Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Charlotte, Michigan

At a glance

Building permits

Required before covered work; limited minor-repair exception¹

Zoning

City zoning applies inside Charlotte²

Septic permits

Barry-Eaton District Health Department, where municipal wastewater is unavailable⁵

Minimum lot size

R-1: 8,400 square feet; R-2: 12,000 square feet, subject to schedule notes⁶⁷

Owner-builder

State licensing exemption for own use and occupancy on own property; building permits still apply⁸

Wells

BEDHD site evaluation, well permit and final review⁹

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 12, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Charlotte, MI?

Charlotte requires a building permit before a building or structure is erected, altered, moved or repaired.¹ Charlotte’s minor-repair exception excludes changes involving structural parts, stairways, occupancy, light or ventilation, ingress or egress, and other regulated features.¹ A Charlotte building permit cannot authorize work or land use inconsistent with city zoning, so resolve the proposed use before committing to a building design.¹ Michigan’s owner-builder licensing exemption covers a home erected for the owner’s own use and occupancy on the owner’s property; the exemption does not remove building-permit, inspection or zoning requirements.⁸

Who handles building inspections and zoning in Charlotte?

Charlotte Building & Planning administers and enforces the city zoning ordinance.¹⁰ Request a Charlotte building inspection at 517-543-8833 and provide your name, phone number, permit number or job-site address, and inspection type.¹⁰ The city department lists the 2015 Michigan Residential Code for residential construction and the 2021 Michigan Building Code for commercial and industrial construction.¹⁰ Charlotte’s permit holder must notify the Building Official immediately when authorized work is complete for a final inspection.¹¹ Ask Charlotte Building & Planning for the current application package and building-permit fee before submitting a project.

Does Charlotte have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

Charlotte has city zoning districts, including residential, industrial, conservancy and mobile-home districts.¹² Charlotte’s R-1 schedule specifies a minimum lot area of 8,400 square feet and width of 70 feet; R-2 specifies 12,000 square feet and 85 feet, with both subject to the schedule’s cross-referenced notes.⁶⁷ Charlotte’s R-2 schedule lists a 30-foot front setback, side setbacks of 10 and 12 feet, and a 35-foot rear setback, subject to the schedule notes.¹³ The city website announces a zoning update; ask Building & Planning which adopted ordinance and map govern the parcel before relying on these dimensions.¹⁴

How do septic and well permits work inside Charlotte?

For Charlotte land without available municipal wastewater service, Barry-Eaton District Health Department evaluates the site and issues the septic permit before installation.⁴ A favorable site evaluation comes before the septic permit application, fee and construction authorization.¹⁵ After installation, the owner or contractor must notify BEDHD; the system can be covered only after final approval and an approved tag.¹⁶ A residential or business drinking-water well also requires BEDHD site evaluation, a well permit and final review, including required water sampling.⁹ Call the Eaton County health office at 517-543-2430 about the proposed site.¹⁷

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Charlotte?

We could not confirm Charlotte’s private-land RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny-home occupancy or accessory-dwelling rules; ask Charlotte Building & Planning about the exact proposed use and parcel. Charlotte’s zoning code does require a building permit for covered building work and prohibits permits for uses inconsistent with city zoning.¹ Charlotte also requires a certificate of occupancy before occupying a new or altered building or beginning a new land use.¹⁸ Do not treat an RV, small cabin or backyard dwelling as approved accommodation while construction proceeds; request a city determination before including that arrangement in your purchase or construction plan.

Building a home in Charlotte: what are the steps?

1. Ask Charlotte Building & Planning to identify the parcel’s zoning district and confirm that the proposed home meets city zoning before seeking a building permit.¹
2. Where municipal wastewater is unavailable, arrange BEDHD’s site evaluation and septic permit before installing the sewage system.⁵
3. Obtain the Charlotte building permit before starting covered construction.¹
4. Request city building inspections through the published inspection line, and notify the Building Official upon completion for final inspection.¹⁰¹¹
5. Obtain the required Charlotte certificate of occupancy before occupying the new or altered home.¹⁸

For land outside Charlotte city limits, consult the Eaton County guide: the county zoning repeal leaves municipal and township zoning authority intact.³

Watch-outs

• Charlotte’s city website announces a zoning update; confirm the ordinance currently in force with Building & Planning before using the residential dimensional schedule.¹⁴
• We could not confirm Charlotte’s minimum dwelling floor area, agricultural building-permit exemption or current city building-permit fees; ask Charlotte Building & Planning before pricing a project.¹⁰
• Eaton County’s zoning repeal does not repeal Charlotte’s municipal zoning authority.³

Sources

1. § 82-30 Permits (Charlotte), quoted and re-checked
2. Charlotte, MI Laws (Charlotte), quoted and re-checked
3. Resolution to Repeal the Eaton County Land Development Code, quoted and re-checked
4. On-Site Sewage Systems, quoted and re-checked
5. On-Site Sewage Systems, quoted and re-checked
6. § 82-426 Schedule Limiting Height, Bulk, Density and Area by Zoning District (Charlotte), quoted and re-checked
7. § 82-426 Schedule Limiting Height, Bulk, Density and Area by Zoning District (Charlotte), quoted and re-checked
8. Frequently Asked Questions – Residential Builder (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. On-Site Drinking Water Wells, quoted and re-checked
10. Charlotte Building & Planning (charlottemi.gov)
11. § 82-32 Final Inspection (Charlotte), quoted and re-checked
12. § 82-85 Districts (Charlotte), quoted and re-checked
13. § 82-426 Schedule Limiting Height, Bulk, Density and Area by Zoning District (Charlotte), quoted and re-checked
14. Charlotte Zoning Ordinance Information (charlottemi.gov)
15. On-Site Sewage Systems, quoted and re-checked
16. On-Site Sewage Systems, quoted and re-checked
17. Barry-Eaton District Health Department — Eaton County Office (barryeatonhealth.org)
18. § 82-30 Permits (Charlotte), quoted and re-checked

Written October 12, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.