Permitting Authorities / Township of LaGrange - Building Department
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Township of LaGrange, MI?
Adopted code
Township of LaGrange - Building Department
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Township of LaGrange, MI, issued by Township of LaGrange - Building Department. LaGrange Township publishes nothing specific to roof work: its permit instructions, its Forms page, its Building Permit Application and its fee resolution name no roofing 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 nothing applying that relief to roof work. The township's permit instructions say "The completed Building and Zoning permit applications must be approved by the Zoning Official before the building permit can be issued." and give the Zoning Official's line as 269-535-7463; they add "IF YOU START CONSTRUCTION BEFORE THE PERMITS ARE ISSUED, ALL FEES ARE DOUBLED." and say checks are made payable to LaGrange Township. The Building Permit Application tells applicants where to send completed applications and to call the contact the form names at 574.849.5965 with questions. The township's fee resolution (Resolution #13-2024, adopted May 20, 2024) lists fees for FOIA copies, land divisions and zoning matters and no building permit fee, so ask the township for the current building permit fee. The township hall is at 58253 M-62, Cassopolis, MI 49031; its Contact Info says "The Township hall is not operated full-time. If you have questions, please call 269-233-4004.".
Roof code checklist: Township of LaGrange, MI
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 LaGrange, Cass County, Michigan
Address
58253 M-62, Cassopolis, MI 49031
Contact
- url: https://www.lagrangetownshipmi.com/forms
- phone: 269-233-4004
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
LaGrange Township publishes nothing specific to roof work: its permit instructions, its Forms page, its Building Permit Application and its fee resolution name no roofing 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 nothing applying that relief to roof work. The township's permit instructions say "The completed Building and Zoning permit applications must be approved by the Zoning Official before the building permit can be issued." and give the Zoning Official's line as 269-535-7463; they add "IF YOU START CONSTRUCTION BEFORE THE PERMITS ARE ISSUED, ALL FEES ARE DOUBLED." and say checks are made payable to LaGrange Township. The Building Permit Application tells applicants where to send completed applications and to call the contact the form names at 574.849.5965 with questions. The township's fee resolution (Resolution #13-2024, adopted May 20, 2024) lists fees for FOIA copies, land divisions and zoning matters and no building permit fee, so ask the township for the current building permit fee. The township hall is at 58253 M-62, Cassopolis, MI 49031; its Contact Info says "The Township hall is not operated full-time. If you have questions, please call 269-233-4004."
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 LaGrange in Cass County as its own building code enforcer. Locally, the township's permit instructions, Forms page and Building Permit Application name no code edition; the application is the state form, which refers to "Buildings Regulated by the Michigan Residential Code". The township's Ordinances page lists a Cass County ORV Ordinance, a Noxious Weed Ordinance, a Knox Box Ordinance, a Short-term Rentals Ordinance and a Zoning Amendment Ordinance and no building code ordinance, so no local code adoption was read.
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 LaGrange Township permit instructions, Forms page and Building Permit Application were read for a local rule and state nothing further on drip edge.
About drip edgeIce & 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 LaGrange Township permit instructions, Forms page and Building Permit Application were read for a local rule and state nothing further on ice barrier.
About ice & water barrierImpact-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 LaGrange Township permit instructions, Forms page and Building Permit Application were read for a local rule and state nothing further on impact resistance.
Repair permit threshold
LaGrange Township publishes no roofing line, no reroof exemption and no size, square or dollar point below which roof work needs no permit. Its Forms page lists "When do I need a permit in LaGrange Township?", a building permit application, a permit fee schedule and electrical, mechanical and plumbing applications; the permit instructions say "The completed Building and Zoning permit applications must be approved by the Zoning Official before the building permit can be issued." and name no roofing; the township's Building Permit Application is the state form (BCC-324, 04/2024) whose "Purpose of Project" list has generic New Building, Addition, Alteration, Repair and similar boxes and no roofing box. The state part: 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. For a reroof or a small roof repair, call the township at 269-233-4004 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 township's permit instructions, Forms page and Building Permit Application state no layer rule. The township's Ordinances page says "Below is a list of the active ordinances in LaGrange Township. Please note, this is not a comprehensive list." and lists no building ordinance, so no local building ordinance was read for Section R908.
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 LaGrange Township permit instructions, Forms page and Building Permit Application 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 LaGrange Township pages or in its fee resolution changes this.
Local roofing hub
Roof permits nearby: Cass County
More roof permit pages in Michigan
Related guides
LaGrange Township, in Cass County, requires the Zoning Official to approve the building and zoning permit applications before a building permit is issued, and posts the building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing permit applications and a fee resolution on its Forms page; the township hall is at 58253 M-62 near Cassopolis. 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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