Commerce Township Building Department 2026: Permits, Inspections & Services

Commerce Township Building Permits, Inspections and Local Requirements

If your property is inside Commerce Township, Michigan, the Township Building Department is the main local office for building permits, construction plan review, trade permits and required inspections. The office also works with zoning, floodplain, soil erosion, water and sewer requirements when those issues affect a project.

What the Commerce Township Building Department Handles

The department enforces Michigan construction-code requirements and Commerce Township ordinances for property within its jurisdiction. Its work includes reviewing building applications and plans, issuing permits, inspecting regulated work and helping determine whether additional zoning, floodplain, septic, soil erosion or utility requirements apply.

Do You Need a Building Permit?

Commerce Township states that new construction and structural changes require permits. Electrical, plumbing and heating work also requires the appropriate trade permit and inspection.

The Township’s published FAQ and permit materials also identify several common projects with more specific rules:

How to Apply for a Commerce Township Building Permit

Commerce Township maintains an official forms page containing residential and non-residential building applications, electrical, mechanical and plumbing applications, soil erosion forms, floodplain forms, grading documents, deck guidance and other handouts.

1. Confirm the property is actually in Commerce Township.
   A mailing address alone is not always enough to identify the permitting authority. This matters especially around Oakland County municipal boundaries. Nearby communities such as Bloomfield Township, the City of Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham operate their own permitting systems.
2. Identify every permit your project needs.
   A single remodeling job can involve a building permit plus electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits. Projects affecting land use or placement may also require zoning review.
3. Open the Township’s forms page.
   Go to the official Applications, Forms and Handouts page. Choose the form that matches your project rather than using an application copied from another municipality.
4. Complete the property and applicant information.
   The residential application requests information such as the job address, parcel/Sidwell information, owner details, contractor details, water/sewer or well/septic status, project type, square footage and estimated project cost.
5. Prepare the required site plan and construction drawings.
   For residential structures, Township guidance calls for site information showing items such as lot dimensions, elevations, easements, floodplain conditions, setbacks, existing/proposed structures, septic and well locations when applicable, roads, wetlands and other relevant site conditions.
6. Add supporting approvals before submission when required.
   Depending on the property, this can include septic approval, subdivision approval, soil-erosion documents, floodplain information, an energy-code form or other agency approvals.
7. Submit complete plans.
   Commerce Township’s permit-requirements handout asks for two complete sets of residential building plans, with structural elevations, sections, floor plans, construction materials, dimensions and other details needed for review.
8. Wait for review and corrections.
   Do not assume submission means approval. If the reviewer asks for missing information or revised plans, respond before scheduling construction.
9. Pay the assessed permit fees.
   Permit cost depends on the project and may include building, plan-review, administrative, trade or inspection-related charges.
10. Begin regulated work only after the permit is issued.
    Trade-permit forms specifically warn that work should not begin before the applicable permit has been filed and issued.

The Township also publishes a building permit requirements handout. It is useful for preparing a submittal, but because that document has an older revision date, confirm current zoning and code requirements before relying on any older dimensional example shown in the handout.

Residential Plans: What to Prepare Before You Apply

A well-prepared application can save a lot of back-and-forth. For a residential addition, new home or similar structural project, prepare the information below before submitting.

• Property address and parcel/Sidwell information.
• Owner and applicant contact information.
• Contractor information and applicable license details.
• Clear description of the proposed work.
• Project square footage and estimated construction cost.
• Scaled site plan.
• Existing and proposed structures.
• Property lines and setbacks.
• Roads, easements and relevant utilities.
• Well and septic locations when applicable.
• Floodplain and wetland information when applicable.
• Floor plans.
• Building elevations.
• Structural sections and construction details.
• Window and door sizes where relevant.
• Energy-code information for projects that require it.
• Subdivision, septic, soil erosion or other approvals when applicable.

The Township’s residential application recognizes both contractor and qualifying homeowner applications. A homeowner signing as the permit holder is accepting responsibility for the work and for compliance with applicable codes and inspections. If you hire a contractor, Commerce Township recommends that the contractor secure the permit because the permit holder is the party responsible for the permitted work.

Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Permits

Commerce Township provides separate applications for electrical, plumbing and mechanical work. The forms require job-site, owner and contractor information and explain that regulated work should not be concealed before inspection.

Use the official forms page to obtain the current version rather than saving an old copy:

• Electrical permit application
• Mechanical permit application
• Plumbing permit application

How to Schedule a Commerce Township Inspection

Commerce Township now publishes a BS&A Online page for permitting and inspection services. The Township says users need a BS&A account, and the page provides links for registration and inspection scheduling.

1. Open the Township’s official BS&A Online Permitting and Inspection page.
2. Create or sign in to your BS&A account using the Township’s registration link.
3. Choose the inspection-scheduling option.
4. Have the permit number and exact job-site address ready.
5. Select the correct permit and inspection type.
6. Submit the request and check for confirmation or further instructions.
7. Make sure the work being inspected is complete, accessible and not concealed.

Commerce Township’s published FAQ also states that inspection requests should be made by 4:00 p.m. for the next working day and that the permit number and site address are needed. Because the Township is transitioning more services online, verify the current scheduling method if you need a specific next-day inspection.

Typical Inspection Stages

The exact inspections depend on the project. A simple roof permit will not follow the same inspection path as a new house. Larger projects may involve several inspections before work can be concealed or the next construction stage begins.

Commerce Township Building Permit Fees in 2026

Commerce Township does not use one flat building-permit price for every project. The Township’s current Fee Ordinance No. 2.032 was adopted in March 2026 and bases building-permit valuation on the International Code Council’s Building Valuation Data, which is updated annually for fee purposes.

The 2026 ordinance uses the following building-permit fee multiplier tiers:

• First $0 to $1 million of calculated value: $8.50 per $1,000.
• Additional value over $1 million through $5 million: $6.50 per $1,000.
• Additional value over $5 million: $4.50 per $1,000.

That is not necessarily the final amount you will pay. Administrative charges, plan review, inspections, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, zoning or other project-specific fees can apply.

For the most current calculation, use the Township’s official ordinances page and open the current Fee Ordinance, or call the Building Department at 248-960-7060 with the project description.

Michigan Building Codes Used in 2026

Commerce Township enforces Michigan construction requirements together with applicable Township ordinances. Michigan’s code editions are not all from the same publication year, so checking the correct code is important.

Michigan LARA maintains the authoritative current construction-code list. Code editions can change, especially while residential-code rulemaking remains active, so verify the controlling edition for a new application rather than relying on an old project.

Floodplain, Wetland, Septic and Soil-Erosion Issues

Commerce Township has many lakes and environmentally sensitive areas, so land-related approvals can be just as important as the building plans.

The Township states that development within a regulated floodplain can require approval even when the activity is not a conventional building—for example, filling or excavation. If your parcel is near a lake, drainage area or mapped flood hazard, resolve this before finalizing construction plans.

Use the Township’s official flood information page or call 248-960-7060. The Building Department also maintains FEMA-related information and elevation certificates for applicable properties.

Septic approval may also be required for properties that do not use municipal sewer. The permit-requirements handout specifically tells applicants to include septic approval when applicable and to show septic and well locations on the site plan.

Commercial Projects and New Occupancies

Commercial construction usually requires more coordination than a small residential project. Commerce Township’s published materials state that site-plan review is necessary in many non-residential cases and that professional plans may be required.

Before filing a commercial application, confirm whether your project needs:

• Planning or site-plan approval.
• Building plan review.
• Architect- or engineer-sealed drawings.
• Electrical, plumbing or mechanical review.
• Fire Department review or inspection.
• Utility approval.
• Soil erosion, drainage or engineering review.
• Accessibility compliance.
• Change-of-use or occupancy approval.
• Final certificate or other authorization before occupancy.

Calling before signing a construction schedule can prevent an expensive surprise. A contractor may be ready to start while planning, fire or engineering approvals are still unresolved.

Common Problems That Delay a Permit

Before You Call the Building Department

You will usually get a clearer answer if you give the department enough information to understand the project. Have these details ready:

• Exact property address.
• Parcel number if available.
• Residential or commercial use.
• Simple description of the proposed work.
• Approximate dimensions or square footage.
• Whether a contractor will perform the work.
• Whether the property uses public water/sewer or a well/septic system.
• Whether the property is lakefront or near a floodplain/wetland.
• Permit number if calling about an existing application or inspection.

A two-minute preparation before the call can save several rounds of emails later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Checklist

• Confirm Commerce Township is the correct jurisdiction.
• Identify building and trade permits before starting.
• Check zoning and site restrictions early.
• Prepare a complete site plan and construction drawings.
• Include septic, floodplain, soil erosion or other approvals when relevant.
• Use the Township’s current forms.
• Wait for permit issuance before beginning regulated work.
• Schedule inspections before work is concealed.
• Complete required trade inspections before the building final when applicable.
• Do not occupy a project that requires final occupancy authorization until that authorization has been issued.

Information reviewed for 2026 using Commerce Township and Michigan government resources. Permit procedures, fees, portal features and code requirements can change. For a project-specific decision, the Charter Township of Commerce Building Department is the controlling local authority.