Monitor Charter Township, Michigan Building Permit Guide

In Monitor Charter Township, Bay County, the township’s Building Department issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits and enforces the zoning ordinance from the township hall at 2483 Midland Road, Bay City (989-684-7203). Bay County runs no building program. Residential jobs need one set of plans and commercial jobs five; trade permits carry a $50 non-refundable application fee, and a new house also needs a sewer or septic permit, a Bay County Road Commission driveway permit and, where required, a county soil erosion permit before the building permit is issued.

What requires a building permit in Monitor Charter Township?

The Building Department’s rule of thumb is that any structural work on a home needs a building permit. Its examples, and the work it says does not need one, are listed below; electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are separate and may be needed alongside the building permit.

Zoning Ordinance 67 says no one may excavate, build, enlarge, alter, repair, move, convert or demolish any building or structure without a separate building permit for each one. Farm buildings use a $50 agricultural building permit, ponds that do not need a special land use cost $100, signs need a $100 zoning sign permit, and temporary uses during construction, such as building a garage before the house, need the Supervisor’s approval with a bond.

What the township decides and what the state holds

The state jurisdiction list shows Monitor enforcing all four construction codes itself, and the zoning ordinance confirms the township continues to administer and enforce the state construction code. The code is the state’s; the township sets permit fees by Township Board resolution, writes the zoning, flood and energy-facility ordinances (Ordinances 67O, 67P and 67Q on battery storage, solar and wind under PA 233), and handles water and sewer tap applications.

Monitor Charter Township building department: who handles permitting

The Building Department issues all building permits, inspects new construction and existing buildings, and enforces the building and zoning codes; a code enforcement officer handles nuisance, blight and zoning complaints. The zoning ordinance gives the Building Official the power to grant permits and certificates of occupancy under the state construction code. Inspector phone numbers for building, electrical and plumbing-mechanical work are posted on the department page and printed on the forms.

Monitor uses a Bay City mailing address, as Bangor Township does; a parcel inside the City of Bay City or Bangor Township goes to that unit’s own office, not to Midland Road.

Monitor Charter Township permit types

The township publishes separate applications for building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits, a zoning compliance permit, an agricultural building permit and an application for plan review. Licensed contractors who have not yet registered with the township fax the registration form to 989-684-9234 before applying.

Residential permits

• New homes. The township’s checklist requires sealed plans (11 by 17 inches for houses), a dimensioned plot plan, an address assignment letter, an energy code compliance form, water and sewer permits and plan review fees paid in full before the permit is issued. A PDF of the plans, the mechanical contractor’s Manual J report and blower door test results are needed before the certificate of occupancy.
• Water and sewer. Taps are started at the Building Department; a $55 water service inspection is paid first, an engineer’s construction observation escrow is held for a new water line, the water line easement must be recorded, and the Township Engineer works out the sewer connection fee in residential equivalent units. Water tap fees are paid to whichever of the five water districts serves the lot.
• Remodeling. Interior wall changes, window enlargements and finished basements or attics use the building permit form; one set of plans is enough for a house.
• Addresses. Requests for a new address go to Central Dispatch through its online form.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial buildings need five sets of construction plans, at least 24 by 36 inches. A non-residential, non-farm building that changes use, owner or occupant needs a $100 zoning compliance permit under Section 17.12, reviewed by the Fire Chief, the Zoning Compliance Officer and the Building Inspector before the business opens; where parking or life-safety changes are needed, a full site plan may be required.

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

• Planning Commission. It meets on the first Tuesday of each month unless noted, and the posted calendar sets applicant deadlines about four weeks before each meeting; site plans need raised-seal civil prints. Any professional review costs above the application fee must be paid before building permits are issued.
• Zoning Board of Appeals. Hearings are on the third Thursday at 6:30 p.m. as needed, and neighbors within 300 feet are notified.
• Bay County approvals. The checklist sends septic permits to the Bay County Health Department (989-895-4006), soil erosion permits to the Bay County Drain Office (989-895-4290) and driveway permits to the Bay County Road Commission (989-686-4610).

Monitor Charter Township permit costs and fees

Under Section 17.05 of the zoning ordinance, fees are set by resolution of the Township Board. The township’s application fee list was updated on August 29, 2023 (the forms page labels it the 2026 fee schedule); trade fees are printed on the 2019 electrical form and the November 2023 mechanical and plumbing forms. The township does not post a fee table for building permits on new homes or additions; the 2017 building form has separate boxes for the permit fee, plan review and an investigative fee, so ask the Building Department for the figure.

Planning and appeal applications also carry the actual cost of the township attorney, planner or engineer, which must be paid before any permit is issued. The electrical form adds $27.50 for adding items to an existing application and $45 for a special or safety inspection.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Monitor enforces the electrical, mechanical and plumbing codes itself, so trade permits come from the same Midland Road counter as building permits, and each trade has its own township inspector to call when work is ready.

• Electrical. Needed for any electrical work except swapping light fixtures and receptacles. Sealed plans are required unless the service is 400 amps or less and the building is 3,500 square feet or less. A permit becomes invalid if work does not start within six months and is cancelled if no inspection is requested within six months of issue or of the last inspection.
• Plumbing. Needed to add plumbing, run underground plumbing, move fixtures or replace a water heater. The form notes that installing a water service does not need a license but does need a permit.
• Mechanical. Needed for furnace replacement, bath and kitchen fans, dryer vents, factory-built chimneys, new air conditioning and gas or wood stoves. Plans are not needed for one- and two-family homes with a total heating and cooling input of 375,000 BTU or less.
• Homeowners. Each trade form has a homeowner affidavit: the owner states the work will be installed personally in the owner’s own home, lived in or about to be occupied, and left open until the inspector approves it.

Contractors list their state license number and expiration date, federal employer number and workers’ compensation carrier, or the reason for an exemption, on every form.

How to apply for a Monitor Charter Township building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Permits are not issued until plan review fees and any professional review costs are paid, and Planning Commission items received after the deadline wait for the next meeting. The 2017 building application says a permit is void if work does not start within 180 days or stops for 180 days, while the 2021 new-home checklist says a permit is valid for one year and must be bought again after that; ask the department which period applies to your permit.

Inspections and certificates in Monitor Charter Township

Inspections are requested by calling the inspector for the trade involved, with as much notice as possible and the job address and permit number ready; work may not be covered until it is inspected. The electrical form includes a $50 final inspection, the mechanical and plumbing forms a $50 inspection fee, and each extra trip costs $50.

Before the certificate of occupancy the township needs a PDF of the plans, the Manual J report and the blower door test results. After the job closes, the occupancy permit and the inspection records are filed with the Assessor’s Office under the parcel number.

Michigan building code in Monitor Charter Township

Flood rules sit in Ordinance 59A (Flood Damage Prevention) and Ordinance 67K, which creates a floodplain overlay district; the building form asks for an elevation certificate number on floodplain lots. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Monitor (community 260358) as a participating National Flood Insurance Program community, with current flood maps dated July 31, 2024.

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

Monitor Charter Township permit search and official resources

Past permits, inspections and occupancy permits are filed by parcel number with the Assessor’s Office. To get copies, send a Freedom of Information Act request to the FOIA coordinator at office@monitortwp.org, using the township’s FOIA forms packet; its written public summary explains costs.

• Monitor Township Building Department
• Forms and fees
• Township application fee list (updated August 29, 2023)
• Checklist for new home construction
• Building permit application
• Electrical permit application and fees
• Mechanical permit application and fees
• Plumbing permit application and fees
• Zoning compliance permit application
• Contractor registration form
• Planning Commission applicant deadlines
• Zoning Board of Appeals applicant calendar
• Zoning Ordinance 67 with amendments (updated October 1, 2025)
• Township ordinances, including floodplain Ordinances 59A and 67K
• FOIA forms and policies
• Michigan Statewide Jurisdiction List (Bureau of Construction Codes)
• FEMA Community Status Book, Michigan

Monitor Charter Township building permit FAQs

Do I need a permit to replace windows in Monitor Township?

Not if the new windows are the same size. Changing the size of a window opening needs a building permit.

Do I need a permit for siding?

No. The Building Department says adding or changing exterior siding does not need a building permit.

Does a shed need a permit?

A shed over 200 square feet needs a building permit. The department’s list does not require one for smaller sheds, which must still meet zoning setbacks.

Can I do my own electrical or plumbing work?

The township’s trade forms let an owner sign a homeowner affidavit for work installed personally in the owner’s own home, lived in or about to be occupied.

How much is an electrical permit?

A $50 application fee and a $50 final inspection, plus item fees such as $20 for a service up to 200 amps and $8 per circuit.

Who issues driveway and septic permits?

The Bay County Road Commission issues driveway permits and the Bay County Health Department issues septic permits; the township needs copies before it issues a new-home permit.

When does the Planning Commission meet?

On the first Tuesday of each month unless noted, with applications due about four weeks earlier.

What does a zoning compliance permit cost?

$100. It is required when a non-residential, non-farm building changes use, owner or occupant.

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