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Permitting Authorities / City of Highland Park - Building Department

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

Adopted code

City of Highland Park - Building Department

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Highland Park, MI, issued by City of Highland Park - Building Department. In Highland Park a reroof is permit work: the Building Department page lists "ROOFING" first among its "PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE PERMITS". The city's fee schedule (effective November 18, 2024) charges a "$50.00 non-refundable application fee" plus a permit fee of "$0.00 to $2,000.00 = $93.00" and "$2,001.00 up = $93.00 plus an additional $13.00 per thousand, or fraction thereof over $2,000.00", plan review of "Residential alteration or accessory structure = $75.00", and "An investigative fee equal to the permit cost shall be assessed if any permit was not obtained prior to the commencement of work". Contractor registration is "$35.00 annually for building, moving, demolition, concrete and sign contractors." The page says "Plans are required for all residential new builds, additions, and alterations" and "the Building Official may waive the requirement if code compliance can be clearly determined from the description provided in the permit application." Applications can be submitted in person or electronically during office hours (Monday through Thursday 9am to 4:30pm, closed noon to 1pm, with applications no longer processed after 4pm; Friday 9am to 1pm), the building inspector is in on Mondays and Wednesdays, and "inspections have to be called in 24 to 48 hours ahead of time and must be called or emailed in by 330pm daily". The department is at 12050 Woodward Ave., Highland Park, MI 48203, 313-252-0050 ext. 209.

Roof code checklist: Highland Park, MI

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYeshighlandparkmi.gov2026-10-11
Repair permit thresholdPublishedhighlandparkmi.gov2026-10-11
Layer limit / roof-overPublishedR908.3.1.1codes.iccsafe.org2026-10-11
Deck & sheathingPublishedR905.2.1codes.iccsafe.org2026-10-11
Drip edgeYesR905.2.8.5codes.iccsafe.org2026-10-11
Ice & water shieldYesR905.1.2ars.apps.lara.state.mi.us2026-10-11
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNoars.apps.lara.state.mi.us2026-10-11
Wind design criteriaNot published
Adopted codePublishedars.apps.lara.state.mi.us2026-10-11
Contractor license / registrationYeslegislature.mi.gov2026-10-11
Sales & use taxPublishedlegislature.mi.gov2026-10-11

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 Highland Park, Michigan
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
12050 Woodward Ave., Highland Park, MI 48203
Contact
  • url: https://highlandparkmi.gov/services/community-economic-development/building-department/
  • phone: 313-252-0050
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: The Building Department page says to "complete the contractor registration (if applicable)" and that "Trade contractors performing work within the City are subject to an annual contractor registration fee ranging from $15.00 to $35.00, depending on the trade and registration classification." The fee schedule says "Contractor registration fee shall be $35.00 annually for building, moving, demolition, concrete and sign contractors." The city's Contractor Registration Form (revised 09-2025) asks for the contractor's licence number and expiration date, a MESC employer number, a federal employer ID number and a workers compensation carrier, each with a place for "Reason For Exemption". The registration files the state credential, insurance and a fee; the city sets no licence class, bond or examination of its own in the pages read. This record does not decide whether a given roofer falls inside a state exemption.
Permit process note
In Highland Park a reroof is permit work: the Building Department page lists "ROOFING" first among its "PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE PERMITS". The city's fee schedule (effective November 18, 2024) charges a "$50.00 non-refundable application fee" plus a permit fee of "$0.00 to $2,000.00 = $93.00" and "$2,001.00 up = $93.00 plus an additional $13.00 per thousand, or fraction thereof over $2,000.00", plan review of "Residential alteration or accessory structure = $75.00", and "An investigative fee equal to the permit cost shall be assessed if any permit was not obtained prior to the commencement of work". Contractor registration is "$35.00 annually for building, moving, demolition, concrete and sign contractors." The page says "Plans are required for all residential new builds, additions, and alterations" and "the Building Official may waive the requirement if code compliance can be clearly determined from the description provided in the permit application." Applications can be submitted in person or electronically during office hours (Monday through Thursday 9am to 4:30pm, closed noon to 1pm, with applications no longer processed after 4pm; Friday 9am to 1pm), the building inspector is in on Mondays and Wednesdays, and "inspections have to be called in 24 to 48 hours ahead of time and must be called or emailed in by 330pm daily". The department is at 12050 Woodward Ave., Highland Park, MI 48203, 313-252-0050 ext. 209.
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 Highland Park as its own building code enforcer. The Highland Park Building Department page, read October 11, 2026, says "The 2021 Michigan Building Code (MBC), based on the 2021 International Building Code (IBC), which became effective on April 9, 2025." and lists "MRC 2021 Residential" among the codes it names, which differs from the state notice above; this record states the 2015 Michigan Residential Code for the reasons above. Ask the department, 313-252-0050 ext. 209, which edition it reviews roof work against. The city's codified Part Fourteen (Building and Housing Code) is posted in its Municode library without readable text, so that text 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 Highland Park Building Department page, building permit application and fee schedule 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). The Highland Park Building Department page, building permit application and fee schedule 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." The Highland Park Building Department page, building permit application and fee schedule were read for a local rule and state nothing further on impact resistance.
Repair permit threshold
No size or cost threshold is published. The Highland Park Building Department page, read October 11, 2026, lists "ROOFING" under "PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE PERMITS" and notes that "this list is not exhaustive and is at the discretion of the Building Official." Under "Permits are not required for minor repairs or landscaping;" it lists tuck pointing, painting, broken glass and screens, existing switches and outlets, kitchen cabinets and flooring, with no roof item. The same page's FAQ restates the ordinary-repairs rule, "A permit is not required for ordinary repairs.", and says such repairs shall not include cutting away a wall, removing a structural beam or bearing support, or changing a required means of egress; it names no roof work in that answer. 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. For a small roof repair, ask the department (313-252-0050 ext. 209) 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." Locally, the Highland Park Building Department page, building permit application and fee schedule were read and state no layer rule. The city's codified Part Fourteen (Building and Housing Code) is posted in its Municode library without readable text, so no city building ordinance was 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 Highland Park Building Department page, building permit application and fee schedule 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 Highland Park Building Department page or in its fee schedule changes this.

Local roofing hub

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The City of Highland Park Building Department, in City Hall at 12050 Woodward Ave., takes building permit applications and inspects construction in the city, and the State of Michigan's Statewide Jurisdiction List names the City of Highland Park as its own building code enforcer. Its Building Department page lists "ROOFING" first among its "PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE PERMITS". Michigan's single state construction code applies, and for houses that is the 2015 Michigan Residential Code.

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Sources

Roofing questions: Highland Park, MI

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

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Highland Park, MI. No size or cost threshold is published. The Highland Park Building Department page, read October 11, 2026, lists "ROOFING" under "PROJECTS THAT REQUIRE PERMITS" and notes that "this list is not exhaustive and is at the discretion of the Building Official." Under "Permits are not required for minor repairs or landscaping;" it lists tuck pointing, painting, broken glass and screens, existing switches and outlets, kitchen cabinets and flooring, with no roof item. The same page's FAQ restates the ordinary-repairs rule, "A permit is not required for ordinary repairs.", and says such repairs shall not include cutting away a wall, removing a structural beam or bearing support, or changing a required means of egress; it names no roof work in that answer. 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. For a small roof repair, ask the department (313-252-0050 ext. 209) before starting.

Is ice & water shield required in Highland Park, 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 Highland Park Building Department page, building permit application and fee schedule were read for a local rule and state nothing further on ice barrier.

Is drip edge required in Highland Park, 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 Highland Park Building Department page, building permit application and fee schedule were read for a local rule and state nothing further on drip edge.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Highland Park, 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 Highland Park Building Department page, building permit application and fee schedule were read and state no layer rule. The city's codified Part Fourteen (Building and Housing Code) is posted in its Municode library without readable text, so no city building ordinance was read for this record.

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

Yes.

What building code does Highland Park, 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 Highland Park as its own building code enforcer. The Highland Park Building Department page, read October 11, 2026, says "The 2021 Michigan Building Code (MBC), based on the 2021 International Building Code (IBC), which became effective on April 9, 2025." and lists "MRC 2021 Residential" among the codes it names, which differs from the state notice above; this record states the 2015 Michigan Residential Code for the reasons above. Ask the department, 313-252-0050 ext. 209, which edition it reviews roof work against. The city's codified Part Fourteen (Building and Housing Code) is posted in its Municode library without readable text, so that text was not read for this record.