Wayne, Michigan Building Permit Guide

Inside the City of Wayne, permits come from the Building, Engineering & Ordinance Department at 3200 South Wayne Road (734-728-9100), where Bob Watson is Building Official and Michael Szuch is department director. Electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits are priced from a $60 base fee with an $80 minimum, every home offered for sale needs a city certification inspection ($300 for a single-family house), and rentals are re-inspected every three years.

What requires a building permit in the City of Wayne?

The Building Division oversees all new construction and additions to existing buildings, whether industrial, commercial or residential, and the city’s handouts add the smaller residential projects that need a city permit or approval. Several of these handouts date from 2007 or earlier, and the fence sheet cites a 1993 ordinance.

What Wayne decides and what the state holds

Under the Bureau of Construction Codes’ Statewide Jurisdiction List (revised November 6, 2026), the City of Wayne enforces the building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing codes itself; Wayne County runs no construction program. The state code governs how buildings are built. The city controls zoning, site plan approval, dangerous buildings, the property maintenance standard it applies at sale and rental inspections, and its own fees and forms.

City of Wayne building department: who handles permitting

The Building, Engineering & Ordinance Department has three divisions. The Building Division issues and inspects construction permits and handles the sale and rental certification programs; the Engineering Division looks after streets, water and sewer, storm drainage and the city’s GIS; and the Ordinance Division handles complaints and enforcement. Site plans, zoning permits and business occupancy start with the city’s Planning Department.

The City of Wayne is a separate government from Wayne County. The county’s DPS Permit Office for county roads and drains has a Wayne mailing address, 33809 Michigan Avenue, but it issues no building permits; for a parcel in the city, the building and trade permits always come from South Wayne Road.

City of Wayne permit types

The city’s forms page carries the building permit application, residential and commercial electrical permits, mechanical and plumbing permits, a flatwork permit, a fence plot plan, sign, special event and antenna tower forms, the for-sale certificate application, furnace safety certification forms, temporary and non-occupancy certificates, a roof acceptance letter, landlord registration, and zoning board, special land use and rezoning applications.

Residential permits

• Building application. It asks for the owner, the contractor and any architect or engineer, splits the cost of improvement into electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning and other work, and requires the applicant’s occupational license number and expiry, workers’ compensation carrier, federal employer ID and state unemployment employer number, or the reason for an exemption.
• Garages and sheds. Submit a plot plan with distances to the house and lot lines. Detached garages and accessory buildings go in the rear yard, at least 5 feet from lot lines and 10 feet from the house, no taller than 15 feet, covering no more than 35 percent of the required rear open space; a private garage may not exceed 750 square feet.
• Decks. Detailed plans are required; a deck may project no more than 6 feet into the front setback or 5 feet into a side setback, and the house, garage, shed and deck together may not cover more than 35 percent of the lot.
• Fences. File two drawings, the owner’s written consent and the plot plan. Residential fences are limited to 6 feet (plus 6 inches of open space at the base), may not come closer to the street than the front wall of the house, and only one fence may stand on a property line; decorative front-yard fences up to 2½ feet must be set 3 feet back and half open. Colors other than white, earth or wood tones go to the Planning Commission, and a fence permit lapses if the work is not finished within six months.
• Pools. Pools deeper than 2 feet need a permit, must be 6 feet from lot lines and need a fence at least 4 feet high with a self-closing, self-latching gate.

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

Commercial permits

A new business or a change of ownership needs a commercial certificate of occupancy. The City Planner first reviews the $100 application for zoning; the Building & Engineering Department then collects a $350 inspection fee and schedules building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, backflow and fire marshal inspections, Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Inspection reports expire if the space is not approved within six months, and the certificate is issued in the business’s name.

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

What comes before the building permit

• Site plan review. Required by ordinance before adding a building to improved land or rebuilding at least 30 percent of a structure or any facade; staff recommend a pre-development meeting (734-722-2002) first.
• Planning Commission and ZBA. The Planning Commission approves site plans and temporary land uses and recommends special land uses and zoning changes to Council (second Tuesday, 6:00 p.m., City Hall); the Zoning Board of Appeals hears variances and interpretations (second Thursday, 6:00 p.m.). Council released a draft housing amendment to the master plan for a 63-day public comment period on August 3, 2026.
• Soil erosion. Wayne County’s Environmental Services Division is the soil erosion agency for the city: earth changes over an acre or within 500 feet of surface water need a county permit ($435 for two years for a single-family house), reviewed within 30 days.
• County roads and drains. Driveway approaches, sidewalks, utility lines or grading in a Wayne County road right-of-way or drain easement need a permit from the county’s DPS Permit Office, 33809 Michigan Avenue (734-858-2774), with at least three plan sets.

City of Wayne permit costs and fees

The building application leaves the building permit, plan review, certificate of occupancy and drain tile fees for the office to fill in, and the city does not post a building fee schedule online; ask the department at 734-728-9100. The trade forms and the certification guideline print their own fees.

Worked examples from the forms: replacing a service with a 200-amp panel is the $60 base plus $35, or $95; a plumbing permit for one new fixture adds up to $75 ($60 plus $15), so the $80 minimum applies instead. Permits on these forms expire in six months.

Trade permits and who may pull them

The city issues its own electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits, each with a rough and a final inspection line on the form. Contractors pay a $25 annual registration and list their federal ID, workers’ compensation carrier and liability insurance on each trade application.

• Homeowner permits. All three trade forms say that landlords and investors may not obtain homeowner permits, so a homeowner permit is for an owner’s own home, not a rental or a flip.
• Electrical. A garage needs its own electrical permit, with an open-trench wiring inspection before backfilling and a final after fixtures are installed. The form also requires a carbon monoxide alarm outside sleeping areas whenever a permit is issued.
• Plumbing. A water or air pressure test must pass before the final inspection.
• Mechanical. Gas burning equipment, ductwork, gas piping, water heaters, chimney liners and fire suppression are priced per item; several lines require an electrical permit too.
• Furnace safety. For a sale certificate, the furnace must be certified or cleaned by a licensed mechanical contractor; the city posts a furnace safety inspection certification form for this.

How to apply for a City of Wayne building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Each handout lists what must come with the application: a dimensioned plot plan for garages and sheds, detailed plans for decks, and two drawings plus the owner’s written consent for fences; the department checks them against the setback, height and lot-coverage limits before it issues the permit. A site plan adds Planning Commission time, and a variance waits for the monthly Zoning Board of Appeals meeting.

Inspections and certificates in the City of Wayne

Call 734-728-9100 for inspections. Garages need an open-trench inspection and a final; decks need an inspection of the open 42-inch post holes and of the finished deck before any skirting goes on, booked one day ahead by 3:30 p.m. Trade permits carry rough and final inspections, and plumbing needs a passed pressure test before the final.

Sale and rental certification inspections are scheduled Monday to Friday in a morning (9:00 a.m. to noon) or afternoon (noon to 3:00 p.m.) window, with all utilities on and an adult present. The report arrives within five business days. To get the Certificate of Compliance, finish every listed repair, pass the final inspections, supply the furnace certification and a notarized roof acceptance letter from the buyer with a copy of the buyer’s license; the city does not accept electronic signatures. A certificate lasts three years. If safety repairs remain, a buyer can close with a $70 non-occupancy certificate but cannot move in until the repairs pass, and a temporary certificate ($70) lets the buyer take on the remaining maintenance items by signed agreement.

Michigan building code in the City of Wayne

FEMA’s Community Status Book lists the City of Wayne (community 260245) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with a current map dated December 3, 2013. Appeals of building decisions go to the city’s Mechanical/Building Construction Board of Appeals.

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

City of Wayne permit search and official resources

For copies of permits, plans or inspection records, file a Freedom of Information Act request with the City Clerk, who is the FOIA coordinator, at 3355 South Wayne Road (734-722-2204; Monday to Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.). The city’s FOIA forms can be emailed to the clerk.

• City of Wayne Building & Engineering
• Forms, permits and maps
• Building permit application
• Residential electrical permit and fees
• Mechanical permit application and fees
• Plumbing permit application and fees
• City certification guidelines (sale and rental inspections)
• For-sale application for certificate of compliance
• Garage and accessory building requirements
• Deck and porch guidelines
• Fence requirements and plot plan
• Swimming pool regulations
• Commercial re-occupancy information and application
• Planning Department
• Planning Commission
• Zoning Board of Appeals
• Pre-development meetings
• City Clerk FOIA requests
• Wayne County soil erosion program
• Wayne County soil erosion FAQs (2026)
• Wayne County construction permits
• Bureau of Construction Codes Statewide Jurisdiction List
• FEMA Community Status Book, Michigan

City of Wayne building permit FAQs

Do I need a permit for a fence in the City of Wayne?

Yes. Building or relocating any fence needs a permit, and residential fences are generally limited to 6 feet.

How much does an electrical permit cost?

A $60 base fee plus item fees, with an $80 minimum; a 200-amp service change comes to $95.

Do I need an inspection to sell my house?

Yes. A city certification inspection is required before sale; it costs $300 for a single-family home and the certificate is good for three years.

Can a landlord pull a homeowner permit?

No. The city’s trade forms say landlords and investors shall not obtain homeowner permits.

How big can my garage be?

A private garage may not exceed 750 square feet, 15 feet in height, or 35 percent of the required rear open space.

Who handles soil erosion permits in Wayne?

Wayne County’s Environmental Services Division (734-326-3936), not the city.

What does a new business need before opening?

A zoning compliance review ($100) and occupancy inspections ($350), leading to a certificate of occupancy in the business’s name.

When does the Planning Commission meet?

On the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall.

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