Bolthole Index

Livingston County, Michigan

Building permits, zoning and septic in Cohoctah Township, Michigan

Cohoctah Township, Michigan requires a building permit for home construction under Michigan’s construction-permit rules, with building permits handled by Livingston County Building Department.12 Cohoctah Township sets zoning, while Livingston County Environmental Health handles septic permits inside the township.34 Start with the township Zoning Administrator for the parcel’s district and land-use questions.5

At a glance

Building permits
Required for home construction; county building department12
Zoning
Township zoning with district-specific dimensional rules36
Septic permits
County Environmental Health; approved soil evaluation before application47
Minimum lot size
AR: 20 acres, subject to ordinance exceptions; RR nonfarm residential: 2 acres89
Small homes
AR and RR: 960 sq ft minimum total; first-floor requirements depend on stories1011
Owner-builder
Michigan licensing exemption for own use and occupancy; building permit still required121
Occupancy
County certificate plus Cohoctah final zoning compliance approval13

Who to call

Zoning

Cohoctah Township Zoning Administrator

Township zoning questions and parcel-specific land-use review

517-404-3312

10518 Antcliff Rd. Fowlerville, MI 48836

Building permits

Livingston County Building Department (LCBD)

Building permits and inspections for most of Livingston County under the State Building Code

(517) 546-3240

2300 E Grand River Ave, Howell, MI 48843

Septic permits

Livingston County Health Department — Environmental Health Division

Septic (on-site sewage) permits, soil evaluations and inspections for Livingston County under the Livingston County Sanitary Code

(517) 546-9858

2300 E Grand River Ave Suite 102, Howell, MI 48843

Roads & driveways

Livingston County Road Commission — Permit Office

Driveway approach, road approach and right-of-way permit applications and fees

Also useful

Livingston County Drain Commissioner — Soil Erosion & Sedimentation Control (SESC)

Soil erosion and sedimentation control permits for residential construction and other earth disturbance in Livingston County

(517) 546-0040

2300 E Grand River Ave Suite 105, Howell, MI 48843

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Cohoctah Township have zoning, lot-size rules and setbacks?

Cohoctah Township has zoning districts with different dimensional requirements, so a parcel’s district matters before choosing a house plan.36 In the AR Agricultural Residential District, a permitted parcel must have at least 20 acres unless another ordinance provision supplies an exception.8 In the RR Rural Residential District, a nonfarm single-family residential parcel must have at least 2 acres, with protection for certain legal lots of record under the ordinance’s amendment-date exception.9

AR and RR residential height limits are 35 feet, with dwelling-related accessory buildings limited to 25 feet.1415 Ask the Cohoctah Township Zoning Administrator to confirm the parcel’s district, applicable lot exception and setbacks before placing the home, barn or garage on a site plan.5

Do you need a building permit in Cohoctah Township, and who issues it?

Home construction in Cohoctah Township needs a building-permit application before construction under Michigan’s permit rule; Livingston County Building Department provides the building-permit service.12 Township zoning remains a separate local responsibility, and Cohoctah requires final zoning compliance approval for the county occupancy-certificate process.313

Contact the township Zoning Administrator at 517-404-3312 for land-use questions, and Livingston County Building Department at (517) 546-3240 for building permits and inspections.52 The county offers online building-permit applications, information lookup, inspection scheduling and fee payment through its Building Department page.2 Michigan’s owner-use residential-builder licensing exemption does not remove the separate building-permit requirement.121

How do septic permits work inside Cohoctah Township?

Livingston County Environmental Health administers septic systems inside Cohoctah Township under the county sanitary code.4 An approved soil evaluation must precede the septic-permit application, and the septic permit must be obtained before installation.7 An Environmental Health Specialist inspects the system during installation; the inspection schedule appears on the permit and the septic contractor arranges the required inspections.1617

Livingston County’s soil survey rates only 1.1% of soils “not limited” for conventional septic drain fields; that countywide screening figure means a site evaluation matters, not that septic is impossible on a particular Cohoctah parcel.18 Contact Environmental Health at (517) 546-9858 before committing to a building layout that depends on a conventional drain field.17

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Cohoctah Township?

Cohoctah Township’s AR and RR districts require a one-story dwelling to have at least 960 square feet of first-floor area.1011 For a two-story dwelling in either district, the first floor must have at least 700 square feet and the total area must be at least 960 square feet.1011 A small-home plan below those minimums therefore does not meet the stated AR or RR dwelling-size rules.1011

We could not confirm a township rule authorizing residential occupancy of an RV on a private parcel or a separate tiny-home approval category; ask the Cohoctah Township Zoning Administrator about the proposed structure, district and duration of use before buying it.5 A completed home also needs the county certificate of occupancy and Cohoctah’s final zoning approval before occupancy.13

What are the steps to build a home in Cohoctah Township?

  1. Ask the Cohoctah Township Zoning Administrator to confirm the district and review the proposed land use against the township’s dimensional rules.53
  2. Complete the approved soil evaluation and obtain the county septic permit before septic installation; when also installing a well, apply for the well at the same time as the septic system.717
  3. Arrange road-access approval with Livingston County Road Commission when work enters the county-road right-of-way, including driveway or road-approach construction.19
  4. Submit the building-permit application before construction and arrange construction inspections with Livingston County Building Department.1202
  5. Complete final inspections, applicable final well/septic health approval and Cohoctah’s final zoning compliance approval, then obtain the certificate of occupancy before using the home.13

What stays with Livingston County when buying land in Cohoctah Township?

Cohoctah Township zoning does not replace Livingston County Environmental Health’s septic approval or the county building department’s occupancy-certificate process.3413 Michigan requires a local health-department well permit or notification before drilling, with the specific county procedure to be confirmed with Environmental Health.2117

Livingston County Drain Commissioner requires a residential soil-erosion permit for earth disturbance of an acre or more or work within 500 feet of surface water; smaller disturbance exceeding 225 square feet may need a waiver.22

For a parcel with county-road access, the Road Commission requires a permit for work in the road right-of-way; its residential driveway approach application is listed at $75.00.19 Before buying, ask the township Zoning Administrator about parcel divisions and agricultural-building exemptions, and ask the county Building Department which floodplain approvals the proposed site needs; we could not confirm complete township-specific procedures for those topics.52 For land outside Cohoctah Township, use the Livingston County guide and the zoning office for that parcel’s municipality.23

Watch-outs

  • Cohoctah Township’s AR lot minimum has ordinance exceptions, and RR has a legal-lot-of-record exception; obtain parcel-specific zoning guidance before rejecting or buying a smaller tract.89
  • Off-grid plans in Cohoctah Township still need approved water and wastewater systems; septic installation requires a county permit and inspection.24
  • Final county health approval and Cohoctah Township zoning compliance approval are part of the occupancy-certificate process, so a finished house alone is not enough to move in.13

Sources

  1. Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, MCL 125.1510 (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  2. Livingston County Building Department (LCBD) (milivcounty.gov)
  3. Sec. 7.05. Dimensional regulations (Cohoctah Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Septic Services - Livingston County (Cohoctah Township), quoted and re-checked
  5. Cohoctah Township Zoning Administrator (cohoctahtownship.gov)
  6. Sec. 6.06. Dimensional regulations (Cohoctah Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Septic Services - Livingston County (Cohoctah Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. library.municode.com (Cohoctah Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Sec. 7.05. Dimensional regulations (Cohoctah Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. library.municode.com (Cohoctah Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. library.municode.com (Cohoctah Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Frequently Asked Questions – Residential Builder (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Application for Residential Certificate of Occupancy (Cohoctah Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. library.municode.com (Cohoctah Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. library.municode.com (Cohoctah Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. Septic Services - Livingston County (Cohoctah Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. Livingston County Health Department — Environmental Health Division (milivcounty.gov)
  18. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Livingston County Road Commission — Permit Office (livingstonroads.org)
  20. MCL 125.1512, Inspection of construction (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Before you start a well drilling business (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Livingston County Drain Commissioner — Soil Erosion & Sedimentation Control (SESC) (milivcounty.gov)
  23. Residential Building Permits, quoted and re-checked
  24. Sec. 5.02. Permitted principal uses (Cohoctah Township), quoted and re-checked

Written October 11, 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 Cohoctah Township

Cohoctah Township’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Cohoctah Township; the township adopts and administers a zoning ordinance with named zoning districts and dimensional regulations.

    “A nonfarm single-family residential parcel or lot shall have a minimum of two acres in area.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Land inside Cohoctah Township; the official code publishes multiple zoning districts, including AR Agricultural Residential, RR Rural Residential, SR Suburban Residential, MHR Mobile Home Residential, WRD Waterways Resource Development, and LRR Limited Recreation Residential.

    “Dimensional regulations for new lots, parcels or new construction created for permitted single family residential purposes in the LRR Limited Recreation Residential District shall comply with the following dimensional regulations:”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family dwellings in the AR Agricultural Residential District.

    • For a one-story dwelling, minimum first-floor area is 960 square feet.
    • For a two-story dwelling, minimum first-floor area is 700 square feet and minimum total area is 960 square feet.

    one-story minimum first-floor area: >= 960 square feet · two-story minimum first-floor area: >= 700 square feet (minimum total area is 960 square feet)

    “The minimum first floor area of a one-story dwelling, 960 square feet; and for a two-story dwelling, 700 square feet; and a minimum total of 960 square feet for both stories.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Single-family dwellings in the RR Rural Residential District.
      “The minimum first floor area of a one-story dwelling, 960 square feet; and for a two-story dwelling, 700 square feet; and a minimum total of 960 square feet for both stories.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Permitted parcels in the AR Agricultural Residential District.

    • The ordinance states an exception may be provided elsewhere in the ordinance.

    minimum lot area: >= 20 acres (except as otherwise may be provided in the ordinance)

    “A permitted parcel shall have a minimum of 20 acres in area, except as otherwise may be provided in this Ordinance.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Nonfarm single-family residential parcels in the RR Rural Residential District.
      “A nonfarm single-family residential parcel or lot shall have a minimum of two acres in area.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Dwellings and accessory/agricultural buildings in the AR Agricultural Residential District.

    • Grain elevators, silos, and windmills have a separate 120-foot maximum.

    dwelling height: <= 35 feet · accessory building height: <= 25 feet · agricultural building height: <= 45 feet (grain elevators, silos, and windmills may be up to 120 feet)

    “Height Limitations. Maximum of 35 feet for all dwellings and a maximum of 25 feet for all buildings accessory to dwellings; maximum of 45 feet for all agricultural buildings, except for grain elevators, silos, and windmills, which shall not exceed 120 feet in height.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Residential and accessory structures in the RR Rural Residential District.
      “Height Limitations. Maximum of 35 feet for all residential structures; a maximum of 25 feet for all residentially related accessory structures.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    On-site water and wastewater systems for residential land inside Cohoctah Township.

    • On-site systems must meet Livingston County Health Department approval requirements.
    • A septic permit and installation inspection are required.
    “Nonfarm single-family dwellings, on at least ten acres of contiguous land which can accommodate on-site septic tanks and wells which meet the approval of the County Health Department.”

Rules another office applies inside Cohoctah Township

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

  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Use or occupancy of structures inside Cohoctah Township subject to the Michigan construction code and county certificate process.

    • All final inspections must be completed and approved before application.
    • The county certificate application requires final health approval for applicable well or septic systems.
    • Cohoctah requires final zoning compliance inspection and approval for the county certificate process.
    “IT IS UNLAWFUL TO USE OR OCCUPY A STRUCTURE WITHOUT A CERTIFICATE OF USE AND OCCUPANCY UNDER MICHIGAN COMPILED LAW 125.1513.”
  • Who permits septicCounty

    Septic systems inside Cohoctah Township.

    • Livingston County Environmental Health administers permitting and installation inspections under the Livingston County Sanitary Code.
    “Septic systems must be permitted and installed according to the Livingston County Sanitary Code.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Installing any septic system inside Cohoctah Township.

    • An approved soil evaluation must be completed before applying for the septic permit.
    • A septic permit is required before installation.
    “A septic permit must be obtained prior to installing any septic system.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Septic-system installation inside Cohoctah Township.

    • Inspections are conducted during installation by an Environmental Health Specialist.
    “During the installation process, an Environmental Health Specialist will conduct inspections.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Cohoctah Township or Livingston County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from building-permit or licensing requirements inside Cohoctah Township.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code administration for land inside Cohoctah Township.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Cohoctah Township.
  • Agricultural exemption — Agricultural construction or use exemptions inside Cohoctah Township.
  • Subdividing land — Subdivision or land division inside Cohoctah Township.
3 more unanswered
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals

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 Cohoctah Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Livingston County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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