Holland, Michigan Building Permit Guide

Inside the City of Holland, every construction permit comes from Community and Neighborhood Services (CNS), 270 S. River Avenue, third floor ((616) 355-1330), which also handles all building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing inspections. Applications are emailed to permits@cityofholland.com or dropped off at City Hall, contractors can apply online, and plan review takes two to four weeks. Under the fee schedule effective January 1, 2026, a permit is $70 for work up to $1,000, rising $7 per $1,000 to $413 at $50,000, then $5 per $1,000.

What requires a building permit in Holland?

Holland publishes its own list of common projects, and it reaches further than many cities: a shed of any size, a fence, flat concrete on private property, new drywall and every new or replacement roof and siding job all need a permit. CNS describes the list as a general guideline, not a complete one, and asks owners to call (616) 355-1330 or email permits@cityofholland.com before starting anything not on it.

New one- and two-family homes, additions to them and accessory buildings over 200 square feet need the building application together with the city’s plan review list and its requirements for sealed plans. Zoning-only items such as fences and signs have their own fees in the same schedule.

What the city decides and what the state holds

Michigan writes the construction code and licenses builders and trades, and no city can amend the code. The City of Holland chooses to enforce it locally: the state’s Statewide Jurisdiction List marks Holland “Local” for all four codes under both Ottawa County and Allegan County, so the county line through the city makes no difference to where you apply. The City Council sets the permit fees, and the city’s Unified Development Ordinance governs zoning, with a form-based code in the sub-districts shown on the city’s map.

Holland building department: who handles permitting

CNS is the single permit office for construction in the city. Its building page says all construction permits and inspections, plumbing, electrical and mechanical included, are handled there, and the same department takes zoning permit applications for items such as fences, signs, beekeeping and home businesses.

Holland had about 35,400 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimates: 27,343 in its Ottawa County part and 8,029 in its Allegan County part. The city is a different government from Holland Charter Township, which the state list shows enforcing the code itself through its own building department; a Holland mailing address does not tell you which one has the parcel, so check the property’s municipality first.

Holland permit types

CNS posts separate residential and non-residential permit pages, each with its own applications, plus zoning permit forms for signs, beekeeping, home businesses and similar uses. Building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing work are always separate permits, even on one project. The residential building application asks whether the property is in a historic district and warns that work started without a permit carries an administrative fee.

Residential permits

• Site plan: two scaled site plans showing every existing and proposed building, the streets, all four setbacks, any easements and floodplain boundaries, and the driveway; CNS uses them mainly to check zoning.
• Plan review list for houses: two scaled plan sets with a typical wall section, all elevations with finishes and finished grades, the foundation depth, soil classification and bearing value, footing and wall sizes, rebar, drainage, damp-proofing, vapor retarder, weather-resistive barrier, joist details and the wall bracing method; every room labeled with its actual use; smoke and carbon monoxide alarms shown; and the energy compliance path with Manual J, D and S reports.
• Sealed plans: a house of more than 3,500 square feet of calculated floor area needs an architect’s or engineer’s seal. Holland counts every habitable space, finished or not, toward that figure, so a plan with unlabeled rooms is rejected.
• New homes and additions: the building application plus the plan review list and the sealed-plan requirements.
• Accessory buildings: over 200 square feet follow the same plan review list; a shed of any size still needs a permit.
• Pre-manufactured homes: one $200 permit covers the home and its foundation, including single-wide and double-wide mobile homes.

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

Commercial permits

Non-residential projects use the city’s non-residential applications and the sealed-plan requirements. Plan review on non-residential work is 25% of the permit fee, against 15% for residential work. A pre-manufactured non-residential building is $200, with a separate permit for its foundation, and a tent is $60. Antenna installations have zoning fees of $250 per array or $100 per individual antenna.

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

What comes before the building permit

• Zoning review by CNS from the site plan; variances can come only from the city’s Board of Appeals.
• Historic district check: the residential application asks whether the property is in a historic district, so ask CNS what that adds before you finalize plans.
• Driveway and paving permits from CNS, priced by project.
• Soil erosion permit from the Ottawa or Allegan County drain office (Ottawa’s is the Water Resources Commissioner) for any property within 500 feet of a lake or stream or with more than an acre excavated; the city’s plan review list asks for a copy.
• State floodplain permit from EGLE when the parcel is in the 100-year floodplain.

Holland permit costs and fees

The building permit fee schedule took effect on January 1, 2026, and notes that fees are set by the City Council. The building permit is charged on construction value, with plan review added as a percentage of the permit cost.

Worked example from the schedule: a $150,000 addition to a house is $413 for the first $50,000 plus 100 × $5 = $500, a building permit of $913, and residential plan review of 15% ($136.95), for $1,049.95 before the electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits. A $20,000 residential deck falls in the $19,001 to $20,000 band at $203, plus $30.45 in plan review. The exact cost of any issued permit can be checked later under “Fees and Payment” in the city’s online permit search.

Trade permits and who may pull them

CNS issues and inspects electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits in Holland on separate applications, listed on its residential and non-residential pages. The city’s own advice is that, unless you really know what you are doing, trade work is best left to professionals. Every contractor working in the city files the registration form, which covers electrical, mechanical, plumbing, residential builder, maintenance and alteration, sign specialty and non-licensed contractors, with a copy of each license. New contractors receive a PIN, create a BS&A account, activate it from the email link and use “Link Account” with that PIN (or call CNS to link it) so they can apply online.

Residential builders, maintenance and alteration contractors and electrical, mechanical and plumbing contractors are licensed by the state. Holland’s residential page has a separate homeowners section with its own electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fence, demolition and building applications for owners doing the work themselves. The homeowner building affidavit has the owner of a single-family home affirm that they will personally perform the permitted work, that anyone they hire under the permit holds a state residential builder license, and that they will arrange every inspection.

The electrical application shows how trade fees work. For a house or other building of one to four units, the base fee is $70 including one inspection, with $70 for each additional inspection; a service up to 199 amps adds $15 and one from 200 to 799 amps $20, each circuit $6, a range or dryer $7 and a hot tub $10, and plan review, where needed, is $100 an hour. A homeowner replacing a 200-amp service and adding four circuits would pay $70 + $20 + 4 × $6 = $114. Non-residential electrical permits start at a $140 base fee, and the city allows 24 hours to process an electrical application.

How to apply for a Holland building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Review time varies by application, and CNS will answer timeline questions by phone. The site plan is checked first against the zoning ordinance, so missing property lines or distances are a common reason for a call back. Historic district properties need that review as well, and any zoning variance must go through the Board of Appeals. Starting before the permit is issued costs $100 on the first day and $50 for every day after.

Inspections and certificates in Holland

Call CNS at (616) 355-1330 at least 24 hours before an inspection is needed. Give the contractor’s name and the name of the person calling, the type of inspection and the date wanted. Building, plumbing and mechanical inspections are scheduled between 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., and inspectors are sometimes unavailable because of leave, training, meetings or court dates.

• Before concealment: no work may be covered until it has been inspected.
• Re-inspections: the second and any later re-inspection cost $60 each.
• Occupancy: a temporary certificate of occupancy before the project is complete costs $50.

Inspections cover all four permit types, and each trade permit is inspected separately from the building permit. Registered contractors also agree, on the city’s registration form, not to begin work until the permit has been paid for and the permit documents received, and to request inspections in good time with at least 24 hours’ notice.

Michigan building code in Holland

The City of Holland participates in the National Flood Insurance Program as one community across both counties; FEMA lists it in the regular program since November 15, 1978, with flood maps dated June 21, 2023.

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

Holland permit search and official resources

All Holland permits are open to the public online. Open the BS&A Property and Tax Data page, accept the terms, choose “Building Department Search” and search by address, owner or permit number; permit numbers look like PBD100280, with the last two digits showing the year. “Fees and Payment” shows what a permit cost.

• Holland Building (Community & Neighborhood Services)
• Building permit requirements
• Permit 101: how to apply
• Building permit fees
• Building permit fee schedule, effective Jan. 1, 2026
• Residential permits: homeowner and contractor applications
• Residential building permit application
• Homeowner electrical permit application
• Homeowner building affidavit
• Residential plan review list
• Requirements for sealed residential plans
• Inspection requests for contractors
• Contractor registration form
• BS&A Online for Holland (contractor accounts)
• Permit search
• Zoning permits and Unified Development Ordinance
• Holland city code
• Ottawa County soil erosion permits
• BCC Statewide Jurisdiction List

Holland building permit FAQs

How much is a building permit in Holland?

$70 for work valued up to $1,000, plus $7 for each further $1,000 up to $50,000 ($413), then $5 per $1,000. Residential plan review adds 15%.

Do I need a permit for a shed or fence?

Yes. Holland requires a permit for a shed of any size and for fences; the fence fee is $35.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof or siding?

Yes for new or replacement roofing and siding. Repairs covering less than 25% of the roof or siding do not need one.

How long does plan review take?

Usually two to four weeks after submission; CNS calls when the permit is ready.

Can a homeowner pull a permit in Holland?

Yes. The city has homeowner versions of its building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing applications, and the owner signs an affidavit to do the work personally on their single-family home.

Can I apply by email?

Yes. Send construction permit applications to permits@cityofholland.com, or drop them off at City Hall, third floor.

Does it matter whether my Holland address is in Ottawa or Allegan County?

Not for the city: CNS handles permits in both parts. A Holland Charter Township parcel goes to the township instead.

How do I look up an old permit?

Use the BS&A Building Department Search by address, owner or permit number; all city permits are public.

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