Birmingham, Michigan Building Department 2026: Permits, Inspections & Services

Building Department Address, Phone & Hours

Which Building Permits Are Required?

Birmingham requires permits for many residential and commercial construction projects. The city specifically identifies new homes, additions, renovations, decks, porches, garages, sheds, roofing, window and siding work, basement finishing, waterproofing and swimming pools among projects requiring building permits.

Some work may qualify for exceptions under applicable state codes, but a construction-code exemption does not automatically waive Birmingham zoning or other local requirements. Confirm your exact scope with the department.

How to Apply for a Birmingham Building Permit

1. Confirm the property and permit type. Visit Birmingham BS&A Online. Confirm the municipality is City of Birmingham, Oakland County, MI, and identify the correct residential or commercial permit category. The portal uses RES for residential and COMM for commercial or multifamily work.
2. Check preliminary approvals. Review setbacks, zoning restrictions, building plans and whether Engineering Site Evaluation, Planning approval or other reviews are required. New construction, additions, pools and other large projects need engineering site review under the city’s published procedure.
3. Prepare the application package. Gather the site address, owner and applicant information, project description, construction drawings, current builder’s license where required, certified survey and supporting documents.
4. Register or sign in. From the BS&A municipal page, choose Apply for a Permit. Register an account if required, verify the account email, choose the appropriate application and complete the requested fields.
5. Submit plans and pay review fees. Follow the portal’s submission instructions. Birmingham’s published construction procedure calls for two folded sets of complete construction drawings, a certified survey when required, and relevant supporting documents. Confirm whether physical copies are still required for your application. Building and Engineering plan-review fees must be paid before review.
6. Respond to plan-review comments. The city publishes an approximate review period of two to three weeks. Reviewers may request revisions. Address all comments, provide corrected plans and monitor your application status.
7. Receive the permit before work begins. Do not begin regulated work until the appropriate permit has been issued. Follow the approved plans, arrange required inspections and obtain final approvals.

Documents Needed for Construction Permits

The exact submission depends on the project, but Birmingham’s published procedures identify these common requirements:

• Completed building permit application and detailed scope of work.
• Two folded sets of complete construction drawings for projects subject to that submission procedure.
• Certified property survey, when required, showing relevant existing and proposed improvements.
• Topographical elevations at a minimum of four corners on certified surveys.
• Location of city trees within the right-of-way on plot plans.
• Copy of a current builder’s license where required for the application.
• Engineering Site Evaluation and applicable zoning or Planning approvals.
• Separate electrical, plumbing or mechanical applications when those trades are involved.
• For most new construction permits, the required signature page from Birmingham’s New Construction Packet.

For additions, new homes and other site-intensive work, prepare a consistent plan package showing property boundaries, setbacks, grading, drainage, proposed construction and affected city infrastructure. Avoid submitting drawings that conflict with the survey or engineering documents.

Official Birmingham permit applications, surveys and new-construction documents →

Scheduling Building and Trade Inspections

Building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical inspections can be requested through BS&A Online. Inspection requests are available online 24 hours a day, although scheduling and the inspection itself depend on department availability.

First-time inspection account setup

1. Open Birmingham’s BS&A municipal page.
2. Register an account or sign in to an existing one.
3. Open the email verification link if registering for the first time.
4. Contact the Building Department at 248-530-1850 to obtain the required PIN or link your account to the City of Birmingham.
5. Select Schedule an Inspection under the building department services.
6. Choose the permit record, inspection category and available scheduling details, then submit the request.

The BS&A inspection module states that inspections are completed on the scheduled date and that the department tries to accommodate morning or afternoon preferences. For a requested appointment time, call 248-530-1850 between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM on the morning of the inspection.

Prepare before the inspector arrives

• Confirm the permit has been issued and the correct inspection has been requested.
• Have the relevant work ready and accessible.
• Keep work exposed until required inspections have been completed.
• Make approved plans and permit information available.
• Arrange access to the property and applicable equipment.
• If corrections are required, complete them before requesting another inspection.

Building Permit Fees and Review Time

Birmingham’s permit costs depend on the work, permit category and applicable city fee schedule. Building, trade, engineering and other reviews may have separate charges.

To pay an assessed charge, open Birmingham BS&A Online, select Pay a Building Department Fee, locate the relevant record and follow the payment instructions. Keep your confirmation or receipt.

For an accurate estimate, ask the department to identify every applicable building, trade, engineering or additional review fee before finalizing your construction budget.

Important Birmingham Zoning and Site Rules

Setbacks and building placement

Birmingham zoning regulates where structures may be placed on a lot. Minimum setbacks can differ from the conditions under which an existing house was originally constructed. Check current requirements before planning additions, detached garages or replacement homes.

Front-yard paving

Under the city’s published guidance, at least 65% of the front open space must remain free of paved surfaces. Materials treated as paving include concrete, blacktop, gravel, brick and similar materials. Check driveway and paving proposals against the applicable zoning requirements.

Site Evaluation and drainage

New construction, additions, pools and other large projects require an Engineering Site Evaluation under Birmingham’s published procedure. Review may address site grades, surveys, tree protection, drainage and impacts on public property.

Commercial exterior changes

Birmingham requires Planning Department approval for exterior commercial changes, including painting and signage, before the Building Department can issue applicable permits.

Board of Zoning Appeals

Property owners seeking relief from certain zoning standards may need to apply to the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA). The city identifies the second Tuesday of the month as its regular meeting date and generally requires completed applications by the 12th of the preceding month. The board limits the regular agenda to seven appeals. Confirm current deadlines and application materials before filing.

Demolition Permit Requirements

Complete or partial demolition of a building requires a separate demolition permit. Birmingham’s published residential demolition instructions identify several prerequisites:

• DTE electrical disconnection approval.
• Consumers Energy gas-disconnection documentation.
• Verification concerning telephone and cable service disconnection.
• Water disconnection and meter-removal arrangements.
• Property survey identifying structures to be demolished.
• Notification to adjoining property owners.
• Photographs of the building’s front, rear and sides.
• Applicable asbestos survey and clearance documentation.
• Site fencing, erosion-control measures, sidewalk protection and city-tree protection.
• Contractor details and expected demolition schedule.

Submit the required documents and applicable fees before beginning demolition. The city’s application instructions explain which materials must accompany the request.

View the city’s published demolition permit requirements (PDF) →

Building Codes Applied in Birmingham

Birmingham enforces applicable Michigan construction codes along with relevant city ordinances. Its official adopted-code page identifies the following editions:

These editions reflect Birmingham’s published adopted-code listing. Applicability may depend on project type, permit timing, state amendments and subsequent regulatory or court changes. Confirm the controlling energy-code and rehabilitation-code provisions for your project before submitting final plans.

Official Birmingham adopted building codes →

Check a Permit Status or Existing Building Record

Before purchasing a property, starting renovations or scheduling further work, you may want to examine available permit history.

1. Visit Birmingham BS&A Online.
2. Select Building Department Record Search.
3. Search using the available address, parcel or record-identification fields.
4. Review the records displayed for the property, including available permit descriptions, status and inspection information.
5. If a record is missing or its status is unclear, contact the Building Department with the property address and permit number.

Remember: A missing online record does not prove that a permit was never issued. Older records and some supporting documents may require direct department assistance.

Common Permit Problems and What to Do

Official Birmingham Permit Resources

Use these primary sources to access city services, download the correct documents and verify project-specific requirements.

For nearby Oakland County projects, see our Bloomfield Hills building permit guide and Bloomfield Township building permit guide. These are separate jurisdictions from Birmingham.

Frequently Asked Questions