Bolthole Index

Grand Traverse County, Michigan

Building permits, zoning and septic in the Village of Kingsley, Michigan

The Village of Kingsley, Michigan requires building permits for construction and changes of use or occupancy, with an exception for qualifying ordinary repairs.1 Kingsley administers its own zoning and land-use approval; Grand Traverse County Environmental Health handles septic and well construction permits inside village limits.234

At a glance

Building permits
Required for construction and occupancy changes; qualifying ordinary repairs excepted1
Zoning
Village zoning applies inside Kingsley limits5
Septic
County Health Department permit for installation6
Wells
County Environmental Health issues new well construction permits4
Minimum dwelling size
R-2: 600 square feet per dwelling unit, excluding listed attached and unfinished spaces7
Minimum lot area
R-2: 10,000 square feet per dwelling unit8

Who to call

Zoning

Village of Kingsley Planning and Zoning Department

Village zoning, land-use applications and conceptual site-plan review

(231)263-7778 ext 101

[email protected]

207 S. Brownson Ave. P.O. Box 208 Kingsley, MI 49649

Building permits

Grand Traverse County Building Department

Building-code contact identified by Kingsley; confirm the enforcing agency and submission route for your project

231.995.6044

[email protected]

Septic permits

Grand Traverse County Health Department Environmental Health Division

Septic permits, site evaluations and installation approval

231-995-6051

[email protected]

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

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Village of Kingsley means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Do you need a building permit in the Village of Kingsley, MI?

Kingsley requires a building permit before building construction and when the use or occupancy of a structure changes.1 Qualifying ordinary repairs are exempt, but structural changes, work affecting exits, and specified utility or trade work fall outside that exception.1 Michigan construction codes apply inside Kingsley, including residential-code provisions for houses.9 A village land-use permit is also needed for new buildings and additions or alterations to existing buildings.2 Treat zoning approval and the building permit as separate parts of planning your project.21

Who handles building permits and zoning in the Village of Kingsley?

Kingsley’s Planning and Zoning Department administers the village zoning ordinance and offers conceptual site-plan review before an application is submitted.2 Start with the village Zoning Administrator to identify the parcel’s district and the planning review your project needs.2 The village development guide identifies Grand Traverse County Building Department as the building-code contact and says the land-use approval letter provides instructions for applying for building and other applicable permits.10 Ask that building office to confirm the enforcing agency, application route and inspection schedule for your Kingsley address.10

Does the Village of Kingsley have zoning, and how small can a home be?

Kingsley has village zoning; the parcel’s district matters when evaluating a home design.52 In Kingsley’s R-2 Residential District, each dwelling unit needs at least 600 square feet of floor area, excluding basements, cellars, attics, attached garages and other attached structures.7 R-2 also requires at least 10,000 square feet of lot area per dwelling unit and limits lot coverage to 70%.811 Those R-2 dimensions should not be applied to every village parcel; locate the property on Kingsley’s zoning map before designing around them.2

How do septic and well permits work inside the Village of Kingsley?

Septic installation inside Kingsley requires a permit from Grand Traverse County Health Department.6 For property without access to municipal systems, county Environmental Health evaluates the site and permits new or replacement septic systems.1213 Final inspection is required before a new or replacement system is approved for use, and permit issuance or site evaluations can take up to 30 days.14 New private-home or small-business wells in Kingsley also require county Environmental Health construction permits.4 Before choosing a private system, ask the village about public utility service and mandatory connection; we could not confirm Kingsley’s connection threshold.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Village of Kingsley?

We could not confirm Kingsley’s residential RV-occupancy rule or a provision specifically allowing tiny homes; ask the village Zoning Administrator about the proposed dwelling and parcel before buying. Kingsley’s R-2 minimum dwelling floor area is 600 square feet per unit, excluding the listed unfinished and attached spaces.7 Meeting that size alone does not resolve zoning approval or building-code requirements for a small home.59 Kingsley prohibits cabins for rent and tents as legal accessories on dwelling lots, except children’s play tents; that provision does not establish the answer for RV living.15

Building a home in the Village of Kingsley: what are the steps?

  1. Locate the parcel on the village zoning map and discuss the proposal with Kingsley Planning and Zoning.2
  2. Submit the village land-use application and site plan; basic site-plan review applies to permitted residential uses, including a single-family home.10
  3. Follow the village approval letter’s instructions for building and other applicable permits, and arrange county septic or well approval where those systems are proposed.1064
  4. Build, arrange inspections and obtain occupancy approval in the sequence described by the village development guide.10

For land outside village limits, use the Grand Traverse County guide to distinguish the county building-permit process from Kingsley’s village land-use review.162

What should you check before buying land in the Village of Kingsley?

Kingsley restricts development or modification within wetlands and floodplains, and land subject to flooding or other listed hazards may be unsuitable for residential use as determined by the Village Planning Commission.17 Ask Kingsley Planning and Zoning to assess those restrictions alongside the parcel’s zoning district.172 New driveways on Kingsley parcels require driveway permits according to the village planning page; ask the village which road authority must approve the access.2 Michigan’s owner-builder licensing exemption covers qualifying construction for the owner’s own use and occupancy on the owner’s property, but does not remove building permits, inspections or zoning requirements.18

Watch-outs

  • Kingsley’s R-2 lot-area and floor-area requirements are district-specific, rather than villagewide minimums.87
  • We could not confirm Kingsley’s rules for off-grid sanitation or agricultural exemptions; ask the village Zoning Administrator and county Environmental Health before relying on either.214
  • New or replacement septic systems need final inspection before approval for use.19

Sources

  1. Building Permit Information (Village of Kingsley), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village of Kingsley Planning and Zoning Department (villageofkingsley.com)
  3. Permit-Requiring Departments (Village of Kingsley), quoted and re-checked
  4. Drinking Water & Wells (Village of Kingsley), quoted and re-checked
  5. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Village of Kingsley), quoted and re-checked
  6. Permit-Requiring Departments (Village of Kingsley), quoted and re-checked
  7. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Village of Kingsley), quoted and re-checked
  8. § 152.052 Dimensional requirements (Village of Kingsley), quoted and re-checked
  9. Building Permit Information (Village of Kingsley), quoted and re-checked
  10. Grand Traverse County Building Department (villageofkingsley.com)
  11. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Village of Kingsley), quoted and re-checked
  12. On-Site Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  13. On-Site Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  14. Grand Traverse County Health Department Environmental Health Division (gtcountymi.gov)
  15. § 152.230 Supplemental lot and yard provisions (Village of Kingsley), quoted and re-checked
  16. Building Permit Process (2026 county census)
  17. § 152.191 Wetland and flood plain restrictions (Village of Kingsley), quoted and re-checked
  18. Frequently Asked Questions – Residential Builder (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. On-Site Septic Systems, 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Village of Kingsley

Village of Kingsley’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    All land inside Kingsley village limits.

    “This chapter shall be known as the Village of Kingsley Zoning Ordinance and will be referred to herein as this chapter.”
  • Camping on your landProhibited

    Erection of cabins for rent or tents as an accessory on a dwelling lot inside Kingsley village limits.

    • The provision expressly excepts children's play tents.
    • The provision addresses dwelling lots and does not by itself resolve every form of campground or public-land camping.
    “The erection of cabins for rent or tents (except children's play tents) shall not be permitted or considered a legal accessory on a dwelling lot.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Development or modification within a wetland or floodplain inside Kingsley village limits.

    • A wetlands permit from the Department of Natural Resources and/or an earth-change permit is required as appropriate.
    • Land subject to flooding or other listed hazards may not be used for residential purposes or uses that increase hazard, as determined by the Village Planning Commission.
    “There shall be no development or modification of any kind within a wetland or flood plain area without their first having been issued a wetlands permit by the Department of Natural Resources and/or an earth change permit as appropriate.”

Rules another office applies inside Village of Kingsley

Village of Kingsley does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction of buildings or structures, and changes of use or occupancy, inside Kingsley village limits.

    • A permit is not required for ordinary repairs, subject to the limits stated by the state.
    • Ordinary repairs do not include structural changes, changes affecting egress, or certain plumbing, electrical, mechanical, water-supply, sewer, drainage, or similar work affecting public health or safety.
    • The application goes to the appropriate enforcing agency.
    “Before construction of a building or structure, an owner, or the owner's builder, architect, engineer, or agent, shall submit an application in writing to the appropriate enforcing agency for a building permit. A permit is also required when the use or occupancy of a structure or portion thereof is changed.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building construction and occupancy inside Kingsley village limits under Michigan construction codes.

    • The Michigan Building Code applies generally; provisions for one- and two-family dwellings are in the Michigan Residential Code.
    • The enforcing agency may be state, county, or local government.
    “The Michigan Building Code controls all matters concerning the construction, alteration, addition, repair, removal, demolition, use, location, occupancy, and maintenance of all buildings and structures and their service equipment.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Dwellings in Kingsley village's R-2 Residential District.

    • The minimum floor area is per dwelling unit.
    • Basements, cellars, attics, attached garages, and other attached structures are excluded.

    minimum floor area: >= 600 square feet per dwelling unit (not including basement, cellar, attic, attached garage, or other attached structure)

    “Every dwelling hereafter erected shall provide not less than 600 square feet of floor area per dwelling unit, not including basement, cellar, attic, attached garage, or other attached structure.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Dwelling units in Kingsley village's R-2 Residential District.

    • The requirement is 10,000 square feet per dwelling unit.

    minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet per dwelling unit

    “Each dwelling unit shall have a minimum lot area of 10,000 square feet per unit.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Lots in Kingsley village's R-2 Residential District.

    • Maximum lot coverage is 70 percent.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 70 percent

    “Maximum lot coverage shall not exceed 70%.”
  • Who permits septicCounty

    Septic permitting inside Kingsley village limits through the Grand Traverse County Health Department.

    • The county page identifies the Environmental Health Department as the department issuing permits to install well and septic systems.
    “Environmental Health Department | Health Department Permit to install a well and septic system”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Installation of a septic system inside Kingsley village limits.

    • The Grand Traverse County Health Department is identified as the permitting department.
    • Specific exemptions or replacement-system exceptions were not established in the reviewed page.
    “Environmental Health Department | Health Department Permit to install a well and septic system”
  • Well permitRequired

    Construction of a new private-home or small-business well inside Kingsley village limits.

    • Applications may be submitted through the county EPIC GT permitting system.
    • The permit is supplied to a registered well driller for installation.
    • Well drillers must comply with Michigan and Grand Traverse County regulatory codes.
    “The Grand Traverse County Health Department's (GTCHD) Environmental Health Division is responsible for evaluating proposed locations for wells and issuing well construction permits for private homes and small businesses.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Kingsley or Grand Traverse County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder licensing or permit exemptions applicable inside Kingsley village limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Kingsley village limits.
  • Living in an RV — Residential occupancy of recreational vehicles on land inside Kingsley village limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Kingsley village limits.
  • Septic inspection — Septic-system inspections inside Kingsley village limits.
5 more unanswered
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Permit fees

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Village of Kingsley publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Grand Traverse County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Grand Traverse County: county rules, score and offices