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Permitting Authorities / City of Ferndale - Building Department

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

Adopted code

City of Ferndale - Building Department

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Ferndale, MI, issued by City of Ferndale - Building Department. In Ferndale a reroof is applied for on the city's Building Permit Application, which lists ROOF as a type of improvement and asks for the estimated cost of construction, the contractor's builders license number and the owner's details. The city says a building permit is "required whether you plan on making home improvements yourself or with the help of a contractor, architect, or construction worker." Its Permit Center says applicants can "access the necessary forms, complete the requested information, and submit them online," and points to BS&A Online to "apply for a permit; schedule an inspection" and pay by credit card. The FYE27 City Fee Schedule prices a building permit at "$50 + 1.5% for First $5mil Value," adds a $50 permit administration fee, and charges a yearly $50 registration for a building contractor. Permits are handled by the Community and Economic Development Department at City Hall, open Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; the phone printed on the building permit application is (248) 546-2366.

Roof code checklist: Ferndale, MI

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYesBulding Permit (1).pdf2026-10-15
Repair permit thresholdPublishedBulding Permit (1).pdf2026-10-15
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
City of Ferndale, Michigan
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
300 East Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, MI 48220
Contact
  • url: https://www.ferndalemi.gov/building-services
  • phone: 248-546-2366
Permit portal
Permit portal
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
In Ferndale a reroof is applied for on the city's Building Permit Application, which lists ROOF as a type of improvement and asks for the estimated cost of construction, the contractor's builders license number and the owner's details. The city says a building permit is "required whether you plan on making home improvements yourself or with the help of a contractor, architect, or construction worker." Its Permit Center says applicants can "access the necessary forms, complete the requested information, and submit them online," and points to BS&A Online to "apply for a permit; schedule an inspection" and pay by credit card. The FYE27 City Fee Schedule prices a building permit at "$50 + 1.5% for First $5mil Value," adds a $50 permit administration fee, and charges a yearly $50 registration for a building contractor. Permits are handled by the Community and Economic Development Department at City Hall, open Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; the phone printed on the building permit application is (248) 546-2366.
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 Ferndale as its own building code enforcer. The city's building permit application says the work "SHALL CONFORM TO THE ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF FERNDALE REGULATING THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS" and names no code edition. The city's Building, Code Enforcement and Rental Services page says the city "has adopted the 2015 International Property Maintenance Code book" for property maintenance, which is not a construction code for reroofing. The city's code of ordinances was not read for this record.
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). The City of Ferndale's Permit Center and Building, Code Enforcement and Rental Services pages and its building permit application were read and state nothing further on this point. 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). The City of Ferndale's Permit Center and Building, Code Enforcement and Rental Services pages and its building permit application were read and state nothing further on this point. 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." The City of Ferndale's Permit Center and Building, Code Enforcement and Rental Services pages and its building permit application were read and state nothing further on this point.
Repair permit threshold
The City of Ferndale treats a reroof as building permit work: its Building Permit Application lists ROOF among the types of improvement, beside new construction, addition, alteration and demolition, and its Building, Code Enforcement and Rental Services page says a building permit is "required whether you plan on making home improvements yourself or with the help of a contractor, architect, or construction worker." The city publishes no smaller-repair threshold for roof work. 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.
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 of Ferndale's Permit Center and Building, Code Enforcement and Rental Services pages and its building permit application state no layer rule; the city's code of ordinances was not read for this record.
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). The City of Ferndale's Permit Center and Building, Code Enforcement and Rental Services pages and its building permit application were read and state nothing further on this point.
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 City of Ferndale's Permit Center page or fee schedule changes this.

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The City of Ferndale issues building permits through its Permit Center at City Hall, 300 East Nine Mile Road, and its building permit application lists Roof as a type of improvement. The State of Michigan's jurisdiction list names the City of Ferndale 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: Ferndale, MI

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

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Ferndale, MI. The City of Ferndale treats a reroof as building permit work: its Building Permit Application lists ROOF among the types of improvement, beside new construction, addition, alteration and demolition, and its Building, Code Enforcement and Rental Services page says a building permit is "required whether you plan on making home improvements yourself or with the help of a contractor, architect, or construction worker." The city publishes no smaller-repair threshold for roof work. 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.

Is ice & water shield required in Ferndale, 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). The City of Ferndale's Permit Center and Building, Code Enforcement and Rental Services pages and its building permit application were read and state nothing further on this point.

Is drip edge required in Ferndale, 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). The City of Ferndale's Permit Center and Building, Code Enforcement and Rental Services pages and its building permit application were read and state nothing further on this point.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Ferndale, 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 of Ferndale's Permit Center and Building, Code Enforcement and Rental Services pages and its building permit application state no layer rule; the city's code of ordinances was not read for this record.

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

Yes.

What building code does Ferndale, 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 Ferndale as its own building code enforcer. The city's building permit application says the work "SHALL CONFORM TO THE ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF FERNDALE REGULATING THE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS" and names no code edition. The city's Building, Code Enforcement and Rental Services page says the city "has adopted the 2015 International Property Maintenance Code book" for property maintenance, which is not a construction code for reroofing. The city's code of ordinances was not read for this record.