Permitting Authorities / Charter Township of Watertown - Building Department
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Charter Township of Watertown, MI?
Adopted code
Charter Township of Watertown - Building Department
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Charter Township of Watertown, MI, issued by Charter Township of Watertown - Building Department. In Watertown Charter Township a reroof goes through the township's building permit, issued by Municipal Inspection Services: the township's Guidelines for Demolition Permits say "Demolition requires a building permit issued by Municipal Inspection Services for Watertown Charter Township.", and the Building Official page says "The Building Official does not have an office at the Township Hall and must be reached through Municipal Inspection Services." The General Construction Information sheet (updated 6/25/25) says "Roofing: All replacement roofing requires a building permit.", while the sheet "Projects That Do Not Require a Building Permit" (undated) says of "Re-shingling roof" that no permit is needed "in some cases, if you are not removing existing shingles" and that "If you will be removing the existing shingles, new state code regulations now require permits to be obtained." The Permits & Applications page says "Building permit fees are based on the value of construction and will be calculated after submittal. You will be notified of the fee when the permit is ready to be issued." and the township's fee schedule adopted March 16, 2026 says "The value of construction used in the formula to determine the building permit cost will be established by the International Code formula that is updated every 6 months based on the average cost of construction nationally, or the cost included on the permit application, whichever is greater." The building permit application says "Permit will not be processed without the value of construction". The page says "To request an inspection, call the building department at 517-622-8822. This is an answering service; please leave the type of inspection requested, date and time, permit number, and/or address of the inspection on the voicemail." The township hall at 12803 S Wacousta Road is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, and the township's permit forms are on its website; no online permit portal is shown.
Roof code checklist: Charter Township of Watertown, 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
Charter Township of Watertown, Michigan
Address
12803 S Wacousta Road, Grand Ledge, MI 48837
Contact
- url: https://www.watertownmi.gov/189/Permits-Applications
- phone: 517-622-8822
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
In Watertown Charter Township a reroof goes through the township's building permit, issued by Municipal Inspection Services: the township's Guidelines for Demolition Permits say "Demolition requires a building permit issued by Municipal Inspection Services for Watertown Charter Township.", and the Building Official page says "The Building Official does not have an office at the Township Hall and must be reached through Municipal Inspection Services." The General Construction Information sheet (updated 6/25/25) says "Roofing: All replacement roofing requires a building permit.", while the sheet "Projects That Do Not Require a Building Permit" (undated) says of "Re-shingling roof" that no permit is needed "in some cases, if you are not removing existing shingles" and that "If you will be removing the existing shingles, new state code regulations now require permits to be obtained." The Permits & Applications page says "Building permit fees are based on the value of construction and will be calculated after submittal. You will be notified of the fee when the permit is ready to be issued." and the township's fee schedule adopted March 16, 2026 says "The value of construction used in the formula to determine the building permit cost will be established by the International Code formula that is updated every 6 months based on the average cost of construction nationally, or the cost included on the permit application, whichever is greater." The building permit application says "Permit will not be processed without the value of construction". The page says "To request an inspection, call the building department at 517-622-8822. This is an answering service; please leave the type of inspection requested, date and time, permit number, and/or address of the inspection on the voicemail." The township hall at 12803 S Wacousta Road is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, and the township's permit forms are on its website; no online permit portal is shown.
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 Watertown in Clinton County as its own building code enforcer. Section 6.19 of the township's Code of Ordinances (amended through July 1, 2025) designates the township's building inspector as the enforcing agency under the state construction code act and names no code edition, and the township's building permit pages, handouts and application name no 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 Watertown Charter Township Code of Ordinances and the township's building permit pages and handouts 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 Watertown Charter Township Code of Ordinances and the township's building permit pages and handouts 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 Watertown Charter Township Code of Ordinances and the township's building permit pages and handouts 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 Watertown Charter Township building department says two different things about a reroof, both read on its website on October 12, 2026. Its General Construction Information sheet, marked "Updated 6/25/25", says "Roofing: All replacement roofing requires a building permit." Its sheet of "Projects That Do Not Require a Building Permit" (the sheet carries no date) lists "Re-shingling roof: in some cases, if you are not removing existing shingles. If you will be removing the existing shingles, new state code regulations now require permits to be obtained. If you are making structural repairs to roof trusses, rafters, or are replacing rotting boards, you will need a building permit." The township's building permit application also lists "Reroof" among its types of construction. Because the department lists replacement roofing as permit work and says a reroof that removes the existing shingles needs a permit, the record publishes that a reroof needs a permit; the sheet leaves open only a re-shingle over the existing shingles, which it exempts "in some cases" without saying which cases. 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. To settle a particular job, call Municipal Inspection Services at 517-622-8822.
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 Code of Ordinances (amended through July 1, 2025) was read for a roofing rule: its building chapter, Chapter 6 (Buildings and Building Regulations), designates the enforcing agency, sets fees by resolution and establishes a building address numbering system, and a search of the whole Code for roofing, shingle and layer provisions found none, so it has no reroofing provision and amends nothing in Section R908. The township's permit pages and handouts 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 Watertown Charter Township Code of Ordinances and the township's building permit pages and handouts 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 Watertown Charter Township building permit pages changes this.
Local roofing hub
More roof permit pages in Michigan
Related guides
Watertown Charter Township's building department is run for the township by Municipal Inspection Services, which issues the building permits and inspects; the township hall is at 12803 S Wacousta Road in Grand Ledge, in Clinton County. Section 6.19 of the township's Code of Ordinances designates the township's building inspector as its enforcing agency under the state construction code act, and the State of Michigan's jurisdiction list names the Township of Watertown in Clinton County as its own building code enforcer. This record covers only the Clinton County township, not the Watertown Townships in Sanilac and Tuscola Counties. Michigan's single state construction code applies, and for houses that is the 2015 Michigan Residential Code.
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Roofing questions: Charter Township of Watertown, MI
Do you need a permit to replace a roof in Charter Township of Watertown, MI?
Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Charter Township of Watertown, MI. No size or cost threshold is published for roof work. The Watertown Charter Township building department says two different things about a reroof, both read on its website on October 12, 2026. Its General Construction Information sheet, marked "Updated 6/25/25", says "Roofing: All replacement roofing requires a building permit." Its sheet of "Projects That Do Not Require a Building Permit" (the sheet carries no date) lists "Re-shingling roof: in some cases, if you are not removing existing shingles. If you will be removing the existing shingles, new state code regulations now require permits to be obtained. If you are making structural repairs to roof trusses, rafters, or are replacing rotting boards, you will need a building permit." The township's building permit application also lists "Reroof" among its types of construction. Because the department lists replacement roofing as permit work and says a reroof that removes the existing shingles needs a permit, the record publishes that a reroof needs a permit; the sheet leaves open only a re-shingle over the existing shingles, which it exempts "in some cases" without saying which cases. 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. To settle a particular job, call Municipal Inspection Services at 517-622-8822.
Is ice & water shield required in Charter Township of Watertown, 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 Watertown Charter Township Code of Ordinances and the township's building permit pages and handouts were read for a local rule and state nothing further on ice barrier.
Is drip edge required in Charter Township of Watertown, 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 Watertown Charter Township Code of Ordinances and the township's building permit pages and handouts were read for a local rule and state nothing further on drip edge.
Can you roof over an existing roof in Charter Township of Watertown, 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 Code of Ordinances (amended through July 1, 2025) was read for a roofing rule: its building chapter, Chapter 6 (Buildings and Building Regulations), designates the enforcing agency, sets fees by resolution and establishes a building address numbering system, and a search of the whole Code for roofing, shingle and layer provisions found none, so it has no reroofing provision and amends nothing in Section R908. The township's permit pages and handouts state no layer rule.
Do roofing contractors need a license or registration in Charter Township of Watertown, MI?
Yes.
What building code does Charter Township of Watertown, 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 Watertown in Clinton County as its own building code enforcer. Section 6.19 of the township's Code of Ordinances (amended through July 1, 2025) designates the township's building inspector as the enforcing agency under the state construction code act and names no code edition, and the township's building permit pages, handouts and application name no older dwelling code edition.