Bolthole Index

Macomb County, Michigan

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Richmond, Michigan

Richmond, Michigan requires building permits for new work, additions and alterations, and the city administers its own zoning.12 For Richmond parcels in Macomb County, septic permits come from the Macomb County Health Department; in the St. Clair County portion, contact the St. Clair County Health Department.34 Richmond prohibits using an RV for living or residential purposes on a residential lot.5

At a glance

Building permits
Required for new work, additions and alterations; contact Richmond’s Building Department.16
Zoning
City zoning applies; lot dimensions and setbacks depend on the district.27
Septic permits
Macomb County Health Department for the Macomb portion; St. Clair County Health Department for the St. Clair portion.34
RV living
Prohibited on residential lots; parking or storage permission does not allow residential use.5
Minimum home size
Minimum gross floor area is 1,500 square feet per unit in R-1 and 1,000 in R-3.89
Owner-builder
Michigan’s own-use, own-occupancy licensing exemption does not waive building permits, inspections or zoning.10
Wells
Macomb County requires a well permit for new and repair/replacement residential wells in its portion of Richmond.11

Who to call

Building permits

Richmond Building Department

City building permits, construction-code enforcement and inspection scheduling.

(586) 727-7571 ext. 202

[email protected]

36725 Division Road Richmond, MI 48062

Zoning

Richmond Planning & Economic Development Department

Development applications, pre-application meetings and zoning requirements.

(586) 727-7571

[email protected]

36725 Division Road Richmond, MI 48062

Septic permits

Macomb County Health Department, Environmental Health Services Division

Soil evaluations, septic permits and septic inspections for Richmond parcels in Macomb County.

586-469-5236

[email protected]

Online permits →

Septic permits

St. Clair County Health Department, Environmental Health Division

Septic approval for Richmond parcels in St. Clair County.

(810) 987-5306

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

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Do you need a building permit in Richmond, MI?

Richmond requires building permits for new work, additions and alterations; the city’s examples include renovations, demolition, roof repairs or replacements, decks, swimming pools, sheds and fences.1 Ask the Richmond Building Department about your proposed work before starting, including which electrical, plumbing or mechanical approvals apply.6

Michigan’s owner-builder licensing exemption applies when an individual builds on the individual’s property for personal use and occupancy; the exemption does not remove building-permit, inspection, code, zoning or utility requirements in Richmond.10 Confirm the applicable construction-code edition with Richmond’s Building Department when preparing plans.6

Who handles Richmond building permits and zoning applications?

The Richmond Building Department enforces construction codes for building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical work; the Building Clerk takes inspection requests and schedules the appropriate inspector.6 Reach the building counter at (586) 727-7571 ext. 202 or [email protected].6

Richmond’s Planning & Economic Development Department requires a pre-application meeting before a development application is submitted.12 The meeting brings planning, public works, fire and building staff together to review a preliminary site plan, explain zoning requirements and discuss project timing.12 Contact planning at (586) 727-7571 or [email protected] to discuss your proposal.12

Does Richmond have zoning, minimum lot sizes and setbacks?

Richmond has city zoning with separate districts and dimensional standards; the parcel’s district determines which lot and building limits apply.27 In Richmond’s R-1 district, minimum lot area is 10,890 square feet, minimum width is 80 feet and minimum depth is 120 feet.13 In R-3, the corresponding minimums are 7,200 square feet, 60 feet wide and 120 feet deep.14

Richmond’s R-1 front and rear yard minimums are 30 and 35 feet, with at least 10 feet on one side and 20 feet total across both side yards.15 R-3 requires front and rear yards of 25 and 35 feet, with at least 5 feet on one side and 16 feet total.16 Arterial-street frontage can increase the front setback, and corner lots in R-3 have two front yards; have Planning review the parcel before placing a house on a sketch.151612

How do septic permits work inside Richmond?

For Richmond land in Macomb County, the Macomb County Health Department evaluates sites, conducts soil evaluations, issues septic permits and inspects septic systems.317 Macomb County’s new-construction process requires an acceptable soil evaluation before the septic permit, followed by an application, fee, property tax ID, legal description or survey, and a professionally prepared dimensioned site plan.18 The Richmond-specific Macomb fee figures are $489 for a new septic permit and $150 for a repair permit.19

For Richmond land in St. Clair County, a sewage permit from the St. Clair County Health Department is required before installing or repairing a septic system.4 Contact its Environmental Health Division at (810) 987-5306.20 Michigan requires public-sewer connection where available or an approved private sewage-disposal system otherwise; ask Richmond and the appropriate county health office which route applies to the parcel.21

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on Richmond land?

Richmond prohibits using a recreational vehicle for living or residential purposes on a residential lot.5 Richmond’s allowance for RV parking or storage does not provide permission to use the vehicle as a home while building.5

We could not confirm a Richmond rule specifically approving tiny-home occupancy; ask Planning about the proposed dwelling and district before purchasing a small house.12 Richmond’s R-1 district requires at least 1,500 square feet of gross floor area per unit, while R-3 requires at least 1,000 square feet per unit.89 Those district minimums must be addressed separately from the building-permit requirement for new construction.891

What are the steps for building a home in Richmond?

  1. Start with Richmond Planning: identify the zoning district, test the proposed lot and house against district dimensions, and arrange the required pre-application meeting for a development application.212
  2. Establish the wastewater route: Michigan requires public sewer where available or an approved private system; for Macomb County septic sites, obtain an acceptable soil evaluation before the septic permit.2118
  3. Submit the building-permit application before construction, with the plans and site plan required by Michigan’s construction law, to Richmond’s enforcing office.226
  4. Schedule construction inspections through Richmond’s Building Clerk as work proceeds.623
  5. Obtain the code official’s certificate of occupancy before using a new or altered building subject to Michigan’s construction code.24

What should you check before buying land in Richmond?

For a Richmond property in Macomb County that uses septic or a drinking-water well, system evaluation is required before transfer, subject to exemptions; the report must reach the Health Department at least 5 days before closing.25 A new residential well in Richmond’s Macomb County portion requires a permit, with a listed fee of $448 and separate water-sample charges where applicable.11

Ask Richmond Planning and the Building Department to confirm public-service availability and any local floodplain conditions before committing to a house location.126 Michigan prohibits new residential construction in regulated floodways, and driveway work in state-highway right-of-way can require an MDOT driveway permit in addition to local building approval.2627 For land outside Richmond city limits, use the Macomb County guide and identify the municipality administering that parcel’s zoning.28

Watch-outs

  • Richmond’s residential-lot RV storage rules do not allow residential occupancy; plan another place to live during construction.5
  • Confirm whether the Richmond parcel lies in Macomb or St. Clair County before applying for septic approval.34
  • We could not confirm Richmond-specific permission for composting toilets or other off-grid sanitation; ask the relevant county health office, and account for Michigan’s sewer-or-septic requirement.172029

Sources

  1. Building (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  2. Sec. 5.101. Table of dimensional standards by district (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  3. Onsite sewage disposal (septic) systems (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  4. On-Site Sewage Disposal Systems (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  5. Sec. 9.04. Residential parking standards (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  6. Richmond Building Department (cityofrichmond.net)
  7. Sec. 5.101. Table of dimensional standards by district (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  8. Sec. 5.101. Table of dimensional standards by district (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  9. Sec. 5.101. Table of dimensional standards by district (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  10. Frequently Asked Questions – Residential Builder (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Drinking water wells (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  12. Richmond Planning & Economic Development Department (cityofrichmond.net)
  13. Sec. 5.101. Table of dimensional standards by district (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  14. Sec. 5.101. Table of dimensional standards by district (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  15. Sec. 5.101. Table of dimensional standards by district (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  16. Sec. 5.101. Table of dimensional standards by district (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  17. Macomb County Health Department, Environmental Health Services Division (macombgov.org)
  18. Procedures for Obtaining an Onsite Sewage Disposal Permit, quoted and re-checked
  19. Onsite sewage disposal (septic) systems (Richmond), quoted and re-checked
  20. St. Clair County Health Department, Environmental Health Division (stclaircounty.org)
  21. Michigan Part 7 Plumbing Code Rules (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, MCL 125.1510 (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. MCL 125.1512, Inspection of construction (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Certificate of Occupancy Request (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Property transfers, quoted and re-checked
  26. Floodplains (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  27. Infrastructure permits (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  28. Planning services - Land use, zoning and policy, quoted and re-checked
  29. Disposal of residential wastewater such as swimming pool water (Michigan statewide rule), 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 Richmond

Richmond’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Alterations, additions, and new work inside Richmond city limits.

    • The city page lists renovations, demolitions, roof repairs or replacements, decks, swimming pools, sheds, fences, business signs and awnings, commercial occupancies, and related activities as examples.
    • The city instructs applicants to call if unsure whether a permit is needed.
    “Permits are required for just about any type of alteration, addition, and new work.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside Richmond city limits.

    • 2015 Michigan Building Code applies to permits issued on or after April 20, 2017.
    • 2015 Michigan Residential Code applies to permits issued on or after February 8, 2016.
    • 2023 National Electrical Code with state amendments applies on or after March 12, 2024.
    • 2021 Michigan Plumbing Code and 2021 Michigan Mechanical Code apply on or after March 12, 2024.
    “The City of Richmond along with all municipalities within the State of Michigan use the following codes:”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Businesses in Richmond city when ownership or occupants change, before occupying the building and opening the business.

    • The official page specifically states the requirement for a change of ownership of a business or a change of occupants; it does not establish a universal certificate requirement for every residential occupancy.
    “Whenever there is a change of ownership of a business, or a change of occupants, an occupancy permit is required.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Richmond city limits; Richmond has an adopted municipal zoning ordinance with zoning districts and dimensional standards.

    “Single-family residential districts R-1, R-2, and R-3”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Richmond city limits.

    • The dimensional table identifies R-1, R-2, and R-3 as single-family residential districts; R-T as two-family; RM-1 as multiple-family; R-4 as manufactured housing park; and O, B-1, B-2, B-3, I-1, I-2, and PSP as other districts.
    “DISTRICT NAME SYMBOL Single-family residential districts R-1, R-2, and R-3 Two-family residential district R-T Multiple-family residential district RM-1 Manufactured housing park district R-4”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Use of a recreational vehicle for living or residential purposes on a residential lot in Richmond city.

    • One recreational vehicle may be parked or stored in a non-required side or rear yard area.
    • The vehicle may not be stored in a street right-of-way.
    • A travel trailer may be temporarily stored in the driveway for 48 hours before and after a trip, subject to the sidewalk condition.
    “use of the vehicle for living or residential purposes shall be prohibited.”
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    The Macomb County portion of Richmond city for onsite sewage systems.

    • For sites generating between 10,000 and 20,000 gallons per day, both the local health department and Michigan EGLE permits are required.
    “Macomb County Health Department conducts the following services:”
  • Septic permitRequired

    New or repair/replacement septic systems in the Macomb County portion of Richmond city.

    • Macomb County provides septic permits and inspections.
    • Sites generating 10,000 to 20,000 gallons per day require both local health department and EGLE permits.

    new septic permit fee: 489 USD · repair septic permit fee: 150 USD

    “Macomb County Health Department conducts the following services: Evaluation of proposed building sites Conduct soil evaluations ("perc" tests) Issue septic system permits Conduct inspections of septic systems”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — New or repaired septic systems in the St. Clair County portion of Richmond city.
      “Prior to installing or repairing a septic system, a sewage permit must be obtained from the Health Department.”
  • Well permitRequired

    Residential new and repair/replacement wells in the Macomb County portion of Richmond city.

    • A digital site plan, property tax ID, and legal description or survey are required for a residential new-well request.
    • The site plan must show existing and proposed wells, onsite septic systems or sanitary sewer leads, utilities, and pertinent physical features.

    new residential well permit fee: 448 USD (Required water sample fees are separate where applicable.)

    “An accurate and complete request for a well permit must be submitted along with the appropriate fee via our EH Portal.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land divisions inside Richmond city limits.

    • Land divisions must comply with Chapter 82, the Michigan Land Division Act, and the applicable zoning-district lot requirements.
    “All land divisions created after the effective date of this ordinance shall comply with Chapter 82 (Subdivisions)”

Rules another office applies inside Richmond

Richmond 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-1 single-family residential district inside Richmond city limits.

    minimum gross floor area: >= 1500 square feet per unit

    “MINIMUM GROSS FLOOR AREA (square feet/unit) 1,500 1,250 1,000 650”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district inside Richmond city limits.

    minimum lot width: >= 80 feet · minimum lot depth: >= 120 feet · minimum lot area: >= 10890 square feet

    “Minimum Width (feet) 80 [...] Minimum depth (feet) 120 [...] Minimum area (square-feet) 10,890”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — R-3 single-family residential district inside Richmond city limits.
      “Minimum Width (feet) 80 70 60 60 [...] Minimum depth (feet) 120 120 120 120 [...] Minimum area (square-feet) 10,890 8,400 7,200 7,200”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district inside Richmond city limits.

    • Front-yard setback increases by five feet when abutting a public street classified as an arterial or thoroughfare.
    • Existing neighborhoods may permit reduction to the average front-yard depth of existing dwellings on the same block under Sec. 5.201.A.

    front yard minimum: >= 30 feet · one side yard minimum: >= 10 feet · total side yards minimum: >= 20 feet · rear yard minimum: >= 35 feet

    “Front Yard Minimum 30 [...] Minimum side yard One Side Yard 10 [...] Total of two 20 [...] Minimum rear yard 35”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — R-3 single-family residential district inside Richmond city limits.
      “Front Yard Minimum 30 25 25 25 [...] Minimum side yard One Side Yard 10 10 5 10 [...] Total of two 20 20 16 20 [...] Minimum rear yard 35 35 35 30”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential district inside Richmond city limits.

    • The table also limits R-1 buildings to two stories.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet

    “BUILDING HEIGHT (feet) Maximum Feet 35 35 35 35 [...] Stories 2 2 2 2.5”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for construction inside Richmond city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Richmond city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Richmond city limits.
  • Off-grid sanitation — Off-grid sanitation inside Richmond city limits.
  • Mandatory utility hookup — Whether a new home inside Richmond city must connect to public water and/or sewer when available.
3 more unanswered
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Richmond publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Macomb County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Macomb County: county rules, score and offices