Delta County - Building & Zoning

Delta County, Michigan (1 city, 1 village and 14 townships on the county building program)

county

2910 College Avenue, Escanaba, MI 49829

Required

Required

Delta County Building & Zoning has published nothing specific to roof work: its "Requirements for Obtaining Building Permits" sheet lists the application, site plan, plans, energy code method and the zoning, sanitary, driveway and soil erosion approvals for one- and two-family residential work and does not mention roofing, its building permit application offers "REPAIR/REMODEL" among the types of improvement with no roofing line, and its fee page says "Please call for fee amounts". With the department silent on reroofs, the state's general permit rule applies: "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 same section says "A building permit is not required for ordinary repairs of a building or structure," without defining ordinary repairs, and the department has published nothing applying that relief to roof work. The application says "ALL WORK MUST BE INSPECTED PRIOR TO BEING ENCLOSED OR COVERED UP" and "FOR TIMELY INSPECTIONS PROVIDE TWO WORKING DAYS NOTICE", while the requirements sheet says to "call at least three (3) days prior to the time you need an inspection". The permit "shall become invalid if the authorized work is not commenced within 180 days after issuance of the permit", and "THE CHARGE TO RE-OPEN A CLOSED PERMIT IS $50." Fees can be paid online "with a credit or debit card (up to 3.75% transaction fee applies)". The department is at the Delta County Service Center, 2910 College Ave, Escanaba, MI 49829, (906) 789-5189. It serves the units the state's jurisdiction list assigns to the county for building; the City of Gladstone enforces for itself, and the state's list shows electrical permits in these units with the Bureau of Construction Codes.

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 assigns building code enforcement in 1 city, 1 village and 14 townships of Delta County to the county; the City of Gladstone is listed as enforcing for itself. The Delta County Building & Zoning page, read October 10, 2026, offers "Order new 2015 Michigan Residential Code book" with "Effective date: February 8, 2016".

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). The Delta County Building & Zoning pages, requirements sheet and permit application were read for a local rule and state 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). The Delta County Building & Zoning pages, requirements sheet and permit application were read for a local rule and state 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." The Delta County Building & Zoning pages, requirements sheet and permit application were read for a local rule and state no impact rule.

No size or cost threshold is published. The Delta County Building & Zoning Department's requirements sheet for one- and two-family residential permits and its building permit application name no roofing work, and none of the department's pages read for this record states a size, square or dollar point below which roof repair needs no permit. 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. For a small roof repair, ask the department (906-789-5189) before starting.

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 Delta County Building & Zoning pages, its requirements sheet, building inspection policy and permit application were read and state no layer rule. The county's ordinances page lists addressing, animal, off-road vehicle, planning commission, solid waste and zoning ordinances and no building ordinance, so there is no county building ordinance to amend Section R908.

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). The Delta County Building & Zoning pages, requirements sheet and permit application were read for a local rule and state 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." The same 6% applies throughout Delta County.