Taylor sits in the Downriver band of Wayne County and runs its permitting from the municipal building on Goddard Road. Its rules are unusually explicit about what stops a file moving, which is helpful once you know them and costly the first time.
Applications are processed at the municipal building, with payment by cash, cheque or money order. Where an application is mailed and a paid permit or receipt is to come back, a stamped addressed envelope must be enclosed — permits processed without one are not returned.
This guide covers work inside the Taylor city limits. Wayne County and the neighbouring Downriver communities each run their own permitting.
Three sets, a flash drive and the fee, or the review does not start. A building permit application requiring plan review must be submitted with three sets of plan drawings and a digital copy on a flash drive, with payment for the review due at the same time. Taylor states that plans received without the digital copy or without payment will not undergo review until both are received, and adds: no exceptions.
What requires a building permit in Taylor?
Michigan builds on a single statewide construction code adopted under the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act (1972 PA 230) and administered by the Bureau of Construction Codes within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. The state code adopts International Code Council model codes with Michigan amendments, but it adopts them part by part on separate effective dates — the building and rehabilitation parts, the plumbing part, the mechanical part and the electrical part each move on their own schedule. Local units may amend only to make the code more restrictive, never less, and local amendments are filed with the bureau. So the first question in Taylor is which authority holds the code for the parcel and which edition governs each part of the work.
Permit required
- New commercial, multi-family and residential construction, additions and change of occupancy
- Structural alterations, load-bearing changes, foundations, decks and retaining walls
- Electrical work — services, panels, circuits, solar and EV charging — under the electrical part of the state code and the referenced National Electrical Code
- Plumbing and gas work under the plumbing part of the state code, pulled by a state-licensed plumber
- Mechanical and HVAC change-outs, and work affecting the energy code envelope
- Re-roofing above the exempt scope, pools, signs, and demolition
Often exempt
- Minor repairs and maintenance replacing materials in kind
- Small accessory structures below the code threshold, where zoning allows
- Painting, flooring, cabinetry and other finish work
- Like-for-like fixture or appliance swaps with no alteration to wiring or piping
Local amendments, fee schedules and the choice of third-party agency differ from one municipality to the next, so an exempt list from a neighbouring township is not reliable. An exemption from a building permit is never an exemption from zoning, the energy code, or an electrical or plumbing permit. Confirm scope with Taylor Building and Safety before work starts.
The statewide layers that apply everywhere
Two Michigan features catch projects owners assume are simple. First, enforcement runs down a three-tier ladder: the local unit of government administers and enforces the act and the code; where it declines to, the county may give notice that it will; and where neither does, the bureau’s director assumes responsibility for that unit. Unlike states where the county never issues a building permit, a Michigan county can be the authority having jurisdiction outright. Second, licensing is statewide, not local: residential builders and maintenance and alteration contractors are licensed by the state, as are the plumbing, electrical and mechanical trades, and the permit application itself must carry the licence number and its expiry date. The residential part in particular has not moved in step with the commercial parts, so a house and a shop on the same street can be reviewed against editions years apart — confirm the edition in force for each part on your filing date. Great Lakes and inland floodplain administration applies along the state’s shorelines and rivers, and snow loading is a live structural constraint. The occupancy certificate here is tied to ownership rather than to the building. A certificate of occupancy is valid for the length of time you own the property, certificates are non-transferable, and any change of ownership requires a new one. In commercial buildings a change in owners, tenants or use requires a new certificate as well.
Who handles permitting in Taylor?
Building and Safety issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits, carries out construction, housing and re-occupancy inspections, and administers the certificate of occupancy and rental compliance regimes.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Department | City of Taylor Department of Building and Safety |
| Address | 23555 Goddard Road, Taylor, MI 48180 |
| Phone | (734) 374-1515 |
| Inspections and results | (734) 287-6550 |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Plan review submission | Three sets of drawings, a digital copy on a flash drive, and payment |
| Payment | Cash, cheque or money order; stamped addressed envelope for mailed returns |
| Inspection results | Available after ten in the morning the day after the inspection |
A zoning review runs alongside the construction review to determine whether the project meets the city zoning ordinance, and it has its own fee. Applications subject to zoning review will not be reviewed until that fee has been paid. Removal and replacement of existing roofing, siding, windows or concrete are exempt from zoning review, which is a useful carve-out on maintenance work.
Re-occupancy inspections are run as a separate product with their own form covering residential sale, rental and commercial or industrial use, including a lock box option for vacant property. The rental certificate of compliance is valid for three years and a new certificate is to be issued before the current one expires; failure to comply with the rental requirements is a municipal civil infraction that can be issued for each day the violation exists.
Permit types
Residential permits
Residential permits are required for exterior work including fences, siding, windows, roofing and concrete, and for any interior work involving a structural change. Interior cosmetic work such as painting, replacing tile and carpeting does not require a permit. No work may start until the permit has been issued.
How Michigan contractor credentials work
Michigan does license at state level, and the licence is the substantive credential rather than a registration. Residential builders and maintenance and alteration contractors are licensed under Article 24 of Public Act 299 of 1980, administered by the Bureau of Construction Codes, and the plumbing, electrical and mechanical trades are licensed by the state as well. A state licence is valid across the whole of Michigan; what does not travel is the local permit, fee schedule and inspection route.
The licence number goes on the permit application. Michigan requires the application to set out the licence number and expiry date of the residential builder, maintenance and alteration contractor, architect or engineer acting for the owner, together with a written instrument — a contract, power of attorney or letter of authorisation — showing that person is authorised to act. Doing residential work that requires a licence without one is a civil violation, which the county prosecuting attorney or the Attorney General may pursue. Confirm what Taylor Building and Safety requires for the parcel, along with insurance coverage.
Commercial permits
Commercial work runs through plan review on the same three-sets-plus-flash-drive basis, with re-occupancy inspection required on a change in owners, tenants or use. New businesses work through the city’s new business packet, which sets out the route to the certificate of occupancy and the business licence required to operate.
Licenses, trade classifications and design professionals
Practically, three credential layers appear on Michigan projects: the state residential builder or maintenance and alteration licence on residential work; separately licensed electrical, plumbing and mechanical trades, also licensed by the state; and, on commercial and larger residential work, drawings sealed by a Michigan-licensed architect or professional engineer, with a licensed plan reviewer required on commercial work above defined thresholds. Confirm what Taylor Building and Safety requires for the specific building before filing.
Taylor permit costs and fees
Taylor fees follow the published schedule by permit type, with a separate zoning review fee that must be paid before a zoning-reviewable application is looked at, and separate re-occupancy inspection fees for residential, commercial and commercial site exterior inspections.
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Building permit | Based on project valuation or square footage; set by the local unit, the county, or the state where it is the authority |
| Plan review | A percentage of the permit fee or a flat charge; commercial work above defined thresholds needs a licensed plan reviewer |
| Trade permits | Separate electrical, plumbing and mechanical fees under the local schedule |
| State construction code fee | The statutory state fee collected with the permit under the construction code act |
| Zoning and use | Zoning, use-and-occupancy and, in some places, contractor-licence fees |
| Re-inspections and revisions | Additional fees for failed inspections, revisions and expired permits |
Michigan fees are set by whoever holds enforcement for the parcel — the local unit, the county, or the state where neither has taken it on — so the schedule follows the authority rather than the state. A figure from a neighbouring municipality is not reliable, and a figure from a neighbouring township can be wrong even where the county enforces both. Ask Taylor Building and Safety for the schedule in force on your filing date.
Need a real number for a specific Taylor project? Send us the scope, address and valuation and we will identify the authority having jurisdiction, the code edition in force and the fee categories that will apply.
Trade permits and who may pull them
Trade permits are separate from the building permit and, on projects that require one, generally cannot be issued until the building permit is in place. Each trade follows its own part of the state construction code, and is tied to a contractor holding the relevant state licence — which, unlike a municipal credential, is portable across the whole of Michigan.
Michigan licenses the trades at state level. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors hold licences issued by the state, valid anywhere in Michigan, and residential builders and maintenance and alteration contractors are licensed the same way. What varies by parcel is not the licence but the permit, the fee and the inspection route. Performing residential work that requires a licence without holding one is a civil violation the county prosecutor or the Attorney General may act on.
- Electrical work follows the electrical part of the state code and the referenced National Electrical Code, under a state-licensed electrical contractor.
- Plumbing work follows the plumbing part of the state code, under a state-licensed master or journeyman plumber.
- Mechanical work follows the mechanical and energy parts of the state code, under a state-licensed mechanical contractor.
Permit required
- Service installations, panel upgrades, new circuits, solar PV and EV chargers
- New plumbing, repipes, water heater change-outs, fixtures, backflow and gas piping
- HVAC installation and change-out, ductwork, venting and commercial kitchen exhaust
- Sprinkler, standpipe and fire alarm work on commercial and multi-family structures
Typically exempt
- Replacing a fixture, switch, receptacle or light with no alteration to wiring or piping
- Clearing a stoppage without replacing or rearranging concealed piping
- Filter, thermostat and routine component service
- Like-for-like appliance repair that does not alter the connection
How to apply for a Taylor building permit
Plan review submissions need three sets of drawings plus a digital copy on a flash drive, with the review fee paid at submission.
Applications subject to zoning review are not reviewed until that fee is paid. Roofing, siding, window and concrete replacement are exempt from zoning review.
Permits processed without one are not returned, so a mailed application without it stalls at the counter.
Plan reviews run first in, first out and take roughly two weeks, varying with size, complexity and completeness.
A certificate of occupancy is non-transferable and any change of ownership requires a new one; in commercial buildings a change of owner, tenant or use does too.
Inspections are scheduled through the department, and results are available after ten in the morning on the day after the inspection.
Review, corrections and what actually causes delay
In Michigan, the first cause of delay is uncertainty over who enforces the code — filing with the local unit when the county holds enforcement for it, or with the county when the state does. After that comes the edition question, because the building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical parts moved on different dates and a submission drawn to the wrong one is a correction cycle. Then a missing or expired state licence number on the application, energy-code and plan documentation, and floodplain requirements along the shorelines and rivers. Build the plan-review time into the schedule and confirm the checklist with Taylor Building and Safety before filing.
Approvals do not stay live indefinitely. A Michigan building permit carries a validity period and can expire if work does not start or stalls between inspections. On phased or financed work, keep the permit active with periodic progress inspections and confirm the expiry window before it passes.
Inspections in Taylor
Where a permit is required, standard checkpoints include footing and foundation, framing, rough-in electrical, plumbing and mechanical, insulation and energy-code compliance, fire systems on commercial work, and final, with a use-and-occupancy certificate before the building is used. Inspection results are available after ten in the morning on the day after the inspection and can be emailed on request or collected at the municipal building.
Michigan inspections are keyed to the code edition in force when the permit issued — which, because editions are adopted part by part, can differ between the building inspection and the trade inspections on the same job. They are carried out by an inspector certified by the bureau, employed or contracted by whichever authority holds enforcement for the parcel. Keep the approved plans and the energy-code documentation on site for the inspector to check against, and confirm the notice Taylor Building and Safety needs and its inspection windows.
Do not cover work before the required inspection has been approved. Keep the issued permit, the approved plans, product listings, energy-code documentation and your correction responses available on site.
Taylor permit search and official resources
Permit records in Michigan sit with the authority that issued them — the local unit, the county, or the state bureau where neither took enforcement on. Where Taylor Building and Safety is the authority for the City of Taylor, it holds the building permit, the inspection history and the use-and-occupancy certificate. If you are buying, refinancing or renovating, confirm that past work was permitted rather than assuming it was — open permits and missing certificates are a common closing problem.
Confirm the authority having jurisdiction first, then confirm the edition. Michigan enforces one statewide construction code, but enforcement may sit with the local unit, the county or the state, and the code is adopted part by part on separate effective dates. Both questions have to be answered for the parcel and the filing date before the requirements are knowable.
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- City of Taylor Building Department frequently asked questions
- Taylor certificate of occupancy guidance
- Taylor rental certificate of compliance guidance
- Taylor residential and commercial re-occupancy inspection form
- Michigan Bureau of Construction Codes - current code books and effective dates
Frequently asked questions
Why has my plan review not started?
Almost always because something is missing at submission. Taylor requires three sets of plan drawings, a digital copy on a flash drive and payment for the review at the same time, and states that plans received without the digital copy or without payment will not undergo review until both are received, with no exceptions.
Does my certificate of occupancy transfer when I sell?
No. The certificate is valid for the length of time you own the property and certificates are non-transferable. Any change of ownership requires a new certificate, and in commercial buildings a change in owners, tenants or use requires one as well.
What is the zoning review fee?
A separate fee for the zoning review that determines whether the project meets the city zoning ordinance. Applications subject to zoning review are not reviewed until it has been paid. Removal and replacement of existing roofing, siding, windows or concrete are exempt from zoning review.
Which code edition applies to my project?
It depends which part of the code the work falls under. One Michigan point catches almost everyone: the commercial and residential codes are not on the same edition. The bureau moved the building and rehabilitation parts to their two thousand twenty-one editions on the ninth of April, two thousand twenty-five, and the plumbing, mechanical and electrical parts moved on their own two thousand twenty-four dates. The residential code did not move with them. Replacement residential rules were filed for an August two thousand twenty-five effective date, but the Court of Claims entered a stipulated order stopping the department from implementing them while a builders’ association challenge is litigated, so the bureau still lists the two thousand fifteen Michigan Residential Code as the code in force. That case was still live when this guide was written. Confirm the edition governing each part of your work on your filing date rather than assuming the newest one applies.
How long is a rental certificate of compliance valid?
Three years, with a new certificate to be issued before the current one expires. Failure to comply with the rental dwelling requirements is a municipal civil infraction, and a fine can be issued for each day the violation exists.
Can I mail my application?
Yes, with payment by cash, cheque or money order, but enclose a stamped addressed envelope if you want the paid permit or receipt returned. Permits processed without one are not returned. Residential builders and maintenance and alteration contractors are licensed by the state under Article 24 of Public Act 299 of 1980, administered by the Bureau of Construction Codes, and the plumbing, electrical and mechanical trades are state-licensed as well. The licence is valid statewide. The permit application must set out the licence number and its expiry date, and performing residential work that requires a licence without holding one is a civil violation the county prosecuting attorney or the Attorney General may pursue.
Simplify Taylor permitting with Alliance Permitting
Taylor tells you exactly what stops a file, which means none of it needs to happen. We submit complete, with the drive and the fee.
Trusted by leading builders, developers, and national contractors — 22 years of filing in the jurisdictions we write about.
Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Taylor because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- Twenty-two years of filing, so the authority question gets answered before the application goes in
- We confirm the edition in force for each code part on your filing date, not the newest one published
- Licence numbers, expiry dates and the written authorisation instrument checked before submission
- Correction cycles handled directly with the reviewer so your crew is not waiting on a resubmission
- Inspection sequencing tracked through to the certificate, including trade sign-offs
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.
Ready to break ground in Taylor sooner?
Let Alliance prepare, file, and track your Taylor permits while your crew stays on the job.
More Michigan permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Taylor permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.