Benton Charter Township - Building Department

Charter Township of Benton, Michigan (Berrien County)

city

1725 Territorial Road, Benton Harbor, MI 49022

Required

Required

Plan on a building permit for a reroof in Benton Charter Township. The Building Department does not address roofing separately; it says it "issues permits for Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Sewer, Water, and Garage Sale activities". The state rule supplies the requirement: "before construction of a building or structure, the owner, or the owner's builder, architect, engineer, or agent, shall submit an application in writing to the appropriate enforcing agency for a building permit." The building permit application says permit fees "are based on the value of construction" and that the fee schedule is "1997 UBC fee schedule: call for fees." A contractor attaches a workers compensation certificate and a copy of the residential builder's license. Applications go by mail or in person to 1725 Territorial Road, Benton Harbor, MI 49022, and "PERMIT HOLDER MUST CALL FOR THE INSPECTION(S) AND GIVE A 24 HOURS NOTICE!" The Building Department's direct line is (269) 925.7284, open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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 Charter Township of Benton (Berrien County) as its own building code enforcer. Township Code Section 14-27 designates "the Chief Building Official of Benton Charter Township" as "the enforcing agency", without naming an edition. The homeowner affidavit on the township's building permit application says work "shall be installed in accordance with the 2021 Michigan Building Code governing this jurisdiction"; the Michigan Building Code is the state's code for buildings other than one- and two-family dwellings, which the 2015 Michigan Residential Code covers.

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). Benton Charter Township Code Chapter 14 (Buildings and Building Regulations, read in full) states nothing further on drip edge. About drip edge

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). Benton Charter Township Code Chapter 14 (Buildings and Building Regulations, read in full) states nothing further on ice barrier. About ice & water barrier

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." Benton Charter Township Code Chapter 14 (Buildings and Building Regulations, read in full) states nothing further on roof coverings; no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in it.

Benton Charter Township publishes no size or dollar line below which roof work needs no permit, and no statement that a reroof is exempt. State law requires that "before construction of a building or structure, the owner, or the owner's builder, architect, engineer, or agent, shall submit an application in writing to the appropriate enforcing agency for a building permit" (MCL 125.1510(1)), defines construction to mean "the construction, erection, reconstruction, alteration, conversion, demolition, repair, moving, or equipping of buildings or structures" (MCL 125.1502a(n)), and says "A building permit is not required for ordinary repairs of a building or structure." (MCL 125.1510(7)) without defining ordinary repairs; the permit exemptions in the Michigan Residential Code name no roofing. The Building Department says it "issues permits for Building, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, Sewer, Water, and Garage Sale activities" and its building permit application says "Permit fees (and plan review fees) are based on the value of construction". Plan on a permit for a reroof in Benton Charter Township and confirm with the department.

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." Benton Charter Township's own building ordinance, Township Code Chapter 14 (Buildings and Building Regulations), was read in full: Article II designates the enforcing agency, enforces Appendix G and adopts flood maps, and nothing in the chapter touches the reroofing section, so the state limit applies unchanged.

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). Benton Charter Township Code Chapter 14 (Buildings and Building Regulations, read in full) states nothing further on roof sheathing.

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." Benton Charter Township adds no sales tax of its own, so 6% is the whole rate on a job there.