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Permitting Authorities / City of Hartford - Building Department

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

Adopted code

City of Hartford - Building Department

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Hartford, MI, issued by City of Hartford - Building Department. In the City of Hartford roof work is listed on both sides of the permit line on the Permit Information page, which is undated and was read on October 14, 2026. The page says "A building permit is NOT needed when:" and lists "If only one layer of roofing shingles and stripping"; it also says "Building permits are NEEDED when:" and lists "Any/all additions, alterations, roof stripping, demolitions or moving of structure, change of occupancy, usage". This record does not decide how the department reads the two lines together; it publishes a reroof as permit work because the page names roof stripping on its permit-required side. The page adds "Building permit applications also require a zoning form to be filled out and turned in." The city's Building Permit Application asks for the estimated value of construction and a project description and has no roofing box. The Building Department fee schedule, effective March 1, 2025, prices a building permit by the value of the work ("$80.00 plus $10 per $1,000 over $1,000" for work from $1,000 to $10,000), says "The $50.00 permit application fee is not refundable.", charges $100.00 for each additional inspection, and has no roofing line. The department is at 19 West Main Street, Hartford, MI 49057; the Building Official's line is 269-876-7244 and the city hall line is 269-621-2477.

Roof code checklist: Hartford, MI

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYescityofhartfordmi.org2026-10-15
Repair permit thresholdPublishedcityofhartfordmi.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
City of Hartford, Michigan
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
19 West Main Street, Hartford, MI 49057
Contact
  • url: https://cityofhartfordmi.org/1239/Permit-Information
  • phone: 269-876-7244
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.
Permit process note
In the City of Hartford roof work is listed on both sides of the permit line on the Permit Information page, which is undated and was read on October 14, 2026. The page says "A building permit is NOT needed when:" and lists "If only one layer of roofing shingles and stripping"; it also says "Building permits are NEEDED when:" and lists "Any/all additions, alterations, roof stripping, demolitions or moving of structure, change of occupancy, usage". This record does not decide how the department reads the two lines together; it publishes a reroof as permit work because the page names roof stripping on its permit-required side. The page adds "Building permit applications also require a zoning form to be filled out and turned in." The city's Building Permit Application asks for the estimated value of construction and a project description and has no roofing box. The Building Department fee schedule, effective March 1, 2025, prices a building permit by the value of the work ("$80.00 plus $10 per $1,000 over $1,000" for work from $1,000 to $10,000), says "The $50.00 permit application fee is not refundable.", charges $100.00 for each additional inspection, and has no roofing line. The department is at 19 West Main Street, Hartford, MI 49057; the Building Official's line is 269-876-7244 and the city hall line is 269-621-2477.
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 Hartford as its own building code enforcer for building and electrical work, and the State for plumbing. The city's Permit Information page, Building Department page, building permit application and fee schedule name no residential code edition, and the city has published no statement naming the edition it enforces. The city's Code of Ordinances is posted as a scanned image of a 2017 supplement current through Ord. 313-16, passed 8-22-2016, with a Chapter 150 on buildings and building regulations; the scan has no text layer, and this directory has not read Chapter 150 or any building code it adopts. This record states the 2015 Michigan Residential Code for the reasons above.
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's Permit Information page and fee schedule were read for a local rule and state nothing further on drip edge; the scanned Code of Ordinances was not read. 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's Permit Information page and fee schedule were read for a local rule and state nothing further on ice barrier; the scanned Code of Ordinances was not read. 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's Permit Information page and fee schedule were read for a local rule and state nothing further on impact resistance; the scanned Code of Ordinances was not read.
Repair permit threshold
The City of Hartford's Permit Information page lists roof work on both sides of its permit line. Under "A building permit is NOT needed when:" it lists "If only one layer of roofing shingles and stripping", and under "Building permits are NEEDED when:" it lists "Any/all additions, alterations, roof stripping, demolitions or moving of structure, change of occupancy, usage". The page is undated and was read on October 14, 2026. It sets no square, area or dollar point and does not say what it means by roof stripping, so it leaves open whether a small roof repair or a single-layer overlay needs a permit. Michigan's construction code act says "A building permit is not required for ordinary repairs of a building or structure" and does not define ordinary repairs. The city has published nothing applying that relief to roof work beyond the page above. Call the Building Official at 269-876-7244 before any roof work.
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 Permit Information page lists "If only one layer of roofing shingles and stripping" among the work that needs no building permit and states no cap on layers. The city's Code of Ordinances is a scanned image with no text layer and was not read, so this directory has not read whether the city amends anything in Section R908, and this record does not classify the layer limit.
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's Permit Information page and fee schedule were read for a local rule and state nothing further on roof sheathing; the scanned Code of Ordinances was not read.
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 Hartford Building Department pages or in its fee schedule changes this.

Local roofing hub

Roofing in Hartford, MichiganCity hub

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The City of Hartford's Building Department, at City Hall, 19 West Main Street in Hartford, posts a Permit Information page, building permit forms, a fee schedule and a Building Official on the city website. LARA's Statewide Jurisdiction List names the City 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: Hartford, MI

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

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Hartford, MI. The City of Hartford's Permit Information page lists roof work on both sides of its permit line. Under "A building permit is NOT needed when:" it lists "If only one layer of roofing shingles and stripping", and under "Building permits are NEEDED when:" it lists "Any/all additions, alterations, roof stripping, demolitions or moving of structure, change of occupancy, usage". The page is undated and was read on October 14, 2026. It sets no square, area or dollar point and does not say what it means by roof stripping, so it leaves open whether a small roof repair or a single-layer overlay needs a permit. Michigan's construction code act says "A building permit is not required for ordinary repairs of a building or structure" and does not define ordinary repairs. The city has published nothing applying that relief to roof work beyond the page above. Call the Building Official at 269-876-7244 before any roof work.

Is ice & water shield required in Hartford, 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's Permit Information page and fee schedule were read for a local rule and state nothing further on ice barrier; the scanned Code of Ordinances was not read.

Is drip edge required in Hartford, 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's Permit Information page and fee schedule were read for a local rule and state nothing further on drip edge; the scanned Code of Ordinances was not read.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Hartford, 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 Permit Information page lists "If only one layer of roofing shingles and stripping" among the work that needs no building permit and states no cap on layers. The city's Code of Ordinances is a scanned image with no text layer and was not read, so this directory has not read whether the city amends anything in Section R908, and this record does not classify the layer limit.

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

Yes.

What building code does Hartford, 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 Hartford as its own building code enforcer for building and electrical work, and the State for plumbing. The city's Permit Information page, Building Department page, building permit application and fee schedule name no residential code edition, and the city has published no statement naming the edition it enforces. The city's Code of Ordinances is posted as a scanned image of a 2017 supplement current through Ord. 313-16, passed 8-22-2016, with a Chapter 150 on buildings and building regulations; the scan has no text layer, and this directory has not read Chapter 150 or any building code it adopts. This record states the 2015 Michigan Residential Code for the reasons above.