Permitting Authorities / Township of Lee (Midland County) - Building Permits (Township Code Authority of Midland County)
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Township of Lee, MI?
Adopted code
Township of Lee (Midland County) - Building Permits (Township Code Authority of Midland County)
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Township of Lee, MI, issued by Township of Lee (Midland County) - Building Permits (Township Code Authority of Midland County). In Lee Township a reroof starts with the Township Code Authority of Midland County, which issues the township's building permits: the township's newsletter says "the Township Code Authority handles all building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits and inspections" and "The Zoning Administrator and the Planning Commission do not handle building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits.", and its Residential Site Plan Application says "all permits regarding the construction of the structure must be obtained from the Township Code Authority". The Authority's "Building permit 2025" fee sheet prices "NEW ROOF / REPLACEMENT" at $50.00, on top of an application fee of $50.00, a technology fee of $10.00 and an inspection fee of $50.00, with a "PLAN REVIEW FEE (where applicable)" of $50.00/hr, and states no square or cost point at which a reroof needs no permit; its checklist says "A homeowner may secure these permits if the homeowner is doing the work." Lee Township also asks for a residential site plan application for residential projects, which the newsletter says is submitted to the Zoning Administrator at the township hall with no fee; neither document says whether a reroof needs a site plan application, so ask the Zoning Administrator at 989-832-2874. The Authority, in the Midland County Services Building at 220 W. Ellsworth Street, Midland, MI 48640, is open Monday through Thursday from 9AM to 3:30PM and closed Friday; call 989-837-6521, or the building inspector at 989-313-2168. The township hall is at 1485 W. Olson Rd., Midland, MI 48640, and answers at 989-832-2874.
Roof code checklist: Township of Lee, 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 Lee, Midland County, Michigan
Address
220 W. Ellsworth Street, Midland, MI 48640
Contact
- url: https://www.townshipcodeauthority.com/
- phone: 989-837-6521
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
In Lee Township a reroof starts with the Township Code Authority of Midland County, which issues the township's building permits: the township's newsletter says "the Township Code Authority handles all building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits and inspections" and "The Zoning Administrator and the Planning Commission do not handle building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits.", and its Residential Site Plan Application says "all permits regarding the construction of the structure must be obtained from the Township Code Authority". The Authority's "Building permit 2025" fee sheet prices "NEW ROOF / REPLACEMENT" at $50.00, on top of an application fee of $50.00, a technology fee of $10.00 and an inspection fee of $50.00, with a "PLAN REVIEW FEE (where applicable)" of $50.00/hr, and states no square or cost point at which a reroof needs no permit; its checklist says "A homeowner may secure these permits if the homeowner is doing the work." Lee Township also asks for a residential site plan application for residential projects, which the newsletter says is submitted to the Zoning Administrator at the township hall with no fee; neither document says whether a reroof needs a site plan application, so ask the Zoning Administrator at 989-832-2874. The Authority, in the Midland County Services Building at 220 W. Ellsworth Street, Midland, MI 48640, is open Monday through Thursday from 9AM to 3:30PM and closed Friday; call 989-837-6521, or the building inspector at 989-313-2168. The township hall is at 1485 W. Olson Rd., Midland, MI 48640, and answers at 989-832-2874.
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 Lee in Midland County as its own building code enforcer. Locally, Lee Township's Ordinance No. 64, adopted July 8, 2002 and posted as its Structure Code Ordinance, says the township "hereby assumes responsibility for the administration and enforcement of said Act and the Codes promulgated under that Act throughout its territorial boundaries" and designates "the Building Official of the Township of Lee" as the enforcing agency; it names no code edition, and the Authority's checklist, fee sheet and application and the township's FAQ and site plan form name none either, so 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 Township Code Authority's building permit checklist, fee sheet and application, Lee Township's FAQ and its Ordinance No. 64 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 Township Code Authority's building permit checklist, fee sheet and application, Lee Township's FAQ and its Ordinance No. 64 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 Township Code Authority's building permit checklist, fee sheet and application, Lee Township's FAQ and its Ordinance No. 64 were read for a local rule and state nothing further on impact resistance.
Repair permit threshold
The Township Code Authority of Midland County, which issues building permits for Lee Township, prices roof work as its own permit type: the "OTHER" list on the building permit fees sheet in its "Building permit 2025" packet carries the line "NEW ROOF / REPLACEMENT" at $50.00, added to the $50.00 application fee, $10.00 technology fee and $50.00 inspection fee that are "ADDED TO EACH PERMIT". The sheet states no size, square or dollar point below which a reroof needs no permit, and no reroof exemption. Lee Township's FAQ answers "How do I obtain a Building Permit or Certification of Occupancy?" with "Contact Township Code Authority". 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. Neither the Authority nor the township has published a statement applying that relief to 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." Locally, the township's Ordinances page lists a Zoning Ordinance, a Blight Ordinance, a Noise Ordinance, a Police Ordinance and a Structure Code Ordinance; the Structure Code Ordinance, Ordinance No. 64, is its one building instrument and was read in full: it assumes responsibility for the state construction codes, designates the enforcing agencies and sets civil-infraction penalties, has no reroofing provision and amends nothing in Section R908. The Blight Ordinance (Ordinance No. 65) regulates litter, junk and structures made uninhabitable by fire, wind or deterioration and has no roofing provision, and the Zoning Ordinance (effective May 23, 2018, with its text amendments) and the Police Ordinance were searched for roofing text and have no reroofing rule. The Township Code Authority's checklist, fee sheet and application state no layer rule.
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 Township Code Authority's building permit checklist, fee sheet and application, Lee Township's FAQ and its Ordinance No. 64 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 Lee Township FAQ or in the Township Code Authority's fee sheet changes this.
Local roofing hub
Roof permits nearby: Midland County
More roof permit pages in Michigan
Related guides
Building permits for Lee Township in Midland County are issued by the Township Code Authority of Midland County, a body organized on May 1, 1996 to serve the county's townships, at 220 W. Ellsworth Street in Midland; the township's FAQ answers "How do I obtain a Building Permit or Certification of Occupancy?" with "Contact Township Code Authority", and the Authority's coverage list names Lee Twp for building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing work. The township hall is at 1485 W. Olson Rd. in Midland. Michigan applies one residential code statewide, and for houses that is the 2015 Michigan Residential Code.
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