Bolthole Index

Macomb County, Michigan

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Memphis, Michigan

Memphis, Michigan requires a city building permit before construction and changes of building or land use, and the city administers its own zoning.12 Memphis allows onsite sewage disposal where public sewer is unavailable, subject to approval by the county where the system is installed and/or the state.3 For Macomb County parcels, septic permits and soil evaluations come from the Macomb County Health Department.4

At a glance

Building permits
Required through the Memphis Building Inspector before covered work or use changes1
Zoning
City zoning applies inside Memphis city limits2
Septic approval
County and/or state approval where public sewer is unavailable; Macomb County Health Department for Macomb parcels34
Minimum dwelling size
R-1A: 900 square feet; R-1B: 720 square feet, with floor-area exclusions56
Minimum lot area
R-1A: 9,000 square feet; R-1B: 7,200 square feet; at least 12,000 per dwelling without public sewer78
Owner-builder
Michigan licensing exemption for own use and occupancy on your own property; building approval still required91
Move-in approval
Certificate of occupancy required for covered new or changed uses10

Who to call

Building permits

Memphis Building Department

City building permits, construction inspections and guidance on zoning compliance, land use and setbacks

(810) 392-2385

Also useful

Memphis Clerk/Treasurer Office

City ordinances and resolutions; formal subdivision-plat processing and recorded documents

(810) 392-2385

[email protected]

Septic permits

Macomb County Health Department, Environmental Health Services Division

Septic permits, soil evaluations and septic inspections for Macomb County parcels

586-469-5236

[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 Memphis means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Memphis, Michigan?

Memphis requires a building permit from the Building Inspector before a building or structure is erected, moved, repaired, altered or razed, or a building or land use changes.1 Memphis administers and enforces the state construction codes referenced in its ordinance.11

A Memphis building-permit application needs evidence of ownership and plans and specifications, including a scaled plat plan.12 City building-permit fees are collected before issuance and set by City Council resolution; ask for the current fee sheet for your project.13 If construction does not start within 6 months of issuance, the Memphis building permit becomes void and the fees are forfeited.1

Who handles Memphis building permits and zoning questions?

Start with the Memphis Building Department for city building permits, inspections and questions about land use, setbacks and property improvements.14 The Memphis Building Department lists a building-permit application, fee sheet and zoning map on its official page.14 Memphis inspectors are contracted by the city and work part-time; the city office can help you reach the appropriate inspector during normal business hours.14

For the ordinance or a City Council fee resolution, ask the Memphis Clerk/Treasurer Office, which maintains city codes, ordinances and resolutions.15 Building approval does not replace septic approval: a Memphis onsite sewage system must receive county and/or state approval where public sewer is unavailable.3

Does Memphis have zoning, minimum lot sizes and setbacks?

Memphis zoning applies to new buildings, structures, uses and changes of use inside city limits.2 In the R-1A district, the minimum lot area is 9,000 square feet; in R-1B, the minimum is 7,200 square feet.78 Without public sewer, those lot-area rules increase to at least 12,000 square feet per dwelling unit, making sewer availability part of the buildability question.78

In R-1A, the yard requirements are 25 feet in front, 35 feet in back, at least 5 feet on the smallest side and 15 feet total across the side yards, subject to the special street-abutting side-yard rule.16 Buildings may cover no more than 30% of lot area in R-1A and R-1B.17 Ask the Memphis Building Department to review the parcel’s district and proposed building layout.14

How do septic permits work inside Memphis?

Memphis allows an onsite sewage disposal system where public sewer is unavailable, but requires approval by the county where the system will be installed and/or the state.3 For Memphis parcels in Macomb County, the Health Department evaluates soils, issues septic permits and inspects systems.4

Macomb County requires an acceptable soil evaluation before a new-construction septic permit, followed by an application, fee, property tax ID, legal description and/or survey, and a professionally prepared, dimensioned site plan through the Environmental Health portal.18 The plan must show the proposed septic system and reserve area alongside buildings, driveways, wells, utilities and other required site details.18 Macomb County’s 2026 fee schedule lists $243 for a soil evaluation and $489 for a new septic permit.19 Those county approvals are separate from the Memphis building permit.13

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

We could not confirm permission to live in an RV on a private Memphis lot or a general temporary-camping allowance; ask the Memphis Building Department about the proposed occupancy and parcel zoning before buying for that purpose.214

For a small permanent dwelling, Memphis requires at least 900 square feet in R-1A and 720 square feet in R-1B, excluding basements, unfinished attics, attached garages, breezeways and porches from the minimum floor area.56 We could not confirm a separate tiny-home or accessory-dwelling permission; ask the Memphis Building Department to classify the intended building and use.14 Memphis’s mobile-home rules prohibit occupancy of parked or stored mobile homes and sanitary connections to those units; a temporary parking allowance should not be treated as permission to move in.20

What are the steps to build a home in Memphis?

  1. Ask the Memphis Building Department to review the proposed land use, zoning district and setbacks against your site layout.214
  2. Establish sewer availability; if public sewer is unavailable, obtain the applicable county and/or state onsite sewage approval, with soil evaluation first for a Macomb County septic application.318
  3. Submit ownership evidence, plans, specifications and a scaled plat plan to the Memphis Building Inspector, and pay the city building-permit fee before issuance.12
  4. Arrange construction inspections with the Memphis Building Department and request final inspection when the permitted work is complete.1421
  5. Obtain the required Memphis certificate of occupancy before the covered building or new use is occupied.10

Michigan’s owner-builder licensing exemption applies to construction for your own use and occupancy on your own property; the exemption does not remove Memphis building-permit or zoning requirements.912

What should you check before buying land in Memphis?

For a Memphis parcel in Macomb County using septic and/or a drinking-water well, a property-transfer evaluation is required before closing, subject to county exemptions; the report must reach the Health Department at least 5 days before closing.22 Macomb County also requires a well-permit request for new or repair/replacement drinking-water wells.23

Floodplain status can change the project: Michigan prohibits new residential construction in the floodway, and EGLE’s floodplain permit requirement applies to rivers, streams and drains with drainage areas of at least 2 square miles.24 A driveway accessing a state trunkline requires MDOT approval in addition to local building approval.25 For land outside Memphis city limits, consult the Macomb County guide; Memphis zoning applies inside the city.2

Watch-outs

  • Macomb County septic fees and property-transfer requirements apply to Macomb County parcels; Memphis requires onsite sewage approval from the county where the system is installed and/or the state.19223
  • A Memphis lot without public sewer needs at least 12,000 square feet per dwelling under the residential lot-area rules, plus county and/or state septic approval.783
  • We could not confirm Memphis RV living, tiny-home occupancy or accessory-dwelling permission; ask the Memphis Building Department about the exact parcel and proposed use.14

Sources

  1. § 150.026 Building Permit Application (Memphis), quoted and re-checked
  2. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Memphis), quoted and re-checked
  3. § 150.115 Sewage Disposal (Memphis), quoted and re-checked
  4. Macomb County Health Department, Environmental Health Services Division (macombgov.org)
  5. § 150.059 Limiting Height, Bulk, Density and Area by Land Use (Memphis), quoted and re-checked
  6. § 150.059 Limiting Height, Bulk, Density and Area by Land Use (Memphis), quoted and re-checked
  7. § 150.059 Limiting Height, Bulk, Density and Area by Land Use (Memphis), quoted and re-checked
  8. § 150.059 Limiting Height, Bulk, Density and Area by Land Use (Memphis), quoted and re-checked
  9. Frequently Asked Questions – Residential Builder (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. § 150.027 Certificate of Occupancy (Memphis), quoted and re-checked
  11. § 154.06 Stille-DeRossett Hale Single State Construction Code Act (Memphis), quoted and re-checked
  12. § 150.026 Building Permit Application (Memphis), quoted and re-checked
  13. § 150.026 Building Permit Application (Memphis), quoted and re-checked
  14. Memphis Building Department (cityofmemphismi.gov)
  15. Memphis Clerk/Treasurer Office (cityofmemphismi.gov)
  16. codelibrary.amlegal.com (Memphis), quoted and re-checked
  17. § 150.059 Limiting Height, Bulk, Density and Area by Land Use (Memphis), quoted and re-checked
  18. Onsite sewage disposal (septic) systems, quoted and re-checked
  19. Environmental Health fee schedule, quoted and re-checked
  20. § 150.054 Mobile Home Park Districts (Memphis), quoted and re-checked
  21. § 150.026 Building Permit Application (Memphis), quoted and re-checked
  22. Property transfers, quoted and re-checked
  23. Fee schedule, quoted and re-checked
  24. Floodplains (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Infrastructure permits (Michigan statewide rule), 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 Memphis

Memphis’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Buildings, structures, repairs, alterations, razing, and changes of building or land use inside Memphis city limits.

    • A permit must be obtained from the Building Inspector before the listed work or use change.
    • Applications must include satisfactory evidence of ownership and plans/specifications.
    • A permit becomes void if construction does not start within six months; fees are forfeited.
    • Fees are collected in advance and established by City Council resolution.

    construction-start deadline: 6 months (Permit automatically becomes void if construction has not started.)

    “without a building permit having been obtained from the Building Inspector.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Memphis city limits; the city administers and enforces the referenced state construction codes.

    • The ordinance references Public Act 230 of 1972, the State Mechanical Code, State Residential Rehabilitation Code, and Uniform Energy Code.
    • Plan reviewers and inspectors must be registered under Public Act 54 of 1986.
    “the city hereby elects to administer and enforce the Public Act 230 of 1972 and the State Mechanical Code.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Work authorized by a building permit inside Memphis city limits.

    • Upon completion, the permit holder must notify the Building Inspector and seek final inspection.
    “Upon completion of the work authorized by a building permit, the holder thereof shall seek final inspection thereof by notifying the Building Inspector.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New, altered, reoccupied, or changed-use buildings and land inside Memphis city limits when a building permit or certificate is required.

    • A temporary certificate may be issued for a portion of a building for no more than six months, and no more than five days after completion ready for occupancy.
    • Dwelling accessory buildings do not require separate certificates when shown on the plat plan and completed with the dwelling.
    “unless and until a certificate of occupancy shall have been issued for such new use.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    All land inside Memphis city limits.

    • New buildings, structures, uses, and changes of use must conform to Chapter 150.
    “except in conformity with the provisions of this chapter.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Land inside Memphis city limits.

    • Districts listed include R-1A, R-1B, RM, MH, C-1, CBD, and I-1.
    “For the purposes of this chapter, the city is hereby divided into the following zoning districts.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile/manufactured homes inside Memphis city limits.

    • Mobile home parks are permitted in the MH district subject to Public Act 243 of 1959 and site-plan review.
    • Mobile homes parked or stored must not be connected to sanitary facilities or occupied.
    • Parking over 24 hours outside MH districts is prohibited except for a Building Inspector temporary permit of no more than two weeks.

    temporary parking period outside MH district: <= 2 weeks (Building Inspector may issue a temporary permit.)

    “The Mobile Home Park Districts are designed to permit the development of planned mobile home parks”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Floodplain or stormwater-inundation areas within proposed subdivisions inside Memphis city limits.

    • Specific compliance with the Subdivision Act, M.C.L.A. §§ 560.101 to 560.293, is required.
    • Review by the Water Resources Commission of the Department of Conservation is required.
    “shall require specific compliance with the Subdivision Act”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Inspection, permit, certificate, and copy fees inside Memphis city limits.

    • Fees are collected in advance of issuance.
    • The amount is established by City Council resolution.
    “The amount of such fees shall be established by resolution of the City Council.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building permit applications inside Memphis city limits.

    • Applications require ownership evidence and plans/specifications including a scaled plat plan.
    • The permit holder must seek final inspection after completion.
    • Fees are collected in advance.
    “plans and specifications including a plat plan, in duplicate, drawn to scale”

Rules another office applies inside Memphis

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

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    R-1A One-Family Residential District inside Memphis city limits.

    • Minimum floor area excludes basements, unfinished attics, attached garages, breezeways, and enclosed or unenclosed porches.

    minimum floor area: >= 900 square feet (Exclusions stated in § 150.059(B)(3).)

    “R-1A: One-Family Residential | 9,000 (1) | 75 | 30% | 2 | 25 | 25 | 5(2) | 15 | 35 | 900(3)”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1A One-Family Residential District inside Memphis city limits.

    • Where public sewers are not provided, lot area per dwelling unit must be at least 12,000 square feet.
    • The R-1A table includes a 9,000-square-foot minimum subject to table note (1).

    minimum lot area: >= 9000 square feet per unit (At least 12,000 square feet per dwelling unit where public sewers are not provided.)

    “In those instances where public sewers are not provided, all lot areas per dwelling unit shall equal at least 12,000 square feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1A One-Family Residential District inside Memphis city limits.

    • The table specifies front, side, total side, and rear yards; a side yard abutting a street may be subject to the special rule in § 150.059(B)(2).

    front setback: >= 25 feet · least side setback: >= 5 feet (See § 150.059(B)(2).) · total side setbacks: >= 15 feet · rear setback: >= 35 feet

    “R-1A: One-Family Residential | 9,000 (1) | 75 | 30% | 2 | 25 | 25 | 5(2) | 15 | 35 | 900(3)”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R-1A and R-1B One-Family Residential Districts inside Memphis city limits.

    • Maximum coverage is 30 percent of lot area.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

    “Maximum Percent of Lot Area Covered by All Buildings”
  • Who permits septicMixed (with conditions)

    On-site sewage disposal inside Memphis city limits where a public sewer system is unavailable.

    • Approval is required from the county in which the system is installed and/or the state.
    “approved by the county in which they are to be installed and/or the state.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    On-site/off-grid sewage disposal inside Memphis city limits where public sewer is unavailable.

    • County and/or state approval is required.
    “on-site sewage disposal systems may be employed”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Memphis or Macomb County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders inside Memphis city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Memphis city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Memphis city limits.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory dwelling units inside Memphis city limits.
  • Septic inspection — Septic systems inside Memphis city limits.
4 more unanswered
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Memphis publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Macomb County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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