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Permitting Authorities / Ensley Township - Building Inspector

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Township of Ensley, MI?

Adopted code

Ensley Township - Building Inspector

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Township of Ensley, MI, issued by Ensley Township - Building Inspector. Ensley Township publishes nothing specific to roof work: its Residential Building Permit Fees sheet, its building permit application and its Zoning Ordinance name no reroof line, no reroof exemption and no size or cost point. With the township 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 township has published no statement applying that relief to roof work. The township's zoning compliance rule says "No structure or part thereof shall be constructed, reconstructed, erected, moved, enlarged, or altered" until a zoning compliance permit is granted, and the Zoning Ordinance says "A fee as established by the Township Board from time to time" accompanies "any plans or applications for a Zoning Compliance or Building Permit". The application says "ALL PERMITS EXPIRE IF WORK AUTHORIZED IS NOT COMMENCED WITHIN 180 DAYS FROM DATE OF ISSUE" and has a line for "Builders Lic #". The township's contact page lists the building inspector's hours as Wednesday 3-5pm, and the township hall telephone is 616-636-8510.

Roof code checklist: Township of Ensley, MI

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYesensleytownship.org2026-10-15
Repair permit thresholdPublishedensleytownship.org2026-10-15
Layer limit / roof-overPublishedR908.3.1.1codes.iccsafe.org2026-10-15
Deck & sheathingPublishedR905.2.1codes.iccsafe.org2026-10-15
Drip edgeYesR905.2.8.5codes.iccsafe.org2026-10-15
Ice & water shieldYesR905.1.2ars.apps.lara.state.mi.us2026-10-15
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNoars.apps.lara.state.mi.us2026-10-15
Wind design criteriaNot published
Adopted codePublishedars.apps.lara.state.mi.us2026-10-15
Contractor license / registrationYeslegislature.mi.gov2026-10-15
Sales & use taxPublishedlegislature.mi.gov2026-10-15

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 Ensley, Michigan
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
7163 E. 120th Avenue, Sand Lake, MI 49343
Contact
  • url: https://www.ensleytownship.org/permits-forms-1
  • phone: 616-636-8510
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
Ensley Township publishes nothing specific to roof work: its Residential Building Permit Fees sheet, its building permit application and its Zoning Ordinance name no reroof line, no reroof exemption and no size or cost point. With the township 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 township has published no statement applying that relief to roof work. The township's zoning compliance rule says "No structure or part thereof shall be constructed, reconstructed, erected, moved, enlarged, or altered" until a zoning compliance permit is granted, and the Zoning Ordinance says "A fee as established by the Township Board from time to time" accompanies "any plans or applications for a Zoning Compliance or Building Permit". The application says "ALL PERMITS EXPIRE IF WORK AUTHORIZED IS NOT COMMENCED WITHIN 180 DAYS FROM DATE OF ISSUE" and has a line for "Builders Lic #". The township's contact page lists the building inspector's hours as Wednesday 3-5pm, and the township hall telephone is 616-636-8510.
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 Ensley as its own building code enforcer. The township's Dangerous and Dilapidated Buildings and Recreational Vehicle Ordinance (Ordinance No. 2014-10) defines "Building Code" as the building code "administered and enforced within the Township pursuant to the State Construction Code Commission Act" and the Zoning Ordinance defines it as "The currently adopted Township code or codes governing the erection and maintenance of buildings"; neither names an edition, and the building permit application says only that the applicant will "comply with all applicable state building codes". The township has published no statement of which edition of the residential code it enforces.
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). Ensley Township's Residential Building Permit Fees sheet, its building permit application and its Zoning Ordinance were read for a local rule and state 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). Ensley Township's Residential Building Permit Fees sheet, its building permit application and its Zoning Ordinance were read for a local rule and state 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." Ensley Township's Residential Building Permit Fees sheet, its building permit application and its Zoning Ordinance were read for a local rule and state nothing further on impact resistance.
Repair permit threshold
Ensley Township has published nothing on reroofs. Its Residential Building Permit Fees sheet (effective March 29, 2022) prices "Roof systems and lean-tos" only for the structure type and names no reroofing line, and its building permit application (Rev. 7/01/2026) has a generic "CHANGES AND/OR ADDITIONS, ALTERATIONS AND REPAIRS" section that names no roofing, with no size or dollar point below which work needs no permit. The township's Zoning Ordinance defines "ALTERATIONS" to include "any substantial change in the roof", a zoning definition that this record does not apply to an ordinary reroof. 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; the township has published nothing applying that relief to roof work. Ask the township hall before a reroof or a small roof repair.
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, the township's Permits + Forms page lists a Zoning Ordinance, a Dangerous and Dilapidated Buildings and Recreational Vehicle Ordinance, a Storage and Use of Recreational Equipment and Vehicles ordinance and short term rental papers, and no building code or building ordinance; the Zoning Ordinance and the dangerous buildings ordinance were searched for roofing text and their roof provisions concern zoning matters such as height, antennas, signs and dwelling roof pitch, and buildings with a roof open to the elements. The township has published 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). Ensley Township's Residential Building Permit Fees sheet, its building permit application and its Zoning Ordinance were read for a local rule and state 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." Nothing on the Ensley Township pages changes this.

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Ensley Township's building inspector, working through the township hall at 7163 E. 120th Avenue in Sand Lake, issues building permits on a posted application and a residential building permit fee sheet, and holds township hall hours on Wednesday afternoons. The State of Michigan's jurisdiction list names the Township as its own building code enforcer. Michigan's single state construction code applies, and for houses that is the 2015 Michigan Residential Code.

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Sources

Roofing questions: Township of Ensley, MI

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Township of Ensley, MI?

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Township of Ensley, MI. Ensley Township has published nothing on reroofs. Its Residential Building Permit Fees sheet (effective March 29, 2022) prices "Roof systems and lean-tos" only for the structure type and names no reroofing line, and its building permit application (Rev. 7/01/2026) has a generic "CHANGES AND/OR ADDITIONS, ALTERATIONS AND REPAIRS" section that names no roofing, with no size or dollar point below which work needs no permit. The township's Zoning Ordinance defines "ALTERATIONS" to include "any substantial change in the roof", a zoning definition that this record does not apply to an ordinary reroof. 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; the township has published nothing applying that relief to roof work. Ask the township hall before a reroof or a small roof repair.

Is ice & water shield required in Township of Ensley, 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). Ensley Township's Residential Building Permit Fees sheet, its building permit application and its Zoning Ordinance were read for a local rule and state nothing further on ice barrier.

Is drip edge required in Township of Ensley, 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). Ensley Township's Residential Building Permit Fees sheet, its building permit application and its Zoning Ordinance were read for a local rule and state nothing further on drip edge.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Township of Ensley, 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." Locally, the township's Permits + Forms page lists a Zoning Ordinance, a Dangerous and Dilapidated Buildings and Recreational Vehicle Ordinance, a Storage and Use of Recreational Equipment and Vehicles ordinance and short term rental papers, and no building code or building ordinance; the Zoning Ordinance and the dangerous buildings ordinance were searched for roofing text and their roof provisions concern zoning matters such as height, antennas, signs and dwelling roof pitch, and buildings with a roof open to the elements. The township has published no layer rule.

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Township of Ensley, MI?

Yes.

What building code does Township of Ensley, 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 Township of Ensley as its own building code enforcer. The township's Dangerous and Dilapidated Buildings and Recreational Vehicle Ordinance (Ordinance No. 2014-10) defines "Building Code" as the building code "administered and enforced within the Township pursuant to the State Construction Code Commission Act" and the Zoning Ordinance defines it as "The currently adopted Township code or codes governing the erection and maintenance of buildings"; neither names an edition, and the building permit application says only that the applicant will "comply with all applicable state building codes". The township has published no statement of which edition of the residential code it enforces.