Permitting Authorities / Township of Marathon - Building Department
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Township of Marathon, MI?
Adopted code
Township of Marathon - Building Department
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Township of Marathon, MI, issued by Township of Marathon - Building Department. The township's published permit material says nothing specific about roof work: the Building Department page, the Forms & Permits page, the Building Permit Information sheet and the building permit application name no roofing line and no reroof exemption. 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 Forms & Permits page says "As of April 1st, 2026 our permit fees have changed. Building, Plumbing, Electrical, and Mechanical Inspections are now $85 . The Administration fee is now $100. Zoning Reviews and Plan Reviews are now $85." Ordinance No. 2024-04 provides that fees for permits and inspections "shall be those established by resolution of the township board", and no resolution or full fee schedule is posted. The Building Department page says "Please provide 24-hour notice for an inspection" and lists its hours as "Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 9:00 - 4:00 p.m." Permits are available at the township hall, 4575 Pine Street, Columbiaville, MI 48421, phone 810-793-2002 extension 13. The application is a four-page form that asks for the contractor's license number and expiration date, and its affidavit says the work "shall not be enclosed, covered up, or put into operation until it has been inspected and approved by the inspector." The township's permit information sheet requires drawings for new buildings, additions and accessory buildings and names no drawing requirement for a reroof.
Roof code checklist: Township of Marathon, 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 Marathon, Michigan
Address
4575 Pine Street, Columbiaville, MI 48421
Contact
- url: https://www.marathontownship.com/resources/building-department
- phone: 810-793-2002
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Registration details
- city_level: Marathon Township posts a Construction Contractor Registration form that asks for the contractor's license type and number, expiration date, workers compensation carrier and employer numbers, and says "Please enclose a copy of Contractor License and Drivers License with this application." The township's Forms & Permits page lists the form with the building permit documents, and the building permit application asks for the contractor's license number and expiration date. The pages read do not say whether registration is required before a permit is issued, and no registration fee is posted.
Permit process note
The township's published permit material says nothing specific about roof work: the Building Department page, the Forms & Permits page, the Building Permit Information sheet and the building permit application name no roofing line and no reroof exemption. 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 Forms & Permits page says "As of April 1st, 2026 our permit fees have changed. Building, Plumbing, Electrical, and Mechanical Inspections are now $85 . The Administration fee is now $100. Zoning Reviews and Plan Reviews are now $85." Ordinance No. 2024-04 provides that fees for permits and inspections "shall be those established by resolution of the township board", and no resolution or full fee schedule is posted. The Building Department page says "Please provide 24-hour notice for an inspection" and lists its hours as "Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 9:00 - 4:00 p.m." Permits are available at the township hall, 4575 Pine Street, Columbiaville, MI 48421, phone 810-793-2002 extension 13. The application is a four-page form that asks for the contractor's license number and expiration date, and its affidavit says the work "shall not be enclosed, covered up, or put into operation until it has been inspected and approved by the inspector." The township's permit information sheet requires drawings for new buildings, additions and accessory buildings and names no drawing requirement for a reroof.
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 Marathon as its own building code enforcer. The township's Ordinance No. 2024-04 designates the township "the enforcing agency in the township for the Michigan Building, Residential and Energy Codes as promulgated by the Michigan Construction Code Commission pursuant to Public Act 230 of 1972 as amended" and names no edition. The township's Property Maintenance Code ordinance (No. 2014-2) adopts "The International Property Maintenance Code, 2011", which is a property maintenance code and not a dwelling code, and its Dangerous Buildings Ordinance (No. 80-6) refers to "the township building code" without naming an edition. This record states the 2015 Michigan Residential Code, which the state construction code act applies throughout the state ("This act and the code apply throughout the state," MCL 125.1508a) and which LARA says remains in effect while the Court of Claims order of July 7, 2025 stands.
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 Marathon Township Building Department and Forms & Permits pages, its Building Permit Information sheet and building permit application, and the township's building ordinances 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 Marathon Township Building Department and Forms & Permits pages, its Building Permit Information sheet and building permit application, and the township's building ordinances 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 Marathon Township Building Department and Forms & Permits pages, its permit information sheet and application, and its ordinances and zoning ordinance state no impact rule.
Repair permit threshold
Marathon Township has published nothing that applies a permit or an exemption to roof work: its Building Department page, its Forms & Permits page, its Building Permit Information sheet (adopted September 8th, 2009) and its building permit application (updated 5-15-2025) name no roofing line, no reroof exemption and no size or dollar point below which a repair needs no permit, and the application offers "Alter/Remodel" among its types of permit without defining it. 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. The Building Department says "If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact Marathon Township at (810)793-2002," so for any roof work, large or small, call the township hall 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 building ordinances were read: Ordinance No. 2024-04 (designating the township the enforcing agency for the state codes and setting fees by resolution), Ordinance No. 2025-03 (construction board of appeals), Ordinance No. 2014-2 (the 2011 International Property Maintenance Code, with revisions to sections 101.1, 103.5, 106.3, 107.4, 304.14, 602.3 and 602.4 only), Ordinance No. 80-6 (dangerous buildings), Ordinance No. 2024-05 (fire protection) and Ordinance No. 2017-1 (blight). None has a reroofing provision or amends anything in Section R908, and the township's zoning ordinance was searched and mentions roofs only in its sign rules. The Building Department's pages, permit information 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 Marathon Township Building Department and Forms & Permits pages, its Building Permit Information sheet and building permit application, and the township's building ordinances 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 Marathon Township Building Department and Forms & Permits pages changes this.
Local roofing hub
More roof permit pages in Michigan
Related guides
Marathon Township's Building Department, at the township hall at 4575 Pine Street in Columbiaville, is the township's own in-house department: its page says "All building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits within Marathon Township and Columbiaville, as well as new addresses, are issued at the Township Hall." Ordinance No. 2024-04 designates the township as the enforcing agency for the state building, residential and energy codes, and the State of Michigan's jurisdiction list names the Township of Marathon in Lapeer County as its own building code enforcer. The Village of Columbiaville is a separate unit on the state's list and is not covered by this record. Michigan applies one residential code statewide, and for houses that is the 2015 Michigan Residential Code.
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