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Permitting Authorities / City of East Lansing - Building Division

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

Adopted code

City of East Lansing - Building Division

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in East Lansing, MI, issued by City of East Lansing - Building Division. Plan on a building permit for a tear-off re-roof in East Lansing. The Home Improvement Guidelines say "A building permit is required when the existing shingles are removed and replaced. Adding a second layer of shingles over existing shingles does not require a permit." On a property in a historic district or a designated landmark, the guidelines say "in all cases, a Certificate of Appropriateness is required," and the city asks owners to "contact the Planning, Building and Housing Department BEFORE purchasing or signing contracts for new windows, siding, doors or roofs." The city fee schedule lists Roofing Fees of a $60 non-refundable permit application fee and $140 for residential work ("app, rough & final inspections"); commercial roofing is "Based on value of construction." All permit applications are online: "Homeowners and contractors can apply online," contractors "need to register and keep their license information up to date," and "Small projects that need to be reviewed typically take one to five business days to process." For questions call the Department of Planning, Building and Housing at (517) 319-6810. City Hall is at 410 Abbot Road and is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Roof code checklist: East Lansing, MI

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYescityofeastlansing.com2026-10-03
Repair permit thresholdPublishedcityofeastlansing.com2026-10-03
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 East Lansing, Michigan
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
410 Abbot Road, East Lansing, MI 48823
Contact
  • url: https://www.cityofeastlansing.com/648/Building-Information
  • phone: 517-319-6810
Permit portal
Permit portal
Roofing permit required
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: East Lansing sets no roofing contractor licence of its own. Its online permit page says "Homeowners and contractors need to register and keep their license information up to date" through the city's BS&A Contractor Profile Registration. Chapter 6 of the city code (read in full) sets no roofing contractor licence.
Permit process note
Plan on a building permit for a tear-off re-roof in East Lansing. The Home Improvement Guidelines say "A building permit is required when the existing shingles are removed and replaced. Adding a second layer of shingles over existing shingles does not require a permit." On a property in a historic district or a designated landmark, the guidelines say "in all cases, a Certificate of Appropriateness is required," and the city asks owners to "contact the Planning, Building and Housing Department BEFORE purchasing or signing contracts for new windows, siding, doors or roofs." The city fee schedule lists Roofing Fees of a $60 non-refundable permit application fee and $140 for residential work ("app, rough & final inspections"); commercial roofing is "Based on value of construction." All permit applications are online: "Homeowners and contractors can apply online," contractors "need to register and keep their license information up to date," and "Small projects that need to be reviewed typically take one to five business days to process." For questions call the Department of Planning, Building and Housing at (517) 319-6810. City Hall is at 410 Abbot Road and is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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 East Lansing as its own building code enforcer, and the city's codes page lists "Michigan Residential Code 2015" among the residential codes it enforces. City Code Chapter 6 (Buildings and Building Regulations) was read in full; it sets up a board of appeals, makes construction code violations civil infractions and adopts a property maintenance code, and its only residential code text adopts Appendix G of the 2009 Michigan Residential Code for swimming pools, spas and hot tubs.
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). East Lansing's building ordinance, City Code Chapter 6 (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). East Lansing's building ordinance, City Code Chapter 6 (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." East Lansing's building ordinance, City Code Chapter 6 (read in full), adds no roof-covering rule; no UL 2218 or Class 4 impact requirement appears in it.
Repair permit threshold
East Lansing draws its line by layer count, not by size. The Home Improvement Guidelines say "A building permit is required when the existing shingles are removed and replaced. Adding a second layer of shingles over existing shingles does not require a permit." The department's project chart likewise marks "Roof: New Layer Over One Existing Layer" with no permit and "Roof: Tear Off Down to Deck, Deck Replacement or Deck Added Over Exstg." as needing a permit application. The guidelines add: "However, in all cases, a Certificate of Appropriateness is required for any properties within a Historic District." Under state law "A building permit is not required for ordinary repairs of a building or structure", and the act does not define ordinary repairs; the city's list of projects not requiring a permit names no roof work. For a small patch, ask the Department of Planning, Building and Housing ((517) 319-6810) 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." The city's Home Improvement Guidelines say "the maximum number of layers of shingles is two," which agrees with the state limit. East Lansing's own building ordinance, City Code Chapter 6 (Buildings and Building Regulations), was read in full: it sets up the board of appeals, civil infraction enforcement, a property maintenance code and vacant property registration, 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). East Lansing's building ordinance, City Code Chapter 6 (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 East Lansing adds no sales tax of its own, so 6% is the whole rate on a job there.

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The Building Division of East Lansing's Department of Planning, Building and Housing issues building permits in the city and inspects the work; its Home Improvement Guidelines say "A building permit is required when the existing shingles are removed and replaced," while a second layer over one existing layer needs no permit. 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: East Lansing, MI

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

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in East Lansing, MI. East Lansing draws its line by layer count, not by size. The Home Improvement Guidelines say "A building permit is required when the existing shingles are removed and replaced. Adding a second layer of shingles over existing shingles does not require a permit." The department's project chart likewise marks "Roof: New Layer Over One Existing Layer" with no permit and "Roof: Tear Off Down to Deck, Deck Replacement or Deck Added Over Exstg." as needing a permit application. The guidelines add: "However, in all cases, a Certificate of Appropriateness is required for any properties within a Historic District." Under state law "A building permit is not required for ordinary repairs of a building or structure", and the act does not define ordinary repairs; the city's list of projects not requiring a permit names no roof work. For a small patch, ask the Department of Planning, Building and Housing ((517) 319-6810) before starting.

Is ice & water shield required in East Lansing, 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). East Lansing's building ordinance, City Code Chapter 6 (read in full), states nothing further on ice barrier.

Is drip edge required in East Lansing, 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). East Lansing's building ordinance, City Code Chapter 6 (read in full), states nothing further on drip edge.

Can you roof over an existing roof in East Lansing, 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." The city's Home Improvement Guidelines say "the maximum number of layers of shingles is two," which agrees with the state limit. East Lansing's own building ordinance, City Code Chapter 6 (Buildings and Building Regulations), was read in full: it sets up the board of appeals, civil infraction enforcement, a property maintenance code and vacant property registration, and it touches nothing in the reroofing section, so the state limit applies unchanged.

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

Yes.

What building code does East Lansing, 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 East Lansing as its own building code enforcer, and the city's codes page lists "Michigan Residential Code 2015" among the residential codes it enforces. City Code Chapter 6 (Buildings and Building Regulations) was read in full; it sets up a board of appeals, makes construction code violations civil infractions and adopts a property maintenance code, and its only residential code text adopts Appendix G of the 2009 Michigan Residential Code for swimming pools, spas and hot tubs.