Detroit Building Permit Office

Detroit’s Plan Review Division checks permit applications and construction documents against city zoning requirements and the construction codes applicable to the work. The exact documents depend on the permit and project rather than a single citywide checklist.

Plan review can also involve coordination with other Detroit agencies. BSEED identifies the Detroit Health Department, Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, City Engineering, Traffic Engineering, Planning and Development Department, City Planning Commission and Detroit Fire Marshal among the agencies that may participate when their approval applies to a project.

BSEED’s Zoning Division performs zoning plan reviews, handles Conditional Land Use matters and provides zoning-verification services. Detroit directs applicants to check the Zoning Ordinance to determine whether Site Plan Review applies to a proposed development.

BSEED has separate permitting and inspection functions for building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, boiler and elevator work. The city’s trade-permit pages identify the applicable license and submission requirements for each trade.

• Electrical: Detroit requires the applicable electrical licensing for contractor-performed electrical work.
• Plumbing: Plumbing work is handled through the BSEED plumbing permit and inspection process.
• Mechanical: Mechanical installations are permitted and inspected as a separate trade.
• Boilers and elevators: BSEED maintains dedicated permit, licensing and inspection functions for these systems.
• Homeowners: BSEED states that homeowners may obtain electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits themselves when the required ownership documentation and other permit conditions are satisfied.

The Detroit Fire Marshal also performs fire-protection plan review and acceptance testing for applicable systems and participates in review of new construction, changes of use and major commercial renovations.

Detroit’s Construction Inspection Division performs inspections to confirm that permitted work follows approved plans and applicable construction standards. BSEED identifies six primary construction-inspection trade teams: buildings, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, boilers and elevators.

Permit inspections can be scheduled through the Accela/eLAPS system. BSEED also permits inspection scheduling through its Construction Inspection Division at (313) 224-3202. The correct trade inspection should be selected for the work being inspected.

Final approval does not automatically mean the same closing document for every project. BSEED issues Certificates of Acceptance for completed permitted work and Certificates of Occupancy when occupancy approval is required for the type of construction or use.

Detroit applies Michigan construction codes together with the Detroit Zoning Ordinance and other applicable city requirements. The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs currently identifies the 2021 Michigan Building Code as the state building code. The 2015 Michigan Residential Code remains in effect while enforcement of the newer residential rules is stayed by court order. Michigan also lists the 2021 Michigan Rehabilitation, Mechanical and Plumbing Codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code among the current statewide construction codes.

Applicants should verify the code edition that applies to the project when plans are prepared, especially where a project crosses building, residential, rehabilitation, energy or trade-code requirements.

Permit and review fees vary by permit type, project scope and associated reviews. Detroit publishes a BSEED fee schedule and a 2026–2027 Fee Schedule. Projects involving several permits or agency reviews can have separate charges rather than one building-permit fee covering every approval.