City building department · Michigan
Dearborn building department
Permits, inspections, and official contacts for Dearborn Economic Development Building and Trade Permits.
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Contacts & online services
- Phone
- (313) 943-2150
- Office
- Dearborn Administrative Center, 16901 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI 48126
Get directions (opens in a new tab) - Serves
- Dearborn · Wayne County
- Online services
- Applications · Permit search · Inspections
Check your address first. Dearborn Economic Development Building and Trade Permits handles building permits for property inside Dearborn city limits. Property outside city limits is usually served by Wayne County or another municipality, even when the mailing address says Dearborn.
On this page
Dearborn’s building and trade permits come from the Economic Development Department at the Dearborn Administrative Center. The department issues building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits. It also issues dismantle (wrecking) permits, fire suppression, alarm and sprinkler permits, sign and parking-lot permits, and sidewalk café permits. Dearborn also requires a city housing inspection and certificate of occupancy before a house is sold or rented.
Applying on BS&A Online
Almost all Dearborn permits are applied for, paid for and issued on BS&A Online, and building and trade inspections are scheduled there too. Before you can submit anything, your BS&A account must be linked to the City of Dearborn. To get it linked, email [email protected] and ask staff for help.
Every construction permit application needs a signed affidavit:
- Homeowners use the Homeowner Affidavit. It certifies that you own and live in (or will live in) the home, that you will do the work yourself, and that you will arrange the inspections. The city discourages homeowners from pulling permits for a contractor’s work, because code violations are pursued against the permit holder.
- Commercial property owners use a separate commercial affidavit.
Applications and their construction documents expire if no permit is issued within 180 days of submittal.
Fillable PDF applications are also posted for electrical, plumbing and mechanical/HVAC work, commercial building and renovation, special use of land, tents, temporary obstruction of property, permit extensions, revisions, and cancellations and refunds.
Adopted codes
Dearborn’s “Applicable Codes” sheet lists:
| Discipline | Commercial | Residential |
|---|---|---|
| Building | 2021 Michigan Building Code (effective April 4, 2024) | 2015 Michigan Residential Code (effective Feb. 8, 2016) |
| Plumbing / mechanical | 2021 Michigan Plumbing and Mechanical Codes (effective March 12, 2024); 2021 IFGC for fuel gas | 2015 MRC |
| Electrical | 2023 NEC with the state’s Part 8 rules | 2015 MRC |
| Energy | MBC 2021 Chapter 13, 2021 Michigan Energy Code, ASHRAE 90.1-2021 | MRC 2015 Chapter 11; 2015 Michigan Energy Code (effective Sept. 20, 2017) |
The sheet also lists:
- Existing buildings: 2021 Michigan Rehabilitation Code
- Fire: 2024 International Fire Code, NFPA 13-2019 (sprinklers) and NFPA 72-2019 (fire alarms)
- Accessibility: ICC/ANSI A117.1-2017
Fee highlights
These figures come from the city’s Permits & Occupancy fee schedule, posted on the permits page (file dated June 2024).
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Permit processing fee (all permits) | $100 |
| Construction permit, first $2,000 of cost | $100 |
| Construction permit, $2,001–$1 million | $100 plus $15 per $1,000 |
| Residential plan review | $1 per $1,000 of cost ($15–$150) |
| Commercial plan review, up to $500,000 | $200 |
| Trade permit minimum (one rough and one final inspection) | $180 |
| Garage | $200 |
| Shed, deck, ramp or gazebo | $100 |
| In-ground pool / above-ground pool, spa or hot tub | $150 / $50 |
| Fence (includes processing and plan review) | $125 |
| Re-inspection | $30–$60 |
| Investigative fee, trade work done without a permit | $100 |
Sale and rental certificates of occupancy
Dearborn’s housing inspections are separate from construction permits.
Selling a house. City ordinance requires a pre-sale housing inspection, and the seller or the seller’s agent schedules it. Once the seller has completed the inspection requirements, email the purchaser’s name to [email protected] before closing. Say whether the buyer will live in the home. The certificate of occupancy (C of O) is always issued in the buyer’s name and emailed back for the closing.
Renting a house. Landlords must have a C of O before listing a property for rent. The steps:
- Submit the residential inspection request form with payment to Economic Development.
- Staff call to schedule the inspection, which takes about 45 minutes. An adult must be present the whole time.
- Fix every cited violation within 90 days of the first inspection.
- Pass a re-inspection.
Inspection reports are valid for one year. Rental questions go to [email protected].
Sale and rental inspection fees include one re-inspection:
- Single-family: $225
- Two-family: $275
- Three-family: $345
- Four-family: $405
The certificate itself is free. Vacant property registration is $160.
Office hours
The Administrative Center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Inside the city, you can also reach staff by calling 311.
Planning a project?
These guides explain the national model-code rules most departments start from. Dearborn Economic Development Building and Trade Permits decides what applies in Dearborn, so use them to prepare your questions.
Nearby building departments
Not the right office? If your property is outside Dearborn city limits, one of these may handle it.