Building Permits & Inspections

Building

The Michigan Building Code controls all matters concerning the construction, alteration, addition, repair, removal, demolition, use, location, occupancy, and maintenance of all buildings and structures and their service equipment.

The Michigan Building Code standards can be difficult to navigate, even for the most experienced developer. Pre-application meetings are available at no cost to answer questions, provide essential forms, define timelines for review, as well as so much more.  Contact the Community Development Department directly to schedule a gathering. 

• Pre-Development / BDT Meeting Checklist

Construction Permitting

The City of Sturgis Community Development Department handles all State of Michigan building requirements for Building Permits and plans reviews.

• City of Sturgis | Camino (oncamino.com)

The State of Michigan Bureau of Construction Codes is the permitting resource for Electrical, Plumbing, and Mechanical permits.

• LARA – Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

Building Permit Application Information:

• Pre-Development / BDT Meeting Checklist
• Applications:
  • Building and Demolition Permits
    • Commercial Building Permit Application
    • Demolition Permit Application
  • Trade Permits (State of Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs – LARA)
    • The Electrical Permit Application, Mechanical Permit Application, Plumbing Permit Application, Fire Suppression, and Elevator Permit Applications can be obtained by accessing LARA – Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
  • Utility Connection Permits (City of Sturgis)
    • Apply for a Water Connection Permit
    • Apply for a Sewer Connection Permit
    • Apply for Electric Service
  • Right-of-Way Permits
    • Apply for Right-of-Way Permit (City of Sturgis)
    • Apply for a Right-of-Way Permit (St. Joseph County Road Commission)
    • Apply for a Right-of-Way Permit (State of Michigan Department of Transportation)
• Building, Planning, Zoning Online Permit Submittal
• Fee Schedule

Payment Methods Accepted

• In Person Payment Options: Cash, Check, and Money Order are accepted at City Hall for payment of Development Fees.
• On-line Payment Options: Credit Cards are accepted for Development Fees if applying on-line.

Right-of-Way, MISS Dig, City and Non-City Utilities Information

• Right-of-Way Construction Permits
  For construction involving City Right-of-Way, a permit from the City Engineer’s Office is required. This include work on drive approaches (between the street and the property line), utilities, sidewalks and any other work in the street right-of-way. Contact the City Engineer at (269) 659-7249 for more information. Row Permit Application
• MISS DIG
  A State mandated “one-call” system for the location and staking of underground utilities prior to excavation or construction. You can contact MISS DIG by calling 811, 1-800-482-7171, or visiting them online at www.missdig.org. Please contact at least three working days in advance. The City receives an email with the appropriate information to complete our portion of the utility location.
• City Utilities
  Information on utility connections and services for City of Sturgis Electric, Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater can be found on the Utilities Page.
• Non-City Utilities
  The following links are provided for your convenience to set up some of the non-city utilities you may require:
  • Frontier
  • Charter/Spectrum
  • Michigan Gas Utilities
  • USDish