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Permitting Authorities / White River Township - Building Permits

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

Adopted code

White River Township - Building Permits

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Township of White River, MI, issued by White River Township - Building Permits. In White River Township the Property Owners Guide says "All WRT property owners should contact the WRT Zoning Administrator prior to any renovation or new construction commences (including private drives and driveways). A Building Permit will not be issued without first obtaining a Zoning Permit." The township posts a building permit application on its Forms page, and the township's zoning ordinance defines a building permit as "the written authority as issued by the Building Inspector on behalf of the Township permitting the construction, moving, alteration or use of a building in conformity with the provisions of this Ordinance and the Township's Building Code." The township's 2025 fee schedule lists a zoning site review fee of $75.00 and no building permit fee, so ask the township for the current building permit fee. The township hall is at 7386 Post Rd, Montague, MI 49437, at 231-894-9216, and the Zoning page lists office hours on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 am till noon and names a Code Enforcement Officer.

Roof code checklist: Township of White River, MI

ItemAnswerCode citeSourceVerified
Permit to replace a roofYeswhiterivertwp.com2026-10-15
Repair permit thresholdPublishedwhiterivertwp.com2026-10-15
Layer limit / roof-overPublishedR908.3.1.1codes.iccsafe.org2026-10-15
Deck & sheathingPublishedR905.2.1codes.iccsafe.org2026-10-15
Drip edgeYesR905.2.8.5codes.iccsafe.org2026-10-15
Ice & water shieldYesR905.1.2ars.apps.lara.state.mi.us2026-10-15
Mid-roof inspectionNot published
Impact-resistant (Class 4) roofingNoars.apps.lara.state.mi.us2026-10-15
Wind design criteriaNot published
Adopted codePublishedars.apps.lara.state.mi.us2026-10-15
Contractor license / registrationYeslegislature.mi.gov2026-10-15
Sales & use taxPublishedlegislature.mi.gov2026-10-15

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 White River, Muskegon County, Michigan
Jurisdiction type
city
Address
7386 Post Road, Montague, MI 49437
Contact
  • url: https://whiterivertwp.com/forms/
  • phone: 231-894-9216
Roofing permit required
Required
Contractor registration required
Required
Permit process note
In White River Township the Property Owners Guide says "All WRT property owners should contact the WRT Zoning Administrator prior to any renovation or new construction commences (including private drives and driveways). A Building Permit will not be issued without first obtaining a Zoning Permit." The township posts a building permit application on its Forms page, and the township's zoning ordinance defines a building permit as "the written authority as issued by the Building Inspector on behalf of the Township permitting the construction, moving, alteration or use of a building in conformity with the provisions of this Ordinance and the Township's Building Code." The township's 2025 fee schedule lists a zoning site review fee of $75.00 and no building permit fee, so ask the township for the current building permit fee. The township hall is at 7386 Post Rd, Montague, MI 49437, at 231-894-9216, and the Zoning page lists office hours on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 am till noon and names a Code Enforcement Officer.
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 White River as a local building code enforcer. The township's zoning ordinance book (December 26, 2025) refers to "the Township's Building Code" and "the construction code currently adopted by the Township" without naming an edition, and the township's building permit application says "All work shall be constructed in accordance with the Michigan Residential Code" without naming one either; no building ordinance is posted on its Zoning or Forms pages.
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). White River Township's Zoning and Forms pages, its building permit application, its 2025 fee schedule, its Property Owners Guide to Building and its zoning ordinance book (December 26, 2025) 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). White River Township's Zoning and Forms pages, its building permit application, its 2025 fee schedule, its Property Owners Guide to Building and its zoning ordinance book (December 26, 2025) 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." White River Township's Zoning and Forms pages, its building permit application, its 2025 fee schedule, its Property Owners Guide to Building and its zoning ordinance book (December 26, 2025) were read for a local rule and state nothing further on impact resistance.
Repair permit threshold
White River Township's Property Owners Guide to Building (a file dated July 2024) says "Zoning and building permits are required for all new construction and building expansions including; but, not limited to: decks on homes; 3-season rooms, additional accessory building, prebuilt or built on site; roof expansion; swimming pool, in or above ground; and ground or structure mounted solar arrays." It names roof expansion and does not name reroofing, and it adds "Please contact the WRT Zoning Administrator for all building, zoning and other White River Township ordinance questions." The township's building permit application and its 2025 fee schedule state no dollar threshold and no repair exception for roofing. 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.
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." White River Township's Zoning and Forms pages, its building permit application, its 2025 fee schedule, its Property Owners Guide to Building and its zoning ordinance book (December 26, 2025) were read for a local roofing rule and state none. The township posts a zoning ordinance book and no building ordinance, so no local classification is made and the state rule above is the one stated.
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). White River Township's Zoning and Forms pages, its building permit application, its 2025 fee schedule, its Property Owners Guide to Building and its zoning ordinance book (December 26, 2025) 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 White River Township's Zoning or Forms pages changes this.

Local roofing hub

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White River Township, in Muskegon County, takes building permit applications at its township hall at 7386 Post Road in Montague on its own township building permit form, and its Property Owners Guide sends owners to the Zoning Administrator for building questions. LARA's Statewide Jurisdiction List names the Township of White River as a local building code enforcer. Michigan's single state construction code applies, and for houses that is the 2015 Michigan Residential Code.

Working an insurance claim in Township of White River, MI? Everything on this page (drip edge, ice & water shield, inspections, Class 4 rules) formatted as a claim-ready evidence pack: verbatim ordinance quotes, code section cites, verification dates, and official source links, ready to attach to a supplement. See a real sample pack (PDF, 4 pages, free).

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Sources

Roofing questions: Township of White River, MI

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

Yes, a permit is required to replace a roof in Township of White River, MI. White River Township's Property Owners Guide to Building (a file dated July 2024) says "Zoning and building permits are required for all new construction and building expansions including; but, not limited to: decks on homes; 3-season rooms, additional accessory building, prebuilt or built on site; roof expansion; swimming pool, in or above ground; and ground or structure mounted solar arrays." It names roof expansion and does not name reroofing, and it adds "Please contact the WRT Zoning Administrator for all building, zoning and other White River Township ordinance questions." The township's building permit application and its 2025 fee schedule state no dollar threshold and no repair exception for roofing. 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.

Is ice & water shield required in Township of White River, 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). White River Township's Zoning and Forms pages, its building permit application, its 2025 fee schedule, its Property Owners Guide to Building and its zoning ordinance book (December 26, 2025) were read for a local rule and state nothing further on ice barrier.

Is drip edge required in Township of White River, 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). White River Township's Zoning and Forms pages, its building permit application, its 2025 fee schedule, its Property Owners Guide to Building and its zoning ordinance book (December 26, 2025) were read for a local rule and state nothing further on drip edge.

Can you roof over an existing roof in Township of White River, 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." White River Township's Zoning and Forms pages, its building permit application, its 2025 fee schedule, its Property Owners Guide to Building and its zoning ordinance book (December 26, 2025) were read for a local roofing rule and state none. The township posts a zoning ordinance book and no building ordinance, so no local classification is made and the state rule above is the one stated.

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

Yes.

What building code does Township of White River, 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." LARA's Statewide Jurisdiction List names the Township of White River as a local building code enforcer. The township's zoning ordinance book (December 26, 2025) refers to "the Township's Building Code" and "the construction code currently adopted by the Township" without naming an edition, and the township's building permit application says "All work shall be constructed in accordance with the Michigan Residential Code" without naming one either; no building ordinance is posted on its Zoning or Forms pages.