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Permitting Authorities / City of Alma - Building Permits (Planning & Zoning)

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Alma, MI?

Adopted code

City of Alma - Building Permits (Planning & Zoning)

No, Alma, MI does not require a permit for like-for-like roof replacement (City of Alma - Building Permits (Planning & Zoning)). In Alma the permit line for a roof is whether anything below the surface is replaced. The city says "Common home maintenance activities that do not require a permit are painting/siding/exterior treatments, re-roofing when only the surface is replaced, concrete flatwork, and the replacement of windows when the size of the windows will not be changed." A building permit is required when the work alters load bearing structure, including "rafters". That no-permit line is the city's stated practice: no enacted text names roof work either way, state law requires a permit "before construction of a building or structure" and relieves "ordinary repairs" without defining them, and this record does not decide whether the city's line is its reading of that relief. Where a permit is needed, building and zoning permits use one application form, and the city says "When applying for any permit, please allow 7-14 days for processing." The building permit form and the building permit fee schedule are posted on the city's Forms and Publications page. Planning & Zoning: (989) 463-9508. The Municipal Building is at 525 E. Superior Street, Alma, MI 48801, open Monday to Thursday 8AM to 5PM and Friday 8AM to 12PM.

Roof code checklist: Alma, MI

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofNomyalma.org2026-10-03
Repair permit thresholdPublishedR105.2myalma.org2026-10-03
Layer limit / roof-overPublishedR908.3.1.1codes.iccsafe.org2026-10-02
Deck & sheathingPublishedR905.2.1codes.iccsafe.org2026-10-02
Drip edgeYesR905.2.8.5codes.iccsafe.org2026-10-02
Ice & water shieldYesR905.1.2ars.apps.lara.state.mi.us2026-10-02
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNoars.apps.lara.state.mi.us2026-10-02
Wind design criteriaNot published
Adopted codePublishedars.apps.lara.state.mi.us2026-10-02
Contractor license / registrationYeslegislature.mi.gov2026-10-02
Sales & use taxPublishedlegislature.mi.gov2026-10-02

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 Alma, Michigan
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
525 E. Superior Street, Alma, MI 48801
Contact
  • url: https://myalma.org/code-enforcement.php
  • phone: 989-463-9508
Roofing permit required
Not required
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
  • state_level: Michigan licenses residential maintenance and alteration contractors under the Occupational Code, and that licence "includes the following crafts and trades" among which it names roofing (MCL 339.2404(3)); "A person shall not engage in or attempt to engage in the practice of an occupation regulated under this act" without the licence (MCL 339.601(1)). MCL 339.2403 lists who may work without one, including a project whose "aggregate contract price for the labor, material, and any other items for the undertaking or project is less than $600.00". This record does not decide whether a given roofer falls inside an exemption.
  • city_level: Alma publishes no roofing contractor registration of its own, and City Code Chapter 12 (read in full) sets no roofing contractor licence. The city notes that "a primary home owner does not require the services of a licensed residential builder to perform work on the property where they reside".
Permit process note
In Alma the permit line for a roof is whether anything below the surface is replaced. The city says "Common home maintenance activities that do not require a permit are painting/siding/exterior treatments, re-roofing when only the surface is replaced, concrete flatwork, and the replacement of windows when the size of the windows will not be changed." A building permit is required when the work alters load bearing structure, including "rafters". That no-permit line is the city's stated practice: no enacted text names roof work either way, state law requires a permit "before construction of a building or structure" and relieves "ordinary repairs" without defining them, and this record does not decide whether the city's line is its reading of that relief. Where a permit is needed, building and zoning permits use one application form, and the city says "When applying for any permit, please allow 7-14 days for processing." The building permit form and the building permit fee schedule are posted on the city's Forms and Publications page. Planning & Zoning: (989) 463-9508. The Municipal Building is at 525 E. Superior Street, Alma, MI 48801, open Monday to Thursday 8AM to 5PM and Friday 8AM to 12PM.
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 Alma as its own building code enforcer. City Code Chapter 12's state construction code article is reserved, so the city has no codified adoption naming an edition; the city says permitted work must be "completed with a design in compliance with the enacted building code."
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). Alma's building ordinance, City Code Chapter 12 (read in full), states nothing further on drip edge. About drip edge
Ice & 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). Alma's building ordinance, City Code Chapter 12 (read in full), states nothing further on ice barrier. About ice & water barrier
Impact-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." Alma's building ordinance, City Code Chapter 12 (read in full), adds no roof-covering rule; no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in it.
Repair permit threshold
A reroof needs no permit when only the surface is replaced, in the city's own words. Its permit guidance ("When is a Permit Needed and How do I Apply?") says "Common home maintenance activities that do not require a permit are painting/siding/exterior treatments, re-roofing when only the surface is replaced, concrete flatwork, and the replacement of windows when the size of the windows will not be changed." It draws the building permit line at structure: "A building permit is required when altering the load bearing properties of any primary structure. This includes the construction or alteration of walls, floor supports, rafters, foundation elements, and other load bearing structural elements." No enacted text names roof work either way. State law requires a building permit "before construction of a building or structure," defines construction to include repair, and also says "A building permit is not required for ordinary repairs of a building or structure" without defining ordinary repairs or capping them by size or cost. Michigan's list of work exempt from permit (Section R105.2 of the residential code, as Michigan amends it) names no roof work. The city adds no permit rule of its own: City Code Chapter 12 (read in full) reserves its state construction code article and adopts a property maintenance code, and the city lists its permit types as "Building, Zoning, Sign and Public Works Permits", with no roofing permit. The no-permit line is the city's stated practice; this record does not decide whether it is the city's reading of the ordinary-repairs clause.
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." Alma's own building ordinance, City Code Chapter 12 (Buildings and Building Regulations), was read in full: it regulates address numbers, reserves its state construction code article, adopts a property maintenance code and regulates moving and dangerous buildings, and it touches nothing in the reroofing section, so the state limit applies unchanged.
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). Alma's building ordinance, City Code Chapter 12 (read in full), states 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." The City of Alma adds no sales tax of its own, so 6% is the whole rate on a job there.

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The City of Alma issues building, zoning, sign and public works permits from the Municipal Building at 525 E. Superior Street; it says re-roofing needs no permit when only the surface is replaced. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC permits in Alma come from the State of Michigan. Michigan applies one residential code statewide, so the roofing rules below are state law; the city enforces them and sets its own permit fees.

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Sources

Roofing questions: Alma, MI

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Alma, MI?

No, Alma, MI does not require a permit to replace a roof. A reroof needs no permit when only the surface is replaced, in the city's own words. Its permit guidance ("When is a Permit Needed and How do I Apply?") says "Common home maintenance activities that do not require a permit are painting/siding/exterior treatments, re-roofing when only the surface is replaced, concrete flatwork, and the replacement of windows when the size of the windows will not be changed." It draws the building permit line at structure: "A building permit is required when altering the load bearing properties of any primary structure. This includes the construction or alteration of walls, floor supports, rafters, foundation elements, and other load bearing structural elements." No enacted text names roof work either way. State law requires a building permit "before construction of a building or structure," defines construction to include repair, and also says "A building permit is not required for ordinary repairs of a building or structure" without defining ordinary repairs or capping them by size or cost. Michigan's list of work exempt from permit (Section R105.2 of the residential code, as Michigan amends it) names no roof work. The city adds no permit rule of its own: City Code Chapter 12 (read in full) reserves its state construction code article and adopts a property maintenance code, and the city lists its permit types as "Building, Zoning, Sign and Public Works Permits", with no roofing permit. The no-permit line is the city's stated practice; this record does not decide whether it is the city's reading of the ordinary-repairs clause.

Is ice & water shield required in Alma, MI?

Yes. 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). Alma's building ordinance, City Code Chapter 12 (read in full), states nothing further on ice barrier.

Is drip edge required in Alma, MI?

Yes. 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). Alma's building ordinance, City Code Chapter 12 (read in full), states nothing further on drip edge.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Alma, MI?

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." Alma's own building ordinance, City Code Chapter 12 (Buildings and Building Regulations), was read in full: it regulates address numbers, reserves its state construction code article, adopts a property maintenance code and regulates moving and dangerous buildings, and it touches nothing in the reroofing section, so the state limit applies unchanged.

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Alma, MI?

Yes.

What building code does Alma, MI use?

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 Alma as its own building code enforcer. City Code Chapter 12's state construction code article is reserved, so the city has no codified adoption naming an edition; the city says permitted work must be "completed with a design in compliance with the enacted building code."