The Roofing Book

Permitting Authorities / City of Flint - Building and Safety Division

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

Adopted code

City of Flint - Building and Safety Division

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Flint, MI, issued by City of Flint - Building and Safety Division. Roof work in Flint is permitted and inspected by the City of Flint Building and Safety Division, 1101 S. Saginaw St., Room S106, Flint, MI 48502, phone 810-766-7284, open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; inspections are scheduled at the same number. The City fee schedule (FY27, adopted) has its own reroofing line, "Permit Fees-Reroofing or Residing", printed as: "Value <$5,000 requiring one inspection", $140.00; "Value >$5,000, same as new construction", $140.00; "Plus, per $1,000 or part thereof over $2,000", $27.00. The application is the City paper Application for Building Permit (2026), downloadable from the building page. It warns: "If work is started prior to obtaining proper permit, fines may be charged up to" $1,000.00, and "The required payment must be submitted within five (5) days. If payment is not received within this period, the permit application will be canceled.".

Roof code checklist: Flint, MI

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYesFY27-MASTER-FEE-SCHEDULE-adopted.pdf2026-10-02
Repair permit thresholdPublishedFY27-MASTER-FEE-SCHEDULE-adopted.pdf2026-10-02
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 Flint, Michigan
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
1101 S. Saginaw St., Room S106, Flint, MI 48502
Contact
  • url: https://www.cityofflint.com/building-safety-inspections/
  • phone: 810-766-7284
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
Roof work in Flint is permitted and inspected by the City of Flint Building and Safety Division, 1101 S. Saginaw St., Room S106, Flint, MI 48502, phone 810-766-7284, open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; inspections are scheduled at the same number. The City fee schedule (FY27, adopted) has its own reroofing line, "Permit Fees-Reroofing or Residing", printed as: "Value <$5,000 requiring one inspection", $140.00; "Value >$5,000, same as new construction", $140.00; "Plus, per $1,000 or part thereof over $2,000", $27.00. The application is the City paper Application for Building Permit (2026), downloadable from the building page. It warns: "If work is started prior to obtaining proper permit, fines may be charged up to" $1,000.00, and "The required payment must be submitted within five (5) days. If payment is not received within this period, the permit application will be canceled."
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." The City of Flint building permit application (2026) agrees, printing "Michigan Building Codes: Residential - 2015 Commercial - 2021" at its head.
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 Flint building page, permit application and fee schedule add nothing 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). The City of Flint building page, permit application and fee schedule add nothing 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." The City of Flint building page, permit application and fee schedule add no impact-rating rule.
Repair permit threshold
Flint publishes no size or dollar line below which a reroof needs no permit. State law says only that "A building permit is not required for ordinary repairs of a building or structure." (MCL 125.1510(7)); the act does not define ordinary repairs, and the permit exemptions in the Michigan Residential Code name no roofing. The City of Flint fee schedule (FY27, adopted) prices roof work under its own heading, "Permit Fees-Reroofing or Residing", starting at the smallest jobs: "Value <$5,000 requiring one inspection", $140.00. Neither that schedule nor the Building and Safety page states any size, share of the roof or dollar amount below which roof work needs no permit.
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 Flint building page, permit application and fee schedule state no layer rule of their own.
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 Flint building page, permit application and fee schedule add nothing on roof decking.
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 Flint Building and Safety page states nothing further on it.

More roof permit pages in Michigan

Grand Rapids, MIRoof permit Kalamazoo, MIRoof permit Livingston County - Building DepartmentRoof permit Livonia, MIRoof permit Marquette County, MIRoof permit

Related guides

Denver-Metro Roofing Permits Filing a Hail Insurance Claim Colorado Hail Season Prep Hiring a Contractor

The City of Flint Building and Safety Division, at 1101 S. Saginaw St., Room S106, issues building permits and inspects building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work inside the City of Flint, and the State of Michigan lists the City as its own building code enforcing agency. Its fee schedule carries a separate permit fee for reroofing or residing. The work itself is built to Michigan's single statewide construction code.

Working an insurance claim in Flint, MI? Everything on this page (drip edge, ice & water shield, inspections, Class 4 rules) formatted as a claim-ready evidence pack: verbatim ordinance quotes, code section cites, verification dates, and official source links, ready to attach to a supplement. See a real sample pack (PDF, 4 pages, free).

Code items like drip edge and ice & water shield are what adjusters ask you to document.

Buy this jurisdiction's pack: $12 Delivered by email within minutes.

Questions about the Flint, MI pack?

Not ready to buy, or need a different jurisdiction? Tell us and we’ll reply directly.

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Sources

Roofing questions: Flint, MI

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

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Flint, MI. Flint publishes no size or dollar line below which a reroof needs no permit. State law says only that "A building permit is not required for ordinary repairs of a building or structure." (MCL 125.1510(7)); the act does not define ordinary repairs, and the permit exemptions in the Michigan Residential Code name no roofing. The City of Flint fee schedule (FY27, adopted) prices roof work under its own heading, "Permit Fees-Reroofing or Residing", starting at the smallest jobs: "Value <$5,000 requiring one inspection", $140.00. Neither that schedule nor the Building and Safety page states any size, share of the roof or dollar amount below which roof work needs no permit.

Is ice & water shield required in Flint, 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 Flint building page, permit application and fee schedule add nothing on ice barrier.

Is drip edge required in Flint, 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 Flint building page, permit application and fee schedule add nothing on drip edge.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Flint, 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 Flint building page, permit application and fee schedule state no layer rule of their own.

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

Yes.

What building code does Flint, 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." The City of Flint building permit application (2026) agrees, printing "Michigan Building Codes: Residential - 2015 Commercial - 2021" at its head.