Permitting Authorities / Chelsea Area Construction Agency - Building Permits for Sylvan Township
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Township of Sylvan, MI?
Adopted code
Chelsea Area Construction Agency - Building Permits for Sylvan Township
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Township of Sylvan, MI, issued by Chelsea Area Construction Agency - Building Permits for Sylvan Township. In Sylvan Township the building permit comes from the Chelsea Area Construction Agency, not from the township: the township's Planning & Zoning page says "Upon receiving zoning permit approvals from Sylvan Township, it is essential to collaborate with CACA to obtain a building permit", and the Agency's FAQ answers "Do I need a building permit for a roofing job, siding replacement, or a window replacement?" with "Yes, after contacting your township, print out an Instant Building Permit App and submit it." The township's Planning & Zoning page lists "Projects that do not require a Zoning Permit" include "Roofing or siding replacement that does not expand the building envelope", which is a zoning permit statement and leaves the building permit to the Agency, so a roofer should ask the township whether a zoning permit is needed and apply to the Agency for the building permit. The Agency's FAQ says "Under normal circumstances, the permit can be issued the next business day" and that the inspector can usually do an inspection "the next business day"; its fee schedule (2.24.2025) lists an application fee of $30.00 and says "In the event that construction activities have begun prior to the issuance of a permit, the applicant is subject to working without a permit fee of $100.00 Residential/$130.00 Commercial." The Agency's home page shows building inspections Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 11:30, by calling 734-475-4420, and office hours of Monday through Thursday 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM and Friday 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The Agency's FAQ says it accepts cash or check, while its home page says credit and debit cards are now accepted. Separate applications are needed for plumbing, mechanical and electrical work. The Agency also covers the City of Chelsea and Dexter, Lima and Lyndon Townships. Sylvan Township's offices are at 18027 Old US 12, Chelsea, MI 48118, 734-475-8890.
Roof code checklist: Township of Sylvan, 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 Sylvan, Washtenaw County, Michigan
Address
12172 Jackson Road, Dexter, MI 48130
Contact
- url: https://cacagency.org/
- phone: 734-475-4420
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 Agency's building permit application asks for the contractor's "BUILDERS LICENSE NUMBER", and neither the Agency's pages nor Chapter 8 of the Sylvan Township Code of Ordinances publish a contractor registration or licence of their own. This record does not decide whether a given roofer falls inside a state exemption.
Permit process note
In Sylvan Township the building permit comes from the Chelsea Area Construction Agency, not from the township: the township's Planning & Zoning page says "Upon receiving zoning permit approvals from Sylvan Township, it is essential to collaborate with CACA to obtain a building permit", and the Agency's FAQ answers "Do I need a building permit for a roofing job, siding replacement, or a window replacement?" with "Yes, after contacting your township, print out an Instant Building Permit App and submit it." The township's Planning & Zoning page lists "Projects that do not require a Zoning Permit" include "Roofing or siding replacement that does not expand the building envelope", which is a zoning permit statement and leaves the building permit to the Agency, so a roofer should ask the township whether a zoning permit is needed and apply to the Agency for the building permit. The Agency's FAQ says "Under normal circumstances, the permit can be issued the next business day" and that the inspector can usually do an inspection "the next business day"; its fee schedule (2.24.2025) lists an application fee of $30.00 and says "In the event that construction activities have begun prior to the issuance of a permit, the applicant is subject to working without a permit fee of $100.00 Residential/$130.00 Commercial." The Agency's home page shows building inspections Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 11:30, by calling 734-475-4420, and office hours of Monday through Thursday 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM and Friday 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The Agency's FAQ says it accepts cash or check, while its home page says credit and debit cards are now accepted. Separate applications are needed for plumbing, mechanical and electrical work. The Agency also covers the City of Chelsea and Dexter, Lima and Lyndon Townships. Sylvan Township's offices are at 18027 Old US 12, Chelsea, MI 48118, 734-475-8890.
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 Sylvan (Washtenaw County) as its own building code enforcer. Section 8-19 of the township's Code of Ordinances (codified through Ord. No. 24-04, adopted August 13, 2024) designates the building official as the enforcing agency "Pursuant to the provisions of the state construction code" and names no edition, with an editor's note in the posted code reading "The state construction code is currently being enforced by CACA." The Agency's home page says its members "have adopted the Michigan Building Codes" without naming an edition. None of the township or Agency 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). Chapter 8 of the Sylvan Township Code of Ordinances and the Chelsea Area Construction Agency's pages and building permit application 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). Chapter 8 of the Sylvan Township Code of Ordinances and the Chelsea Area Construction Agency's pages and building permit application 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." Chapter 8 of the Sylvan Township Code of Ordinances and the Chelsea Area Construction Agency's pages and 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 for roof work. The Chelsea Area Construction Agency's Permits & Applications page, read October 13, 2026, says "Construction activities that require a permit include, but are not limited to, new building construction, additions, renovations and alterations of existing buildings, demolitions, decks, swimming pools & hot tubs, siding, roofing, replacement windows and out buildings." and its FAQ asks "Do I need a building permit for a roofing job, siding replacement, or a window replacement?" with "Yes, after contacting your township, print out an Instant Building Permit App and submit it." Separately, Sylvan Township's Planning & Zoning page lists "Projects that do not require a Zoning Permit" include "Roofing or siding replacement that does not expand the building envelope", which is a statement about the township's zoning compliance permit only; the same page tells the applicant "Upon receiving zoning permit approvals from Sylvan Township, it is essential to collaborate with CACA to obtain a building permit." 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. For a small roof repair, call the Agency at 734-475-4420 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 ordinance, Chapter 8 of the Sylvan Township Code of Ordinances (Buildings and Building Regulations, codified through Ord. No. 24-04), was read in full: it designates the enforcing agency, sets fees by township board resolution and regulates dangerous buildings; it has no reroofing provision and amends nothing in Section R908. Chapters 2, 10, 12, 14, 15 and 30 of the same code were searched for roofing text and have none. The Agency's pages 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). Chapter 8 of the Sylvan Township Code of Ordinances and the Chelsea Area Construction Agency's pages and 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 Chelsea Area Construction Agency pages or fee schedule or in Chapter 8 of the Sylvan Township Code of Ordinances changes this.
Local roofing hub
Roof permits nearby: Washtenaw County
More roof permit pages in Michigan
Related guides
Building permits for the Township of Sylvan, in Washtenaw County, are issued by the Chelsea Area Construction Agency, a governmental agency at 12172 Jackson Road in Dexter that was created by an inter-local agreement among the City of Chelsea and the Townships of Dexter, Lima, Lyndon and Sylvan. Section 8-19 of Sylvan Township's Code of Ordinances designates the township's building official as its enforcing agency under the state construction code act, the State of Michigan's jurisdiction list names the Township of Sylvan as its own building code enforcer, and the township's Planning & Zoning page sends applicants to the Agency for the building permit after a zoning permit. Michigan's single state construction code applies, and for houses that is the 2015 Michigan Residential Code.
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