Brownstown Building Department 2026: Permits, Inspections & Services

First: Confirm Brownstown Township Has Jurisdiction

Do this before downloading plans or paying a fee. Brownstown is surrounded by multiple incorporated communities, so the city name in a postal address may not always identify the government office responsible for construction approval.

1. Open Brownstown’s BS&A portal. Use the township portal rather than a general third-party permit directory.
2. Search the property. BS&A allows searches by address, name or parcel number. Use the property address first; the parcel number is useful when an address produces multiple matches.
3. Check the municipality shown on the record. Confirm that the property is actually under Brownstown Township.
4. Call the Building Department if the boundary is unclear. Have the street address and parcel number ready when calling 734-675-0166.

This small check can prevent an application from being prepared for the wrong city, township or county.

What Work Needs a Permit in Brownstown?

Brownstown’s residential project guidance identifies several common types of work that require building or trade permits. The exact permit combination depends on the scope of the project.

If the project combines several trades, expect separate building, electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits where applicable.

How to Apply for a Brownstown Building Permit

Brownstown’s online process is slightly different from a portal that generates the entire application form for you. The Township instructs applicants to obtain the appropriate application from its website, complete it, and then attach that PDF during the BS&A submission.

1. Identify the correct permit. Open the Brownstown Forms & Permits page and locate the form for your project or trade.
2. Download and complete the Township form. Enter the property address, owner information, contractor information, work description and other information requested on the specific application.
3. Prepare plans and supporting files. Add the site plan, construction plans, contractor documents, affidavits or other project-specific attachments requested by the form.
4. Open BS&A Online. Go to the Brownstown Township BS&A portal and choose Apply for a Permit.
5. Create or sign in to your account when required. Contractors need an account linked to the Township. Brownstown’s instructions state that the contractor account is linked using a Township-provided PIN.
6. Enter the project information. Select the appropriate record or permit type and complete the online fields.
7. Upload the completed permit application. In the portal’s attachment step, upload the completed Brownstown PDF and supporting documents.
8. Submit and monitor the record. Watch for requests for corrections, missing documents, plan-review comments or fees.
9. Pay the required charges. BS&A includes a Building Department fee-payment function. Pay the amount assessed for your actual permit record.
10. Wait for issuance before beginning regulated work. Do not treat a submitted application or payment receipt as an issued permit.

Documents to Prepare Before You Apply

The exact package depends on the project. Preparing the following information before opening the portal usually reduces incomplete submissions.

• Correct job-site address and parcel information.
• Property-owner name and contact information.
• Clear description of the proposed work.
• Estimated project or construction value when requested.
• Completed Brownstown permit application for the relevant permit type.
• Site or plot plan for work affecting building location, yards or setbacks.
• Construction drawings for additions, structural changes, new buildings or other plan-review work.
• Electrical, plumbing or mechanical permit applications when separate trade work is involved.
• Contractor state-license and Township registration information where applicable.
• Homeowner affidavit when an eligible homeowner is personally taking responsibility for permitted work.
• Utility-disconnection confirmation for demolition projects.
• Additional zoning, engineering, soil-erosion, Wayne County or environmental approvals when triggered by the project.

Brownstown’s demolition guidance specifically states that a demolition permit application should include notice showing disconnection of applicable utilities such as electric, water and gas.

Brownstown Building Permit Fees

There is no single flat price that represents every Brownstown building permit. The Township publishes separate permit and plan-review fee schedules, and the total can vary by permit type, construction value, trade work, plan review, inspections and project-specific approvals.

Best way to get the correct amount: use the current fee schedule under the Township’s Forms & Permits section, then rely on the fee assessed to your specific BS&A record. For complex work, do not budget from an old permit or another property’s fee.

View Brownstown permit forms and current fee-schedule documents →

How Brownstown Building Inspections Work

After a permit is issued, required inspections are tied to the work authorized by that permit. Brownstown allows inspection requests through BS&A Online.

Schedule an Inspection Online

1. Open Brownstown Township in BS&A Online.
2. Sign in if the record is associated with your account.
3. Select Schedule an Inspection or open the permit you are managing.
4. Find and select the permit that needs inspection.
5. Select the required inspection type.
6. Choose an available date shown by the portal.
7. Submit the request and retain the confirmation.
8. Keep the work exposed and accessible until the required inspection is approved.

Brownstown’s published contractor instructions specifically direct users to select the permit, choose the desired inspection type and select from available calendar dates.

Typical New-Home Inspection Sequence

The Township’s residential FAQ lists inspections that can include:

• Water and sewer installation.
• Footings.
• Backfill inspection before the work is backfilled.
• Underground plumbing.
• Rough plumbing.
• Rough electrical.
• Rough heating/mechanical.
• Fireplace.
• Rough framing and exterior rough work.
• Insulation.
• Drywall.
• Interior slabs and porches attached to the foundation.
• Final plumbing.
• Final electrical.
• Final heating/mechanical.
• Smoke-detector inspection where applicable.
• Final building inspection.

If an inspection is not approved, correct the cited issue before requesting the next required inspection. Do not cover work that is still subject to inspection.

Search Brownstown Building Permits, Status & Inspection Records

BS&A provides a public Building Department Record Search for Brownstown Township. This is useful for homeowners, contractors, buyers and property researchers who need to locate an existing permit or review available municipal building records.

1. Open the Brownstown Township BS&A portal.
2. Choose Building Department Record Search.
3. Search with the most reliable information you have: street address, owner/name, parcel number or Building Department record number.
4. Open the matching record.
5. Review available permit information, inspection activity, outstanding fees or other displayed record details.
6. If the record is missing or unclear, contact the Township with the address, parcel number and any old permit number you have.

BS&A also supports broader property searches by address, name and parcel number. Historical or non-digitized material may require direct assistance from the Township.

Brownstown Building Codes in 2026

Brownstown enforces Michigan construction codes together with Township ordinances and local zoning requirements. An important 2026 detail is that Michigan’s newer proposed residential-code update has been affected by litigation, so the latest model-code edition is not automatically the enforceable residential code.

For state-code updates, use the Michigan Bureau of Construction Codes current code list. For local requirements, also review the Brownstown Township ordinances.

Contractors, Registration & Homeowner Permits

Contractor Registration

Brownstown publishes a contractor-registration application in its Forms & Permits library. Contractors should confirm that their state license, Township registration and insurance information are current before submitting permit applications.

The Township’s published contractor-registration form calls for liability coverage including minimum limits of $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident and $25,000 property damage per accident, along with Workers’ Compensation and Employers Liability where applicable. The insurance certificate must identify Brownstown Township as certificate holder and comply with the wording requested on the current form.

Use the latest form available when registering; do not rely on an old certificate or another municipality’s registration.

Homeowners Doing Their Own Work

Brownstown advises residents that when a homeowner obtains a permit and signs the homeowner affidavit, the homeowner accepts responsibility for the permitted work and required inspections.

For electrical permits, Brownstown’s residential FAQ states that permits may be issued to licensed electrical contractors and to homeowners for a dwelling in which they reside or intend to reside. It specifically states that homeowner electrical permits are not issued to owners for rental properties.

When Building Approval Is Not the Only Approval You Need

Some Brownstown projects require planning, zoning, engineering, utility, environmental or county approvals before the Building Department can issue the final construction permit.

Brownstown’s zoning ordinance states that where site-plan or sketch-plan approval is required, a building permit is not issued until that review is completed and required review, inspection and permit fees are paid.

Common Reasons a Brownstown Permit Gets Delayed

• Applying to the wrong municipality.
• Uploading the BS&A application without the completed Brownstown PDF.
• Missing site plans, structural drawings or trade-permit documents.
• Using an unlinked contractor account instead of completing the Township PIN process.
• Beginning work before the permit has actually been issued.
• Ignoring zoning or site-plan approval that must happen before building approval.
• Covering rough plumbing, electrical, mechanical or structural work before inspection.
• Requesting final building inspection before required trade finals are approved.
• Using an outdated code edition or fee schedule.
• Assuming a previous owner’s permit or another municipality’s rules apply to the property.

Official Brownstown Permit Resources

• Brownstown Township Forms & Permits — permit applications, fee schedules and department documents.
• Online Permit Applications & Inspections — Township instructions for using BS&A.
• Brownstown Township BS&A Portal — apply, search records, pay fees and schedule inspections.
• Brownstown Residential Building FAQ — permit and inspection guidance for common residential projects.
• Brownstown Township Ordinances — local regulations and zoning-related ordinances.
• Michigan Current Construction Codes — official state code editions and effective dates.

Brownstown Building Department FAQs

Before You Start Work

For most Brownstown projects, the fastest path is to confirm the property jurisdiction, download the correct Township application, prepare the required plans and contractor information, submit through BS&A, respond to review comments, pay the assessed fees and wait for the permit to be issued. After work begins, schedule each required inspection before covering the work and obtain the required final approvals.

For project-specific permit, zoning or code decisions, contact the Brownstown Building Department at 734-675-0166 or building@brownstown-mi.org.

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