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Permitting Authorities / Township of Ontwa - Building Inspector

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Township of Ontwa, MI?

Adopted code

Township of Ontwa - Building Inspector

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Township of Ontwa, MI, issued by Township of Ontwa - Building Inspector. Ontwa Township takes building permit applications by email to the building inspector, by mail to Ontwa Township, P.O. Box 209, Edwardsburg, MI 49112, or in person at the township hall at 26225 U.S. 12 on the building inspector's days; the application says "You have 3 ways to submit the Permit Application form" and "In most cases I can email your permit back to you after I receive payment." The township directory gives the Building Inspector's hours as Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 9am to 1pm, and says "24 hours notice for inspections"; the township office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, and the office line is 269-663-2347. The July 2019 fee sheet lists "Roofing (of total cost) 1%" and says "Fees doubled as a fine for starting a job without a building permit." Its second page is the state Bureau of Construction Codes building permit fee schedule, which prints "to $1,000 (includes one inspection only)" at $75.00 and is marked "Effective Date - April 1, 2013"; the sheet does not say which of its two schedules the township applies to a roofing permit, so ask the township office for the current fee. Electrical, mechanical and plumbing work have their own permit applications and inspectors.

Roof code checklist: Township of Ontwa, MI

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYesontwatwp.org2026-10-11
Repair permit thresholdPublishedontwatwp.org2026-10-11
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
Township of Ontwa, Michigan
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
26225 US 12, Edwardsburg, MI 49112
Contact
  • url: https://www.ontwatwp.org/downloads
  • phone: 269-663-2347
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 township's building permit application asks for the contractor's builders licence number and expiration date and for "Workers Comp Insurance Carrier or reason for exemption"; the township's fee sheet, Apps/Forms page and ordinance list publish no contractor registration or licence of the township's own. This record does not decide whether a given roofer falls inside a state exemption.
Permit process note
Ontwa Township takes building permit applications by email to the building inspector, by mail to Ontwa Township, P.O. Box 209, Edwardsburg, MI 49112, or in person at the township hall at 26225 U.S. 12 on the building inspector's days; the application says "You have 3 ways to submit the Permit Application form" and "In most cases I can email your permit back to you after I receive payment." The township directory gives the Building Inspector's hours as Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 9am to 1pm, and says "24 hours notice for inspections"; the township office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, and the office line is 269-663-2347. The July 2019 fee sheet lists "Roofing (of total cost) 1%" and says "Fees doubled as a fine for starting a job without a building permit." Its second page is the state Bureau of Construction Codes building permit fee schedule, which prints "to $1,000 (includes one inspection only)" at $75.00 and is marked "Effective Date - April 1, 2013"; the sheet does not say which of its two schedules the township applies to a roofing permit, so ask the township office for the current fee. Electrical, mechanical and plumbing work have their own permit applications and inspectors.
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." The State of Michigan's Statewide Jurisdiction List names the Township of Ontwa as its own building code enforcer. The township's building permit application carries an energy code worksheet headed "REQUIRED BY N1103.6 (R403.6) OF RESIDENTIAL CODE 2015", and the township's Zoning Ordinance (adopted January 12, 2026) refers to "the adopted Building Code of Ontwa Township" without naming an edition; the township's ordinance page posts no building code ordinance, and none of the township instruments read names an older dwelling code edition.
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's posted ordinances list, its fee sheet and its building permit application 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 township's posted ordinances list, its fee sheet and its building permit application 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 township's posted ordinances list, its fee sheet and its building permit application were read for a local rule and state nothing further on impact resistance.
Repair permit threshold
No size or cost threshold is published. The Ontwa Township fee sheet that the township's Apps/Forms page links as "Township Approved Fees" is headed "Ontwa Township Approved Fees - July 2019" and lists a roofing fee line, "Roofing (of total cost) 1%", among the building permit fees it sends to the Zoning/Building Administrator, with "Fees doubled as a fine for starting a job without a building permit." The township's building permit application asks the applicant to mark a project type that includes "Repair/Replacement" and to give an "Estimated Cost of Project", and it states no point below which roof work needs no permit. 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, call the township office at 269-663-2347 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 ordinance page lists no building code ordinance. Its Zoning Ordinance refers to "the adopted Building Code of Ontwa Township", but that code is not posted, so no local roofing rule could be read and this record declares no layer classification. The township's fee sheet and building permit 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's posted ordinances list, its fee sheet and its 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 Ontwa Township fee sheet or building permit application changes this.

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The Township of Ontwa's building inspector, at the township hall at 26225 US 12 in Edwardsburg, takes building permit applications and inspects construction in the township, and separate electrical and mechanical and plumbing inspectors handle those trades. The State of Michigan's jurisdiction list names the Township of Ontwa 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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Sources

Roofing questions: Township of Ontwa, MI

Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Township of Ontwa, MI?

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Township of Ontwa, MI. No size or cost threshold is published. The Ontwa Township fee sheet that the township's Apps/Forms page links as "Township Approved Fees" is headed "Ontwa Township Approved Fees - July 2019" and lists a roofing fee line, "Roofing (of total cost) 1%", among the building permit fees it sends to the Zoning/Building Administrator, with "Fees doubled as a fine for starting a job without a building permit." The township's building permit application asks the applicant to mark a project type that includes "Repair/Replacement" and to give an "Estimated Cost of Project", and it states no point below which roof work needs no permit. 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, call the township office at 269-663-2347 before starting.

Is ice & water shield required in Township of Ontwa, 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 township's posted ordinances list, its fee sheet and its building permit application were read for a local rule and state nothing further on ice barrier.

Is drip edge required in Township of Ontwa, 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 township's posted ordinances list, its fee sheet and its building permit application were read for a local rule and state nothing further on drip edge.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Township of Ontwa, 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 township's ordinance page lists no building code ordinance. Its Zoning Ordinance refers to "the adopted Building Code of Ontwa Township", but that code is not posted, so no local roofing rule could be read and this record declares no layer classification. The township's fee sheet and building permit application state no layer rule.

Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Township of Ontwa, MI?

Yes.

What building code does Township of Ontwa, 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." The State of Michigan's Statewide Jurisdiction List names the Township of Ontwa as its own building code enforcer. The township's building permit application carries an energy code worksheet headed "REQUIRED BY N1103.6 (R403.6) OF RESIDENTIAL CODE 2015", and the township's Zoning Ordinance (adopted January 12, 2026) refers to "the adopted Building Code of Ontwa Township" without naming an edition; the township's ordinance page posts no building code ordinance, and none of the township instruments read names an older dwelling code edition.