Permitting Authorities / City of Albion - Planning, Building & Zoning (SAFEbuilt building permits)
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Albion, MI?
Adopted code
City of Albion - Planning, Building & Zoning (SAFEbuilt building permits)
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Albion, MI, issued by City of Albion - Planning, Building & Zoning (SAFEbuilt building permits). In Albion a reroof is permit work handled by SAFEbuilt, a private inspection firm. The city's Applications and Permits page says "SAFEbuilt handles all building, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical permits and inspections for the City of Albion" and gives 269-729-9244 (office) and 877-721-9266 (inspection line). The city's 2025 Guide to Development says "All building, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing projects are inspected by SAFEbuilt (formerly Cornerstone Inspection Services); the City of Albion does not have an inspector on staff." The building permit application lists roofing under "Type of Improvement" as "Metal Roofing Only", "Roofing Re-Deck &Shingles" and "Roofing Shingles Only", and says "ALL PERMITS: ADD 10% MUNICIPALITY PROCESSING FEE", "ISSUED PERMITS EXPIRE 180 DAYS FROM THE ISSUED DATE" and that work started without a permit "MAYBE SUBJECT TO A $75.00 (+ MUNICIPALITY'S 10% PROCESSING FEE) VIOLATION FEE". The city's 2026 Code Enforcement fee schedule lists "Building Inspection Fees - SAFEbuilt" and "Plan Review" without a roofing line, so ask SAFEbuilt for the roofing fee. The guide says building permit fees are "dependent on type of work to be done", and that permits "are available at Albion City Hall and online" with payment made at City Hall.
Roof code checklist: Albion, MI
Each row comes from the sourced record on this page; full wording is in the table below. "Not published" means no official source for that item was found when the record was last verified.
Jurisdiction
City of Albion, Michigan
Address
112 West Cass Street, Albion, MI 49224
Contact
- url: https://www.cityofalbionmi.gov/departments/planning_and_zoning/applications_and_permits.php
- phone: 517-629-7823
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
In Albion a reroof is permit work handled by SAFEbuilt, a private inspection firm. The city's Applications and Permits page says "SAFEbuilt handles all building, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical permits and inspections for the City of Albion" and gives 269-729-9244 (office) and 877-721-9266 (inspection line). The city's 2025 Guide to Development says "All building, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing projects are inspected by SAFEbuilt (formerly Cornerstone Inspection Services); the City of Albion does not have an inspector on staff." The building permit application lists roofing under "Type of Improvement" as "Metal Roofing Only", "Roofing Re-Deck &Shingles" and "Roofing Shingles Only", and says "ALL PERMITS: ADD 10% MUNICIPALITY PROCESSING FEE", "ISSUED PERMITS EXPIRE 180 DAYS FROM THE ISSUED DATE" and that work started without a permit "MAYBE SUBJECT TO A $75.00 (+ MUNICIPALITY'S 10% PROCESSING FEE) VIOLATION FEE". The city's 2026 Code Enforcement fee schedule lists "Building Inspection Fees - SAFEbuilt" and "Plan Review" without a roofing line, so ask SAFEbuilt for the roofing fee. The guide says building permit fees are "dependent on type of work to be done", and that permits "are available at Albion City Hall and online" with payment made at City Hall.
Adopted code
2015 Michigan Residential Code. This is state law and it is the same in every Michigan city, village, township and county: the state construction code act says "This act and the code apply throughout the state," and the Michigan Residential Code rule adopts "the international residential code, 2015 edition" with the state amendments in R 408.30500 to R 408.30547g. A 2021 edition was filed with the secretary of state in 2025 but has not taken effect. On July 7, 2025 the Michigan Court of Claims entered a stipulated order in Home Builders Assoc et al. v LARA et al., and the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) says that while that order remains in place "the 2015 versions of the IRC and residential provisions of the IECC standards currently adopted, in part, by each rule set will remain valid and in effect." LARA's Statewide Jurisdiction List names the City of Albion as its own building code enforcer. Sec. 18-26 of the Albion Code of Ordinances (Ord. No. 2003-08 and Ord. No. 2010-06) says "The city has elected and agreed to enforce the state residential and building code and all appendices." and names no edition. The same chapter adopts the International Property Maintenance Code, 2015 (Sec. 18-266). The city's pages read October 11, 2026 name no residential code edition.
Drip edge
Required — Required on asphalt shingle roofs by state law. Michigan makes no amendment to the drip edge rule of the 2015 International Residential Code, Section R905.2.8.5, which applies as published: "A drip edge shall be provided at eaves and rake edges of shingle roofs." Segments overlap by at least 2 inches, the drip edge extends at least 1/4 inch below the roof sheathing and at least 2 inches back onto the deck, it is fastened at no more than 12 inches on center, and underlayment goes over it at the eaves and under it at the rakes. A reroof is held to the same rule, because "Materials and methods of application used for re-covering or replacing an existing roof covering shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 9" (R908.1). Chapter 18 of the Albion Code of Ordinances and the city's Applications and Permits page were read for a local rule and state nothing further on drip edge.
About drip edgeIce & water shield
Required — Required everywhere in Michigan by state law. Michigan fills in the climatic design table of the 2015 code once for the whole state (Rule 516, Table R301.2(1)), and its ice barrier underlayment column reads Yes. The state footnote calls for Yes "for areas where the average daily temperature in January is 25 degrees Fahrenheit" or less, or where ice damming has caused damage. The base code then requires an ice barrier "for asphalt shingles, metal roof shingles, mineral-surfaced roll roofing, slate and slate-type shingles, wood shingles and wood shakes," running "from the lowest edges of all roof surfaces to a point not less than 24 inches (610 mm) inside the exterior wall line of the building" (R905.1.2). Detached accessory structures without conditioned floor area are exempt. On a tear-off, an existing ice barrier that is adhered to the deck may stay and be covered with an additional layer (R908.3, Exception). Chapter 18 of the Albion Code of Ordinances and the city's Applications and Permits page were read for a local rule and state nothing further on ice barrier.
About ice & water barrierImpact-resistant roofing
Not required — No impact-resistance requirement under state law. The 2015 Michigan Residential Code was searched in full and has no hail or impact rating rule for roof coverings: the words hail, impact and UL 2218 do not appear in it, and none of them appears in the roof assemblies chapter of the base 2015 International Residential Code either. Michigan applies one code statewide ("This act and the code apply throughout the state."), and the act gives the power to amend it to the state director, who adopts the model codes "with amendments, additions, or deletions as the director determines appropriate." Chapter 18 of the Albion Code of Ordinances and the city's Applications and Permits page were read for a local rule and state nothing further on impact resistance.
Repair permit threshold
The City of Albion's SafeBuilt Building Permit & Plans Examination Application, which the city's Applications and Permits page links, has a "Type of Improvement" list that names three roofing choices: "Metal Roofing Only", "Roofing Re-Deck &Shingles" and "Roofing Shingles Only". The city's Planning page says "Prior to beginning any land use, construction project, or similar project in the City of Albion, you need to apply for and receive the proper permits." The pages and forms read for this record state no size, square or dollar point below which roof work needs no permit. The state part: Michigan's construction code act says "A building permit is not required for ordinary repairs of a building or structure." (MCL 125.1510) and does not define ordinary repairs. For a small repair, ask SAFEbuilt at 269-729-9244 before starting.
Roof layer limit / recover
Two layers at most, under state law. Michigan builds one- and two-family homes to the 2015 Michigan Residential Code, which adopts the 2015 International Residential Code and makes no amendment to its reroofing section, Section R908; the Michigan rule set was searched in full and R908 does not appear in it. The base section therefore applies as the International Code Council publishes it. Section R908.3.1.1 lists the conditions under which a new roof may not be laid over an existing one, and the third is "Where the existing roof has two or more applications of any type of roof covering." One existing layer may be covered once; a roof that already carries two layers is torn off to the deck. The same section also bars covering a roof that is water soaked or too deteriorated to serve as a base, and covering "slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile." Locally, the city's own building ordinance, Chapter 18 of the Albion Code of Ordinances (Buildings and Building Regulations, codified through Resolution No. 2023-07 of November 20, 2023), was read in full: it elects to enforce the state residential and building code, the state electrical, mechanical and plumbing codes and the state rehabilitation code, adopts the 2015 International Property Maintenance Code with changes that touch administration only, and covers fences, dangerous buildings and rental registration; it has no reroofing provision and amends nothing in Section R908. The city's Applications and Permits page states no layer rule.
Deck & sheathing requirements
State law, from the base code. Michigan makes no amendment to the roof sheathing section of the 2015 International Residential Code, Section R803, which does not appear in the Michigan rule set, so it applies as published. Lumber roof sheathing follows Table R803.1: over rafters or beams 24 inches apart it must be at least 5/8 inch net thick. Wood structural panels must be identified "for grade, bond classification and performance category by a grade mark or certificate of inspection issued by an approved agency," and their spans may not exceed "the values set forth in Table R503.2.1.1(1), or APA E30." For a shingle roof the base code adds that "Asphalt shingles shall be fastened to solidly sheathed decks" (R905.2.1), and on any reroof "The structural roof components shall be capable of supporting the roof covering system" (R908.2). Chapter 18 of the Albion Code of Ordinances and the city's Applications and Permits page were read for a local rule and state nothing further on roof sheathing.
Sales & use tax
6%, statewide, with no local add-on. This is state law: the General Sales Tax Act sets the tax "equal to 6% of the gross proceeds of the business," the Use Tax Act sets "a total combined rate equal to 6%," and the Michigan Department of Treasury says "Michigan does not allow city or local units to impose sales tax." On a roofing job the roofer is the taxpayer on materials, because the Use Tax Act counts as a consumer "A person acquiring tangible personal property if engaged in the business of constructing, altering, repairing, or improving the real estate of others." Nothing on the City of Albion's Applications and Permits page or in Chapter 18 of its Code of Ordinances changes this.
Local roofing hub
More roof permit pages in Michigan
Related guides
The City of Albion's Planning, Building & Zoning Department at the William L. Rieger Municipal Building, 112 West Cass Street, takes the city's zoning permits and distributes the building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permit applications, while SAFEbuilt handles all building, mechanical, plumbing and electrical permits and inspections for the city. Section 18-26 of the Albion Code of Ordinances says the city has elected and agreed to enforce the state residential and building code, and the State of Michigan's jurisdiction list names the city as its own building code enforcer. Michigan's single state construction code applies, and for houses that is the 2015 Michigan Residential Code.
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