issued doubles the permit fee, and every refund is subject to a 25% service fee. The zoning form’s fine print still says the administrative and plan review fees are $40 each, below the $65 and $60 in its own fee table, and the building FAQ quotes $200 for a sale certificate of occupancy where the September 2025 packet charges $225; ask the department which figure applies on the day you file.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Garden City issues and inspects its own electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits, and they are issued on the spot at the counter. A building permit does not cover trade work: separate electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits are required.

• Electrical. Priced item by item after the $65 administration fee, with inspections on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
• Mechanical. Water tanks, furnaces, air conditioners and generators need a permit; mechanical inspections are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Plumbing. Sewer repairs, water tanks, sinks, toilets and showers need a permit.
• Registration. Contractors pay an annual registration fee with their permits ($25 on the electrical form).

A homeowner may pull a permit if the property is their primary address: the owner must live there now, and the owner’s license must show that address. The Homeowner Permit Policy requires the owner to do all the work personally with no help from any other person or firm. When a contractor is paid to do the work, the city tells owners to have the contractor pull the permit, because an owner-pulled permit makes the owner responsible for the whole job, at the same cost.

How to apply for a Garden City building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Every line of the application must be filled in, including email addresses, and property owner details must match. Commercial permits stop until a Knox Box is installed. In spring and summer, sale inspections book up; the department says sellers often wait 3 to 6 weeks, and a December or January certificate of occupancy, which stays good for one year, avoids that wait.

Inspections and certificates in Garden City

Call the inspection line, 734-793-1656, and leave a voicemail with the address, the type of inspection, the permit number and a call-back number; the application asks for 24 hours’ notice. Stamped approved plans must be on site where the inspector can see them, or the inspection is denied. All inspections must take place within the permit’s six-month life.

A home that is sold needs a certificate of occupancy before the new owner occupies it. The $225 fee is paid before inspections are scheduled; each extra re-inspection is $50, cancelling with less than a business day’s notice costs $50, and a visit where the inspector cannot get in costs $30. Before occupancy the city needs a furnace certification from a licensed contractor, a roof affidavit signed by the buyer and an approved inspection. Rental certifications from the Ordinance Department are good for three years.

Michigan building code in Garden City

FEMA’s Community Status Book lists the City of Garden City (community 260225) as a participating National Flood Insurance Program community, with no special flood hazard area identified on its maps.

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

Garden City permit search and official resources

For the status of a permit, inspection or certificate of occupancy, call the Building Department at 734-793-1650 or email building@gardencitymi.org; fees can be paid through the BS&A online payment portal. For copies of older permit files, plans or certificates, file a Freedom of Information Act request with the City Clerk; the Clerk’s page carries the city’s request form as a PDF.

• Garden City Building Department
• Building documents and applications
• Building Department FAQs
• Building permit application (7.1.25)
• Electrical permit application and fees
• Flatwork permit application and fees
• Zoning permit application and fees
• Residential certificate of occupancy packet
• Homeowner Permit Policy
• BS&A Online, City of Garden City (payments)
• Planning and Zoning
• City Clerk: Freedom of Information Act request form
• Planning Commission meeting schedule (2023 edition posted)
• Zoning Board of Appeals application
• Wayne County soil erosion permits
• Wayne County road right-of-way permits
• BCC Statewide Jurisdiction List
• FEMA Community Status Book, Michigan

Garden City building permit FAQs

How long is a Garden City permit good for?

Six months from the issue date, and all inspections must take place within those six months.

How long does it take to get a permit?

Electrical, mechanical, plumbing and some building permits are issued on the spot; building permits that need plan review take up to a week or more.

Do I need a permit for a fence?

Yes, a zoning permit. Fences may not exceed 6 feet, post holes must be at least 36 inches deep, and the zoning form lists a $55 fence fee.

Does a small shed need a permit?

A shed under 200 square feet needs no building permit, but its rat wall and slab need a flatwork permit; larger sheds need a building permit.

Can I pull a permit for my own house?

Yes, if it is your primary address and you live there; your license must match the address, and you must do the work yourself.

What do I need to sell a house in Garden City?

A certificate of occupancy before the buyer occupies it: $225 for the initial and final inspections, a furnace certification and a roof affidavit signed by the buyer.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Call the 24-hour inspection line, 734-793-1656, and leave the address, inspection type, permit number and a call-back number.

Simplify Garden City 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 Garden City permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.