Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan Building Permit Guide

In the City of Grosse Pointe Farms, the Building Department, part of the Public Service Department at City Hall, 90 Kerby Road (313-885-4285), issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits, reviews plans and inspects the work. Applications and fees can be filed at the counter or through BS&A Online; the posted fee schedule says building applications may take up to five days to review, and a current Certificate of Occupancy is required before a home in the Farms is sold or rented.

What requires a building permit in Grosse Pointe Farms?

The Public Service Department’s code enforcement page says building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are needed for most remodeling and all new projects, and it names the jobs residents ask about most: additions, decks, sheds, garages, fences, pools, furnaces, air conditioners, hot tubs and water heaters. Work done without a permit is charged a double permit fee under the posted fee schedule.

Air conditioners and heat pumps go in the rear yard, at least three feet from the side of the house; a side-yard location needs the written approval of the adjoining owner and screening by landscaping or a fence, and a front-yard location needs a hearing before City Council. A paved drive in the front yard may not be wider than 30 feet or cover more than 30% of the required front yard, whichever is less.

What the city decides and what the state holds

The state’s Statewide Jurisdiction List (which shortens the name to “Grosse Pte Farms”) shows the city enforcing the building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing codes itself, and Wayne County runs no construction code program. City Code 11-01 adopts the state building code and states that the city assumes responsibility for administering and enforcing it within its boundaries; building permit fees follow a schedule set by the code official and approved by City Council resolution. Zoning is the city’s own: Code 12-03 is administered by the Director of Public Service, and the code book also carries the city’s fence, swimming pool, air conditioner, generator, sign, historic district, soil erosion and floodplain ordinances. Grosse Pointe Farms is a separate city from Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Park, Grosse Pointe Woods and the Village of Grosse Pointe Shores, and each of those runs its own permit office.

Grosse Pointe Farms building department: who handles permitting

Permits come from the Building Department, which sits inside the Department of Public Service. That department also handles public works, ordinance enforcement and the Zoning Board of Appeals, and its Building page lists Matthew Baka, Public Service Director, as the contact.

Grosse Pointe Farms permit types

The city’s Document Center keeps a separate application for each permit: building, concrete, demolition, electrical, fence, mechanical, mechanical equipment location and plumbing, plus a homeowner affidavit. The same forms list a sign permit, a right-of-way permit, an outdoor dining application, a rental license registration form, a business license form and the site plan review and Board of Zoning Appeals applications.

Residential permits

• Building permits need the signed application, three sets of plans clear enough to show the full extent of the work (a design professional’s seal may be required depending on scope), a plot plan with existing and proposed drainage, and any homeowner, lead or asbestos affidavits.
• Fences and walls use the fence application with a plot plan or survey and a sketch or photo of the fence. If the fence or wall is more than four feet high, the applicant must collect the signatures of the owners of the adjoining property nearest to it or file their separate consent.
• Air conditioners and generators also need the mechanical equipment location application; the fee schedule says air conditioner and generator permits are not issued without that HVAC consent form.
• Concrete work such as a curb cut, drive approach, driveway or sidewalk has its own permit.
• Homeowner permits are for a single residence that is or will be the owner’s home and is not used for rental or commercial purposes; the owner signs that they take on the responsibility of a licensed contractor.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial buildings follow the same building and trade applications, but uses that the zoning ordinance lists for site plan review go to City Council first, and a business needs a city business license, whose $250 fee on the posted schedule includes the occupancy inspection. Outdoor dining, signs and awnings have their own applications.

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 compliance. Under Code 12-03, a structure may not be built, altered or enlarged until the Director of Public Service issues a building permit that incorporates a Certificate of Compliance with the zoning ordinance. The plot plan goes in triplicate, drawn to scale, with a topographical survey or drainage plan showing the effect on neighboring lots.
• Site plan review. Uses the zoning ordinance lists as needing site plan review go to City Council; recent Council agendas show conditional use and final site plan reviews on Mack Avenue decided there.
• Board of Zoning Appeals. A variance applicant must first meet the Director of Public Services, then file the application with site plan, elevations and a digital copy at least four weeks before the meeting. The board grants a variance only on proof of a practical difficulty that is unique to the property and not self-created.
• Historic districts. The code includes a historic district ordinance and boundaries, and the city has a Historic District Commission; ask the department whether your address is inside a district.
• Soil erosion and storm water. An earth change over one acre, or within 500 feet of Lake St. Clair, needs a Wayne County soil erosion permit before earthwork begins, and a project disturbing an acre or more needs permanent storm water measures with a long-term maintenance agreement.

Grosse Pointe Farms permit costs and fees

The permit fee schedule posted with the city’s building forms is marked effective July 9, 2015. Several 2026 application forms print newer, higher amounts for their own permit types, so the table gives both where they differ; the forms are the more recent documents, and the department confirms the fee when it reviews the application.

City Code 11-01 also lets the code official require a deposit before a permit is issued to cover costs the work may cause the city, such as debris removal or damaged sidewalks. Fees can be paid online through BS&A or at City Hall.

Trade permits and who may pull them

The city issues and inspects electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits itself. Each trade has its own application, and trade permits can also be taken out online once a BS&A account is linked to Grosse Pointe Farms.

• Electrical. The 2026 electrical application prices circuits, services, fixtures, generators, EV charging stations and fire alarm work item by item on top of a $50 base fee, and adds a $26 registration fee for contractors registering or renewing with the city.
• Mechanical. Furnaces, boilers, air conditioners, duct work, gas piping and prefab fireplaces are mechanical items; an air conditioner or generator also needs the equipment location (HVAC consent) form before the permit issues.
• Plumbing. Fixtures, water heaters, backflow preventers, sewer taps and water distribution work use the plumbing application, updated in December 2022. Water tap and meter charges are set by meter size on the city schedule.
• Homeowners. The city’s homeowner affidavit covers work on the owner’s own single residence that is not rented or used commercially; contractors file under their own registration.

How to apply for a Grosse Pointe Farms building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The posted schedule warns that building permit and fence applications may each take up to five days to review. Anything that needs City Council, such as a front-yard air conditioner, a tall fence along a street or a site plan, waits for a Council meeting after neighbors are notified, and a variance needs a meeting with the Director of Public Services and an application filed four weeks ahead of the board. Drainage details and neighbor signatures must be in the application.

Inspections and certificates in Grosse Pointe Farms

Schedule inspections through BS&A Online after creating a free account linked to Grosse Pointe Farms, or call 313-885-4285 with the job address, the permit number and the type of inspection. The building application lists footing, rough frame, masonry flashing and final inspections for most jobs, adds backfill, pre-pour, crawl space, insulation and fireplace damper checks where they apply, and rough and final inspections for each trade permit. An inspection that is not ready when the inspector arrives is charged a re-inspection fee.

Under the zoning ordinance, a building or use may not be occupied until the Director of Public Service issues a Certificate of Occupancy after the final inspection, and a project under a building permit, including landscaping or fencing, must be finished within 12 months unless the director grants an extension. Separately, a current Certificate of Occupancy is required when a home is sold or rented: the 2026 property maintenance inspection application costs $200, inspections run from 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday only, and electricity, gas and water must be on. Smoke detectors, a carbon monoxide detector, vacuum breakers and a fire extinguisher are among the items checked.

Michigan building code in Grosse Pointe Farms

The city enforces the state construction code in all four trades. Code 12-06 makes the Department of Public Service the enforcing agency for flood hazard areas, adopts Appendix G of the Michigan Building Code and cites the February 2, 2012 Wayne County flood study; FEMA lists the city as a participating flood insurance community with a current map dated October 21, 2021.

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

Grosse Pointe Farms permit search and official resources

Permit and property records can be looked up on BS&A Online, and the Building Department answers questions about permits on file. For copies of records, fill in the FOIA Request for Records form and return it to the FOIA Coordinator at 90 Kerby Road. The city answers within five business days, may take a ten-day extension, and may ask for a deposit of up to half the cost when search and copying charges exceed $50.

• Grosse Pointe Farms Building Department
• Apply for permits online
• Grosse Pointe Farms on BS&A Online
• Inspection scheduling
• Forms, applications and payment links
• Public and building permit documents
• Permit fee schedule (effective July 9, 2015)
• Building permit application and affidavits
• Electrical permit application (2026)
• Fence permit application (2026)
• Property maintenance inspection application (2026)
• Board of Zoning Appeals application (2026)
• Code enforcement and residential rules
• Code of Ordinances
• City Council agendas and minutes
• Freedom of Information Act requests
• Wayne County soil erosion permits
• Wayne County road right-of-way permits
• Michigan Statewide Jurisdiction List

Grosse Pointe Farms building permit FAQs

Can I apply for a Grosse Pointe Farms permit online?

Yes. All documents and fees can be submitted through BS&A Online, or the application can be filed in person at City Hall, 90 Kerby Road.

Do I need a permit for a fence?

Yes, for every fence or wall. Fences up to four feet may go anywhere on the lot, two feet back from the sidewalk in front; four to six feet behind the front building line needs the neighbor’s written consent, and over four feet along a street needs City Council approval.

How much is a building permit?

The posted 2015 schedule charges $51 for the first $1,000 of cost plus $10 per additional $1,000, plus plan review and a refundable deposit. Newer 2026 forms show higher fees for some permits, so ask the department for the current amount.

Do I need an inspection to sell my house?

Yes. A current Certificate of Occupancy is required to sell or rent a home; the inspection application costs $200 and inspections run Tuesday to Thursday mornings.

Can a homeowner pull a permit?

Yes, for a single residence the owner lives in or will live in and does not rent or use commercially, by signing the homeowner affidavit.

Does Wayne County issue building permits here?

No. The city issues all building and trade permits; Wayne County issues soil erosion permits and permits for work in county road rights-of-way.

Simplify Grosse Pointe Farms 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 Grosse Pointe Farms permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.