Permitting Authorities / Township of Cambridge - Building Department
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Township of Cambridge, MI?
Adopted code
Township of Cambridge - Building Department
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Township of Cambridge, MI, issued by Township of Cambridge - Building Department. In Cambridge Township a roof replacement is priced and inspected as its own item: the fee schedule has a "Replacement Roofing/Siding" line at "$90 ea." with "1 each" inspection, described as a "Mtg. on site to review work and applicable codes to assure compliance", plus an "Administrative Fee (added to all permits)" of 60, and the Building Permit Application lists "Re-Roof" among the items to check. The township's roofing handout says the inspection "is to assess the existing roof and roofing materials and discuss the requirements for compliance with the current construction codes (ie; ice & water, felt, sheathing, insulation, ventilation, flashings and general condition or reasoning for a failure)", that the intention "is to not hold up or delay the replacement process", and that "Notification is required once the roof replacement is completed." The fee schedule says "PERMIT FEES ARE BASED ON $90.00 PER INSPECTION. ADDITIONAL INSPECTIONS WILL BE CHARGED OVER AND ABOVE THE INITIAL PERMIT FEE." The township says "Applications are available on line or in the office." and "Make Checks Payable to: Cambridge Township". The Building Department page says "To schedule a building inspection, please contact" the building inspector and that "All township inspectors, schedule their own appointments." Township office hours on the application are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, at 9990 W. M-50, Onsted, MI 49265, 517-467-2104. The fee schedule is headed "Cambridge Township & Village of Onsted"; LARA lists the Village of Onsted as its own enforcing unit, and this record covers the township.
Roof code checklist: Township of Cambridge, 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
Township of Cambridge, Michigan
Address
9990 W. M-50, Onsted, MI 49265
Contact
- url: https://www.cambridgetownshipmi.gov/departments/building.php
- phone: 517-467-2104
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
In Cambridge Township a roof replacement is priced and inspected as its own item: the fee schedule has a "Replacement Roofing/Siding" line at "$90 ea." with "1 each" inspection, described as a "Mtg. on site to review work and applicable codes to assure compliance", plus an "Administrative Fee (added to all permits)" of 60, and the Building Permit Application lists "Re-Roof" among the items to check. The township's roofing handout says the inspection "is to assess the existing roof and roofing materials and discuss the requirements for compliance with the current construction codes (ie; ice & water, felt, sheathing, insulation, ventilation, flashings and general condition or reasoning for a failure)", that the intention "is to not hold up or delay the replacement process", and that "Notification is required once the roof replacement is completed." The fee schedule says "PERMIT FEES ARE BASED ON $90.00 PER INSPECTION. ADDITIONAL INSPECTIONS WILL BE CHARGED OVER AND ABOVE THE INITIAL PERMIT FEE." The township says "Applications are available on line or in the office." and "Make Checks Payable to: Cambridge Township". The Building Department page says "To schedule a building inspection, please contact" the building inspector and that "All township inspectors, schedule their own appointments." Township office hours on the application are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 12:00 noon and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, at 9990 W. M-50, Onsted, MI 49265, 517-467-2104. The fee schedule is headed "Cambridge Township & Village of Onsted"; LARA lists the Village of Onsted as its own enforcing unit, and this record covers the township.
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 Township of Cambridge as its own building code enforcer. Section 10-21 of the township's Code of Ordinances designates the building official as the enforcing agency under the state construction code act and names no residential code edition. The township's Building Permit Application lets the applicant check "Michigan Residential Code 2015 (Site Built)", and its general information sheet lists "2015 MI Residential Code" under "Construction Codes in Effect".
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 10 of the Cambridge Township Code of Ordinances (Buildings and Building Regulations), the Building Department page, the township's building permit application and fee schedule and its roofing handout 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). The township's roofing handout lists "ice & water" among the items its roof inspection discusses "for compliance with the current construction codes". Chapter 10 of the Cambridge Township Code of Ordinances was read for a local rule and has no roofing provision.
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 10 of the Cambridge Township Code of Ordinances (Buildings and Building Regulations), the Building Department page, the township's building permit application and fee schedule and its roofing handout were read for a local rule and state nothing further on impact resistance.
Repair permit threshold
Cambridge Township treats roof replacement as permit work and states no size or dollar point below which it needs none. Its Building Permit Fee Schedule & Information, adopted March 12, 2025 and effective 4/1/25, opens "Cambridge Township issues Building, Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing permits." and prices "Replacement Roofing/Siding" at "$90 ea." with "1 each" inspection, a "Mtg. on site to review work and applicable codes to assure compliance"; its Building Permit Application lists "Re-Roof" among the items to check. The township's roofing handout (dated 11/13) says "An inspection is to be scheduled prior to or when initiating the roof replacement work." and that an "open roof" inspection "is usually not required". The township's general information sheet sets a $600 point only for who may pull the permit: a licensed contractor "must be used on all projects when the overall material and labor costs are greater than $600". Under state law: "A building permit is not required for ordinary repairs of a building or structure." (MCL 125.1510), without a definition of ordinary repairs, and the township has published nothing applying that relief to roof work. For a small repair, call the building inspector at 517-467-2104 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, Chapter 10 of the Cambridge Township Code of Ordinances (Buildings and Building Regulations), the township's only building chapter, was read in full: it covers temporary certificates of occupancy, designates the building official as the enforcing agency, creates the construction board of appeals and regulates dangerous buildings; it has no reroofing provision and amends nothing in Section R908. The township's roofing handout, fee schedule and building permit application state 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 10 of the Cambridge Township Code of Ordinances (Buildings and Building Regulations), the Building Department page, the township's building permit application and fee schedule and its roofing handout were read for a local rule and state nothing further on roof sheathing. The roofing handout lists "sheathing" among the items the roof inspection discusses.
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 Cambridge Township Building Department page or in its fee schedule changes this.
Local roofing hub
More roof permit pages in Michigan
Related guides
The Township of Cambridge Building Department, at the township hall at 9990 W. M-50 in Onsted, issues building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits through a part-time building inspector and separate trade inspectors. Its fee schedule has a "Replacement Roofing/Siding" line at $90 each, its building permit application has a "Re-Roof" box, and a township handout says an inspection is to be scheduled before roof replacement begins. Michigan applies one residential code statewide, and for houses that is the 2015 Michigan Residential Code.
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