Permitting Authorities / Township of Sumpter - Building Department
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Township of Sumpter, MI?
Adopted code
Township of Sumpter - Building Department
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Township of Sumpter, MI, issued by Township of Sumpter - Building Department. The Township of Sumpter has published nothing that names roof work either way: its 2026 building permit application, its permit process chart, its addition, deck and accessory building guidelines, Chapter 6 of its code and the building fees in Appendix B of its code have no roofing line. With the department 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 department has published nothing applying that relief to roof work. Questions go to the Building Department at 734-256-4420 (the building clerk is listed at 734-461-6201, extension 2233); the office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and the building inspector inspects on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11 am to 3 pm and Thursdays from 1 pm to 4 pm. The 2026 application charges a "$75.00 APPLICATION/BASE FEE (NON-REFUNDABLE)" plus a "$50.00 FINAL INSPECTION ADDED AUTOMATICALLY", plus a fee on valuation, and asks for a "Signed copy of customer proposal and or contract." The codified fee appendix (Supplement 30, 2023) prices "Repairs, alterations and decks" at a $50.00 base fee plus $8.00 for each $1,000.00 of estimated cost; the application's 2026 figures are the newer ones, so confirm the current fee with the department. The application says "Contractor must be registered with the Sumpter Township", and the codified contractor registration fee is $25.00.
Roof code checklist: Township of Sumpter, 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 Sumpter, Michigan
Address
23480 Sumpter Road, Belleville, MI 48111
Contact
- url: https://www.sumptertwp.org/departments/building_department.php
- phone: 734-256-4420
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
The Township of Sumpter has published nothing that names roof work either way: its 2026 building permit application, its permit process chart, its addition, deck and accessory building guidelines, Chapter 6 of its code and the building fees in Appendix B of its code have no roofing line. With the department 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 department has published nothing applying that relief to roof work. Questions go to the Building Department at 734-256-4420 (the building clerk is listed at 734-461-6201, extension 2233); the office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and the building inspector inspects on Tuesdays and Fridays from 11 am to 3 pm and Thursdays from 1 pm to 4 pm. The 2026 application charges a "$75.00 APPLICATION/BASE FEE (NON-REFUNDABLE)" plus a "$50.00 FINAL INSPECTION ADDED AUTOMATICALLY", plus a fee on valuation, and asks for a "Signed copy of customer proposal and or contract." The codified fee appendix (Supplement 30, 2023) prices "Repairs, alterations and decks" at a $50.00 base fee plus $8.00 for each $1,000.00 of estimated cost; the application's 2026 figures are the newer ones, so confirm the current fee with the department. The application says "Contractor must be registered with the Sumpter Township", and the codified contractor registration fee is $25.00.
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 Sumpter as its own building code enforcer. The Building Department's current addition guidelines say "All plans must adhere to the 2015 Michigan Residential Code (MRC) standards". Section 6-31 of the township's Code of Ordinances still names the BOCA National Building Code, 1993 Edition, as the adopted township building code; that 1993 text was not read for this record, and the department's own current guidelines name the 2015 Michigan Residential Code.
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 of Sumpter's 2026 permit application, its building guidelines, Chapter 6 of its code and its fee appendix 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 of Sumpter's 2026 permit application, its building guidelines, Chapter 6 of its code and its fee appendix 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 of Sumpter's 2026 permit application, its building guidelines, Chapter 6 of its code and its fee appendix were read for a local rule and state nothing further on impact resistance.
Repair permit threshold
Sumpter Township publishes no size or dollar line below which roof work needs no permit. State law requires that "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" and says "A building permit is not required for ordinary repairs of a building or structure." (MCL 125.1510) without defining ordinary repairs. Chapter 6 of the township code, its fee appendix and the Building Department's permit application and guidelines were read and do not apply that relief to roof work or name roof work either way.
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 of Sumpter's own building ordinance, Chapter 6 of its Code of Ordinances (Housing and Building Regulations), was read in full: it has no roofing provision and amends nothing in Section R908, and the township's permit application, guidelines and fee appendix state no layer rule. Section 6-31 of that chapter still names the BOCA National Building Code, 1993 Edition, whose text was not read for this record; the department's current guidelines name the 2015 Michigan Residential Code.
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 of Sumpter's 2026 permit application, its building guidelines, Chapter 6 of its code and its fee appendix 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 Township of Sumpter's Building Department pages changes this.
Local roofing hub
More roof permit pages in Michigan
Related guides
The Township of Sumpter's Building Department, at the township offices at 23480 Sumpter Road in Belleville, issues building permits and inspects construction in the township. Section 6-4 of the Sumpter Code of Ordinances says the township assumes enforcement of the State Construction Code Act, and 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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