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Building permits in Unincorporated Roscommon County

Unincorporated Roscommon County does not issue residential building permits. Roscommon County has no county construction code program. The Statewide Jurisdiction List (Rev. 8/21/2026) shows the Village of Roscommon and Backus, Denton, Gerrish, Higgins, Lyon, Markey, Nester, Richfield and Roscommon townships running their own building programs, while the State of Michigan Bureau of Construction Codes enforces building in Au Sable Township (BCC Building Trades Section: 517-241-9313, bccpermits@michigan.gov). Homeowners apply to their own township or village.

That does not make the work unregulated. The construction standard still applies, trade licensing still applies, and separate approvals such as on-site sewage, floodplain development, and driveway access are handled by other offices. Below are the contact details for the office to ask, plus guides for the projects homeowners ask about most.

Michigan has one mandatory statewide construction code under the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act (1972 PA 230), and for one- and two-family homes in Unincorporated Roscommon County that code is the 2015 Michigan Residential Code; a 2021 update is on hold by court order. The code is enforced by whichever level has taken responsibility for each trade: the city, village, or township, the county, or, where neither does, the state Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC) in the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits can each come from a different level, so the BCC Statewide Jurisdiction List is the place to start. There is no statewide dollar-value exemption; the state code exempts only a short list of items, such as one-story detached accessory buildings of 200 square feet or less, fences up to 7 feet, and finish work like painting and flooring, and state law exempts ordinary repairs. Confirm with the enforcing agency that has jurisdiction over your address before starting work.

Permit guides for Unincorporated Roscommon County

Roof replacement or repairWindow or exterior door replacementSolar panel installationShed or accessory structureAddition or structural alterationInterior remodelingScreen enclosure or pool cageFence installation or replacementSwimming pool or spaPavers, driveway, or hardscapeHVAC replacement or installationElectrical panel or service upgradeStandby generator installationWater heater replacementPlumbing fixture or repiping

Permit FAQs for Unincorporated Roscommon County

Do I need a building permit in Unincorporated Roscommon County?
Roscommon County has no county construction code program. The Statewide Jurisdiction List (Rev. 8/21/2026) shows the Village of Roscommon and Backus, Denton, Gerrish, Higgins, Lyon, Markey, Nester, Richfield and Roscommon townships running their own building programs, while the State of Michigan Bureau of Construction Codes enforces building in Au Sable Township (BCC Building Trades Section: 517-241-9313, bccpermits@michigan.gov). Homeowners apply to their own township or village.
Who issues building permits in Unincorporated Roscommon County?
Nobody does. Unincorporated Roscommon County does not run a residential building permit program, which is why this page lists the Unincorporated Roscommon County building department as the office to contact rather than as a permit issuer. Your mailing city is not always the authority over your property, so confirm which jurisdiction you are actually in before assuming this applies to you.
What still applies in Unincorporated Roscommon County if there is no building permit?
The construction standard does. Work must still meet the 2015 Michigan Residential Code (2015 IRC-based), and trade licensing rules apply regardless of whether a permit is issued. Separate approvals such as on-site sewage, floodplain development, and driveway access to a public road are handled by other offices and are unaffected. Ask the Unincorporated Roscommon County building department which of those reach your property before you start.

PermitRoadmap is an independent informational service and is not affiliated with any city, county, state agency, or permitting authority. Results are informational and do not replace confirming requirements with the local permitting authority.