Detroit Building Permits (BSEED): When You Need One, What to File

Short answer: in Detroit, most construction, alterations, and electrical, plumbing, or mechanical changes need a permit from BSEED before work starts. Ordinary repairs, finish work, and some small sheds, fences, and retaining walls don't. File in eLAPS and call the DRC at 313-224-2372 if you're unsure.

If you own a house in Detroit and the next job is a porch, a new circuit, or opening a wall, the office in front of you is the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department, which most people call BSEED.

PermitCove is an independent guide, not the City of Detroit, and nothing here approves your project. The city pages behind each rule are linked at the end. Fees and forms change, so check them in eLAPS, the city's online permit system, before you pay.

Last verified: October 4, 2026, against the City of Detroit pages linked below.

BSEED is the Detroit permit office

BSEED's own description of the job is safety, health, and welfare: building code compliance, property maintenance, zoning, environmental rules, and permitting. For a house, that lands on a residential building permit, and often on a separate electrical, plumbing, or mechanical permit.

The public counter people actually use is the Development Resource Center, on the 4th floor, Suite 434, Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, 2 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226. The DRC phone on the building-permit page is 313-224-2372. The city's "Do I need a permit" graphic lists the email as DRC@detroitmi.gov. The contact block on several BSEED pages lists DRC@Detrotmi.gov, without the second i. If a message bounces, call.

The main BSEED line is 313-224-2733. Construction inspection is 313-224-3202, and that division's posted office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., in Suite 408 of the same building. Help with the online application is 313-224-3179. The city pages linked here don't include walk-in hours for the DRC itself.

A one- or two-family house is filed as a residential permit. Commercial work is a different building permit. That split shows up again when you ask whether you can do the work yourself.

Detroit permit triggers where BSEED pages disagree

Two official write-ups are in circulation, and they are not the same list. Use both as a reason to call, not as a way to pick the sentence you like.

The residential and commercial ownership page states the broad rule. If you, or someone you authorize, intend to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change the occupancy of a building, or to install or change an electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing system that the code regulates, you apply to the building official and get the permit first. The BSEED FAQ says it is unlawful to do construction work in Detroit without a permit from BSEED.

That same ownership page is also where ordinary repair is defined. An application is not required for ordinary repairs, for replacing lamps, or for plugging approved portable equipment into a permanent receptacle. Ordinary repair does not include cutting away a wall, partition, or part of one. It does not include cutting a structural beam or a load-bearing support. It does not include removing or changing a required exit, or rearranging the building in a way that affects egress. It also does not include adding, altering, replacing, or relocating water supply, sewer, drainage, a drain leader, gas, soil, waste, vent, or similar piping, electric wiring, or mechanical work that affects health or safety.

Further down, that page lists a second exemption list. Building permits are not required for one-story detached tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses when the floor area does not exceed 120 square feet. A fence not more than 7 feet high is on that list. So is a retaining wall not more than 4 feet, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless it supports a surcharge or holds back certain liquids. Painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinets, countertops, and similar finish work are on it. Swings and other playground equipment accessory to a detached one- or two-family dwelling are on it. The page also lists prefabricated above-ground pools accessory to a group R-3 occupancy when they are less than 24 inches deep and not over 5,000 gallons, and window awnings on R-3 and U occupancies that project no more than 54 inches and need no extra support. Read those pool and awning lines as the page wrote them. They are occupancy categories, not a slogan that every backyard pool is exempt.

The city's newer graphic, in a December 2025 file path, is titled as a starting place for a rehab, whether you do the work or hire it out. It says to call BSEED at 313-224-2372 or email DRC@detroitmi.gov if you are still unsure. It also says that if the property is in a local historic district, a permit is required for all exterior work, and it sends you to the Historic District Commission.

On that graphic, work that needs a building permit includes any project to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change occupancy, construction that cuts away a wall or partition, roof replacement or removal of a substantial amount of shingles, and a driveway approach and the sidewalk flags tied to that driveway in the public right-of-way. Replacing a few shingles, described as roof work you could finish in a matter of minutes, is listed as exempt. A substantial reroof is not.

The graphic lists two exemption lists, and they are not copies of each other. One names fences 7 feet high or less that are not in a special review district, detached structures of no more than one story and 200 square feet for residential construction (120 square feet for commercial), retaining walls no more than 4 feet, and those few shingles. The other names the same fence, wall, and shingle lines, then accessory detached structures of no more than one story and 200 square feet, with garages and sheds as the examples, and decks not exceeding 200 square feet. The sheet is laid out for do-it-yourself work and contractor work. The text we could read does not make it safe to say which list belongs to which column.

Put the two sources next to each other and the shed number moves. The ownership page says 120 square feet. The 2025 graphic says 200 square feet for residential detached structures. The ownership page's fence line does not mention a special review district. The graphic does. The graphic is the only one of the two that mentions a deck size. Neither page defines "special review district" in its text. If the job is near any of those lines, call the DRC before you buy the lumber.

Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical exemptions are narrower than "it is a small job." The ownership page says an electrical permit is not required for minor repair, including lamp replacement or plugging portable equipment into a permanent receptacle. A plumbing permit is not required to stop a leak, or to clear a stoppage, when you are not replacing or rearranging valves, pipes, or fixtures. If a concealed drain or water, soil, waste, or vent pipe has to come out and be replaced with new material, that page says the work is new work and needs a permit and an inspection. Removing and reinstalling a toilet is in the no-permit line only when the repair does not replace or rearrange valves, pipes, or fixtures. Mechanical exemptions on that page are mostly portable heating, cooling, and ventilation equipment, and replacement of a minor part that does not make the appliance unsafe. The graphic says a mechanical permit is for new or altered heating, cooling, gas piping, air distribution, or exhaust, and that portable units and minor parts are the exception.

Detroit homeowner permits vs. licensed contractors

On the residential building permit, contractors need a builder's license and city registration. A homeowner applying for that permit does not need a contractor's license. The FAQ says residential construction can be performed by the building owner who will occupy the dwelling. If you hire the work out, that contractor needs a State of Michigan builder's license registered with the city.

Trade permits are a different door. The construction inspection page says a homeowner can pull electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits with the location, the homeowner's name and contact information, and proof of ownership. The proof it names is a driver's license showing the address where you are pulling the permit, a copy of the deed, or rental registration if you will rent the house and not live in it. Those homeowner permits have to be signed off by the trade supervisor. The same page says a contractor is required for commercial property and for multi-family dwellings, and it defines that as two-family dwellings and up.

Read that against the building-permit line. A one- or two-family house can be a residential building permit, and the FAQ says a single-family or duplex may be filed in the office. The trade-permit limit for the owner is single-family. On a duplex, plan on a licensed contractor for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical even if you are allowed to file the building permit. The FAQ also says a licensed contractor may pull a trade permit on a single-family house. The homeowner path is an option there, not a ban on hiring someone.

The trade-permit cards still list a city-licensed contractor as the license requirement, and they also say the owner will need a deed and identification. Bring the ownership papers. If the portal asks for a license you do not have, stop and call 313-224-3179 rather than borrowing a contractor's number.

What BSEED asks a Detroit homeowner to submit

You need an account in eLAPS, which is the Accela portal, before you can file. The city page for that system points to aca-prod.accela.com/DETROIT. Contractors connect a license to the account. A homeowner does not take that step for the building permit.

eLAPS is the application and the payment. It is not where drawings are reviewed. The eLAPS FAQ says ePlans, also called ProjectDox, is where you upload documents when the application requires plan review. An account there is created after the eLAPS account exists and the application is in. If plan review applies, uploading only in eLAPS is not enough.

The residential permit card says to submit the scope of work and sealed architectural plans in ProjectDox, or to complete and submit the permit application in the DRC office. The FAQ says single-family and duplex structures may apply in the office. No city page linked here says the counter visit cancels the sealed-plan line. An older plan-requirements page still says construction documents are prepared by a Michigan-licensed architect or engineer, with a seal on the sheets, and it still cites the 2015 Michigan Building Code. The current FAQ names a different set: the 2021 Michigan Building Code, the 2015 Michigan Residential Code, the 2021 Michigan Rehabilitation Code for Existing Buildings, and the 2019 Detroit city code. Do not treat the older page's three paper sets, or its one-to-three-day review line, as the rule on the current residential card.

The ownership page says construction documents go in with the application, prepared by or under a registered design professional when the Michigan occupational code requires it, and that the building official can ask for more when the conditions call for it. That is not a published list of which house jobs skip a seal. Ask when you file.

The application has to describe the work, identify the land, state the use, give the valuation, and be signed. If you change the work after the plans are approved, the ownership page says you submit revised plans before you build the change. Trade permits are separate, and that page says each trade should have its own permit once the building permit is in hand.

eLAPS will not start processing until the initial fees are paid. After payment, that FAQ says the existing permit cannot be edited. If a card is declined, the cashier is Suite 402, 2 Woodward. The same FAQ says Accela is not meant for a phone or a tablet. Use a computer. Search the address by street number and street name, and leave the rest blank. Portal help is bseesupport@detroitmi.gov. A password reset email comes from commgr@elaps.detroitmi.gov and can take up to 24 hours.

Detroit fees on the BSEED schedule (modified July 18, 2025)

These figures are from the BSEED fee schedule whose cover says it is effective January 1, 2024, and modified July 18, 2025. The file path is December 2025. They are not a quote for your address. The building-permit page says to download the latest fee list. A separate city document titled 2026-2027 Fee Schedule is a health-department sheet, not this BSEED construction schedule.

• Building or residential permit, based on project cost: $271.43 when the work is $2,000 or less. From there to $25,000, the schedule uses $271.43 for the first $2,000, then $34.09 per $1,000 or fraction over $2,000. From $25,000 to $100,000, it uses $1,055.57 for the first $25,000, then $24.53 per $1,000 or fraction over $25,000. Higher brackets are on the PDF.
• Change of use, building only: $249 on that schedule.
• A permit the schedule describes as required because of a historic district, with exterior painting and fences as the examples: $106. A barrier-free access ramp for a residential home is also $106 on that line.
• Failure to obtain a permit: $176 per occurrence for a homeowner, and $351 per occurrence for a contractor. A reinspection, including failure to gain access or work that is not ready, is $176.
• Electrical, from the same PDF: a $66 base fee, $20 for each circuit, $59 for a rough inspection of a single-family or two-family dwelling, $1.17 per residential fixture, $59 for a service of 100 amperes or less, and $117 for a service over 100 amperes up to 200. The table continues past that.
• Plumbing: a nonrefundable application fee of $73, then $44 for each fixture, stack, sump, and the other items that row names.
• Gas-fired equipment, on a line the schedule labels for the homeowner: $203 for a central heating unit, conversion burner, or floor furnace. A room or wall heater is $130 for the first unit at the address and $59 for each additional unit there.

When a plan review is required, the same PDF adds electrical, mechanical, and plumbing plan-review fees at 7 percent of the building-permit fee each, and it describes a building, structural, and zoning plan-review deposit of 35 percent. A later sentence in that section mentions a 30 percent deposit adjusted toward the full fee. Read the PDF at the counter.

The schedule also lists two different certificate-of-occupancy amounts, $55 in one section and $147 in another. This guide does not pick one. The permit card is a better place to learn whether you need the certificate at all. The dollar line is something to confirm on the current schedule when you actually apply.

Detroit zoning (Chapter 50) is a separate approval

A building permit is not the zoning decision. Plan review checks the Detroit zoning ordinance along with the building and trade codes. The FAQ tells you to look up unofficial zoning on Base Unit Tools, the City of Detroit Parcel Viewer, and the Detroit Zoning Portal, and to apply for a zoning verification letter when you need an official answer. The zoning division says that letter identifies the district, the legal uses, and the permissions for a use on a parcel. The letter fee on both the zoning page and the July 18, 2025 schedule is $93 per letter.

The zoning portal the division points people to is permits.detroitmi.gov/zoning-portal. We confirmed the address responds. We did not read a parcel record out of it, so this guide does not tell you the zoning of a given block.

Chapter 50 is the zoning ordinance. The FAQ links the Municode copy. If that chapter marks the use conditional, regulated, or controlled, the FAQ says you need a hearing. The zoning division's how-to tells you to type a special-land-use fee of $1,160. The fee schedule lists a special-land-use hearing at $1,071. Pay the figure the application actually charges. Do not average them.

Most house additions never meet the site-plan thresholds on the FAQ. Those thresholds include new development over 20,000 square feet of gross floor area, an addition or major structural alteration that grows an existing building of more than 20,000 square feet by 25 percent or more, work in a 100-year floodplain, a conditional, regulated, or controlled use, and a case in front of the Board of Zoning Appeals as the first stop. The zoning how-to lists a site-plan fee of $160. The fee schedule lists $210 for a minor site-plan review and $466 for a major one. Same advice: the invoice wins.

The city pages linked here don't include one setback table that the city applies to every residential lot. The zoning district is the source. An old deck handout lists yard numbers, and the decks section below says why we are not repeating them as a citywide rule.

Detroit local historic districts

Local historic districts are not a footnote. The permit graphic says exterior work there needs a permit, and it gives Historic District Commission staff at 313-224-1762 and hdc@detroitmi.gov. The commission's own page says a violation is any unapproved exterior work, that an open violation can stay with the property through a sale, and that BSEED can inspect, fine, or stop the work.

The commission does not charge a review fee. The page warns that phishing email has asked applicants to pay a large sum after a fake approval. Do not pay that. The $106 historic-district line on the BSEED fee schedule is a permit fee, not an HDC review fee.

What you upload depends on the work. A porch repair or reconstruction needs floor plans, elevations, and sections. A new garage or an addition needs a site plan, floor plans, elevations, and sections. A fence needs a site plan with lot lines, existing buildings, and the fence location and size. Roof paperwork is different when the roofing material is historic: the page asks for repair estimates, same-material replacement estimates, and asphalt-shingle estimates, two of each. A non-historic roof replacement asks for a detailed scope, including dormers, gutters, soffit, and fascia. HDC approval is not the BSEED permit. You still file with the city for the construction.

Detroit decks and porches

The December 2025 graphic is the only current sheet that names a deck size. Decks not exceeding 200 square feet appear on one of its two building-permit exemption lists, not on both, and not on the ownership page. A deck over that size, a deck that is really an addition, or a deck that cuts into the house or the exits, falls under the general rule that construction and alteration need a permit. Detroit's pages do not give a deck height exemption.

The city still hosts a Residential Deck Requirements PDF under a 2018 file path. It tells you to file a paper addition-or-repair application at Room 408, and it asks for a plot plan, footing depth, framing sizes, guardrails, and stairs. It also lists yard and guardrail figures, including a 42-inch minimum footing depth. Current residential filing is eLAPS or the DRC, and the FAQ's code list is newer than a 2018 handout. That PDF's setback and guardrail numbers are not the rule for every lot. Before you stake the posts, check the zoning district in Chapter 50 or ask the zoning division, at 313-224-1317 or zoning@detroitmi.gov, and ask BSEED which drawing set your deck actually needs.

Porches do not have their own citywide permit page outside historic districts. Cutting into a wall, changing structure, or building new porch floor area is the general construction rule above. In a local historic district, porch repair and reconstruction are called out as commission review, with drawings. No city page says an ordinary porch repair is free of both.

Detroit sheds: the 120 vs. 200 square foot lines

Count the square feet, then check which city page you are standing on. The ownership page exempts a one-story detached tool or storage shed, playhouse, or similar use at 120 square feet or less. The 2025 graphic exempts one-story detached residential structures at 200 square feet, and one of its lists names garages and sheds at that 200-square-foot line. A second story, or a floor area past the number you were told applies, is a permit. No city page linked here resolves 120 versus 200. Call the DRC and write down the answer for your address.

A historic district can require review for a new garage or other exterior work even when a building-permit exemption might otherwise apply. The graphic says all exterior work in a local historic district needs a permit. Do not treat a small shed on a designated street as automatically exempt.

Power to the shed is not the building permit. A new circuit is electrical work. The ownership page's electrical exemption is lamp replacement and portable plugs, not a buried feeder. That is a trade permit, and on a two-family or larger building it is the contractor's application.

Detroit fences

There is a fence line, and it is not a blanket exemption. The ownership page says a building permit is not required for a fence not more than 7 feet high. The 2025 graphic says the same height, and adds that the fence is not in a special review district. The graphic does not define that district. A fence over 7 feet is outside both exemptions.

Historic districts are a separate gate. Fence installation or removal is on the commission's project list, and the permit graphic requires a permit for exterior work there. The BSEED schedule's $106 historic-district permit line names fences as an example. That is not a fee for every fence in the city.

A retaining wall is the other outdoor structure both pages mention. Not more than 4 feet is the shared exemption. The ownership page adds the surcharge and liquid exceptions. If the wall holds back a driveway or a neighbor's yard, ask before you treat 4 feet as a free pass.

Detroit trade permits: electrical, plumbing, and mechanical

The trade-permit page says these permits cover new work, alteration, replacement of system components, and any change to a mechanical, plumbing, electrical, elevator, or boiler system. The "when you don't" guide linked from that page is the same graphic described above.

For a single-family house, the construction inspection page says the owner can apply for electrical, mechanical, and plumbing with ownership documents, and a trade supervisor signs the permit off. For a two-family or anything larger, and for commercial space, that page requires a contractor. The cards on the trade page tell you to expect the mechanical permit in about one day, the electrical permit in about two days, and the plumbing permit in about one day. Those times are not a promise that your file is complete.

A water or sewer permit is not a BSEED plumbing permit. The building-permit page sends water and sewer to the Water and Sewerage Department, and a right-of-way permit to Public Works. The driveway approach in the graphic is that kind of edge-of-street work.

Gas piping that is more than a portable appliance sits with mechanical. The ownership page's short list of gas work that can skip a permit is limited, including a short meter or regulator relocation of not more than 10 feet and not more than six fittings. A new furnace is not on that list. The fee schedule's homeowner gas lines are above, in the fee section.

After you file in eLAPS: review and inspections

File in eLAPS, then upload drawings in ePlans if plan review is required. The home-renovation quick start also points to permits.detroitmi.gov for a list of permits a project can need. You can finish a single-family or duplex building application at the DRC instead of only online. Staff still expect the portal account.

The residential card says you can expect the permit in about five days, and it lists "5 Days" as the estimated time after you submit. The FAQ says the online application itself is about 15 minutes, and that review and issuance may take from 4 hours for residential structures to 20 business days for commercial buildings. The eLAPS FAQ says the permit process can take up to 20 calendar days, and that the quality of the file at the first review is what moves it. On March 16, 2026, the city announced same-day approval for most residential and small commercial improvements, with windows, roofs, siding, and interior alterations as the examples, by letting inspectors review in the field. That announcement said the old path could take up to 30 days. All four of those statements were on city pages as of the last verified date above. None of them is a date you should book a dumpster around. Watch the email on the account, and look at the record in eLAPS.

The same announcement says the city plans a menu of pre-approved single-family designs, aimed at late 2026, so a lot owner would not have to hire an architect for every infill house. The city pages linked here don't offer that menu as something you can pick from today. Until they do, a new house is still your own plans.

Do not start because you clicked submit. The quick start says construction begins when the permits are issued. Post them on the exterior. The ownership page says the building permit, or a copy, stays on the site until the project is done.

Schedule the inspection in the portal or call 313-224-3202. The eLAPS FAQ says an online inspection has to be at least two business days out. A request after 2 p.m. counts as the next business day. Its example is a Thursday at 11 a.m., which can be Monday, and a Thursday at 2:30 p.m., which cannot be earlier than Tuesday. City holidays are blocked. You can cancel or move an inspection online until 10 a.m. the day before. After that, you call. The FAQ says a rescheduling fee may apply if you cancel late. The inspector usually calls the morning of the inspection and may give a two-hour window. If you have not heard by 9 a.m., call. You are expected to be available the whole day, with access and a responsible person if the work requires one. The date you picked is not a guarantee.

The ownership page says mechanical, electrical, and plumbing inspections have to be approved before the building inspections. Building inspections are last. They are the inspections that can allow you to cover framing, a foundation, a slab, or backfill, and they include the final. Do not close a wall because the rough trade passed. Common building inspections on that page include footings and foundations, slab, dampproofing, insulation, rough frame, above ceiling, fireproofing, and final. Electrical includes rough, temporary wiring, status, and final. Plumbing includes underground, rough wall, and final. Mechanical includes rough duct and final. The list is "most common," not every box the portal might show. Rough and final are what the eLAPS FAQ says most trade permits need. Ask the inspector at the rough if you are not sure what else your job requires.

When the work passes, you want the paper that closes it. A certificate of acceptance is for permitted work that was inspected and approved. The construction page says the turnaround is about 72 hours, by mail, email, or pickup at Suite 408. If a contractor did the work, the owner can receive that certificate when the contractor allows it in a certified letter. A certificate of occupancy is the other document. The residential permit card says you need one for a change of use, new construction, or an addition. The FAQ says a certificate of occupancy is issued as required for new construction, major renovations, change of use, and a new use. If the work is not a change of occupancy or an addition, the ownership page says a certificate of acceptance is what the trade permits produce at final approval. The certificate of occupancy application goes to Room 408 or to bseed-construction@detroitmi.gov, with a blight clearance. Questions on that certificate go to Sanders Lee at 313-628-2711 or Derek Rollins at 313-628-2712.

A rental is a third track. The quick start says a rental certificate of compliance is renewed every two years, and that you should line the renovation up with that process if the certificate is missing. The ownership page sends one- and two-unit rentals to a third-party inspector and larger buildings to the city. Pulling a building permit does not register the rental.

If the house is under a city council demolition order, the ownership page says you need an approved deferral before that order comes off. It lists a residential package of a $37 application fee, a $148 deferral inspection service fee, and a $167 inspection fee, and it says those total $352, paid with the application. Council still has to authorize the deferral. That is a different filing from a porch permit on a house that is not on the demolition list.

Detroit at a glance: who can pull which permit

Source: BSEED Construction Inspection and the BSEED FAQ linked below.

A Detroit pre-filing checklist

1. Look up the zoning district, and ask whether the address is in a local historic district or whatever the city means by a special review district, before you design around a guess.
2. If you cannot tell whether the job is ordinary repair or work that cuts a wall, changes piping, or replaces a roof, call the DRC at 313-224-2372. The 120-square-foot and 200-square-foot shed lines are both still on city pages.
3. A two-family building can be a residential building permit. Trade permits for a two-family and up are the contractor's application, according to the city's construction inspection page.
4. Pay in eLAPS before you expect review. After you pay, that permit record is not an editable draft.
5. An application in process is not a permit. Post the issued permit on the outside of the house, and do not cover work waiting on the building inspection.
6. If the house is a rental, or if it is under a demolition order, the building permit is not the only city filing.

FAQ

Can a homeowner pull a permit in Detroit?

Yes, in many cases. The BSEED FAQ says residential construction can be done by the owner who will occupy the dwelling. For trade work, BSEED's construction inspection page says homeowners can pull electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits with proof of ownership, such as a driver's license with the address, a copy of the deed, or rental registration (BSEED Construction Inspection).

Do I need a permit for a shed in Detroit?

It depends on size, and two city pages disagree. The ownership page exempts one-story detached sheds up to 120 square feet. The December 2025 graphic lists 200 square feet for residential detached structures. Call the DRC if yours is in between.

How do I schedule an inspection in Detroit?

Schedule in the portal or call 313-224-3202. Online requests have to be at least two business days out, and a request after 2 p.m. counts as the next business day.

Do I need a permit for any exterior work in a historic district?

Yes. The city's graphic says a permit is required for all exterior work on a property in a local historic district, and sends you to the Historic District Commission.

Old water line? Detroit lead service line replacement

If you're opening up a basement in an older Detroit house, the pipe bringing water in from the street is worth checking before you plan the plumbing. DWSD estimated in 2022 that more than 80,000 lead service lines still served Detroit homes, mostly single-family houses built before 1945. The department says replacing all of them will take about 10 years (DWSD: Lead Service Line Replacement Program).

DWSD replaces these lines neighborhood by neighborhood, with the owner's or occupant's permission, and contacts you before it comes to your area. You can look up your address on the city's public service-line map at detroitmi.gov/LSLR. If you can see a lead line where the pipe enters the house, DWSD asks you to send in its online self-verification form. That doesn't guarantee a quick replacement, because the schedule depends on funding. Under DWSD's replacement agreement, the lead portion from the main to the meter is replaced at DWSD's expense. You need an active DWSD account, and an adult has to be home while the work is done (DWSD replacement agreement sample, PDF).

The same DWSD notice warns that once crews leave your neighborhood, replacing the line becomes your cost. If a plumber is already doing work inside the house under a BSEED trade permit, find out where your block is on DWSD's schedule first.

Last checked: October 31, 2026.

Official sources

• Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department
• Building permits
• Residential building permit
• BSEED frequently asked questions
• Residential and commercial ownership, including the ordinary-repair and exemption text
• Do I need a building or trade permit? (PDF, December 2025 file path)
• Trade permits
• Construction inspection
• Permits and plan review
• Accela / eLAPS FAQ
• eLAPS page, which links the Accela portal
• eLAPS / Accela portal
• BSEED fee schedule, effective January 1, 2024, modified July 18, 2025 (PDF)
• Zoning and special land use
• Detroit zoning portal
• Chapter 50, zoning, on Municode, as linked from the BSEED FAQ
• Exterior changes in local historic districts
• Quick start guide, home renovation
• March 16, 2026 announcement on same-day renovation permits
• Building permit requirements, the page that still cites the 2015 Michigan Building Code
• Residential deck requirements (PDF, 2018 file path), opened and not used for citywide setback numbers
• DWSD: Lead Service Line Replacement Program
• DWSD: individual lead service line replacement agreement (sample PDF)

Next steps for a Detroit project

Still working out whether a Detroit job needs a permit? Try do I need a building permit, in plain English or the permit checker before you set up an eLAPS account. Other cities are on building permits by city.

General deck and shed limits are in our deck permit guide and shed size limits, and how much a building permit costs compares fees. For Detroit, use the BSEED numbers above wherever the city published them.

PermitCove isn't BSEED. This page can't issue a permit, quote your fee, or tell you a set of plans will pass.

Edited by Ahmed Khalifa, founder of PermitCove. Sources are linked inline; see our Editorial Policy.