Mecosta County - Building & Zoning

Mecosta County, Michigan (1 city, 3 villages and 13 townships on the county building program)

county

14485 Northland Drive, Big Rapids, MI 49307

Required

Mecosta County Building & Zoning has published nothing specific to roof work. Its building permit information sheet, dated 1/30/2026, says "One is required before any construction, enlargement, alteration, total removal or demolition if a structure is begun" and "A permit is NOT required for ordinary repairs or for improvements that do not affect the integrity of the structure", and 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 state section says "A building permit is not required for ordinary repairs of a building or structure," without defining ordinary repairs, and the department has published nothing applying either relief to roof work. Its frequently asked questions, last dated 6/22/2020, say "Fees vary; they are based on what is being built, square footage, etc." and its fee schedule, adopted by county Resolution 2017-09 effective December 1, 2017, has no roofing line and lists "Starting Work Without a Permit" at $500. The permit information sheet says "Building permits may be obtained by either a Licensed Contractor or a homeowner doing his own work, in a single-family dwelling, which he owns and is living in or is about to occupy", and to schedule an inspection call 231-592-0105, where "In most cases, 24-hour, advanced notice is required." The permit application says a permit "shall become invalid if the authorized work has not begun within 6 mos. after issuance". Zoning clearance goes with the application. The office is at 14485 Northland Dr., Big Rapids, MI 49307, with office hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. It serves the units the state's jurisdiction list assigns to the county; the Village of Mecosta and the townships of Big Rapids, Mecosta and Morton enforce for themselves.

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 assigns building code enforcement in 1 city, 3 villages and 13 townships of Mecosta County to the county; the Village of Mecosta and the townships of Big Rapids, Mecosta and Morton are listed as enforcing for themselves. The Mecosta County Building & Zoning page, read October 10, 2026, says the department "is authorized and directed by the State of Michigan and the County of Mecosta to enforce the provisions of the Michigan Residential Code, the Michigan Building Code and the Mecosta County Zoning Ordinance" and names no edition.

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 Mecosta County Building & Zoning pages, permit information sheet, residential requirements sheet and permit application were read for a local rule and state nothing further on drip edge. About drip edge

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 Mecosta County Building & Zoning pages, permit information sheet, residential requirements sheet and permit application were read for a local rule and state nothing further on ice barrier. About ice & water barrier

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 Mecosta County Building & Zoning pages, permit information sheet, residential requirements sheet and permit application were read for a local rule and state no impact rule.

No size or cost threshold is published. The Mecosta County Building & Zoning Department's permit information sheet says "A permit is NOT required for ordinary repairs or for improvements that do not affect the integrity of the structure" without defining either, and names no roofing work; its fee schedule has no roofing line and its building permit application lists "REPAIR" and "ALTERATION" among the types of improvement. Under state law, "A building permit is not required for ordinary repairs of a building or structure." (MCL 125.1510), also without a definition of ordinary repairs. For a small roof repair, ask the department (231-592-0105) before starting.

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 Mecosta County Building & Zoning pages, permit information sheet, frequently asked questions, fee schedule and building permit application were read and state no layer rule. The department publishes no building ordinance; the only county ordinance on its page is the Mecosta County Zoning Ordinance (Rev. 11-1-24), whose full text was searched for roof, shingle, reroof, layer, tear-off and R908, and every hit was read: they concern building height, signs, solar and wind equipment, snow load for dwellings and definitions of alteration, and none concerns re-covering a roof or the number of roof layers.

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 Mecosta County Building & Zoning pages, permit information sheet, residential requirements sheet and permit application were read for a local rule and state nothing further on roof sheathing; the residential requirements sheet asks for truss specifications and says "40 lb. Snow Load in Mecosta Co." for new-construction plans.

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." The same 6% applies throughout Mecosta County.