Bolthole Index

Oakland County, Michigan

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Birmingham, Michigan

Birmingham, Michigan requires a building-permit application before construction, subject to construction-code exceptions; the city Building Department handles building permits and inspections.12 Birmingham regulates land development through city zoning.3 In Oakland County, the Health Division handles septic permits, but Birmingham generally prohibits septic tanks except as provided in its sewer chapter.45

At a glance

Building permits
Apply to Birmingham before construction, subject to code exceptions12
Zoning
City zoning regulates land development3
Septic
County permit required where Birmingham allows a system45
Sewer connection
Qualifying properties must connect after official notice6
Owner-builder
Own-use licensing exemption does not waive building permits7
Driveway access
City engineer permit required for a driveway opening to a street8

Who to call

Building permits

Birmingham Building Department

City building-code review, building permits and inspections

248.530.1850

151 Martin Street, Birmingham, MI 48009

Online permits →

Planning & zoning

Birmingham Planning Department

City zoning, development plans, lot splits and subdivision review

248.530.1850

151 Martin Street, Birmingham, MI 48009

Septic permits

Oakland County Health Division, Environmental Health Services

County septic applications and inspections where city sanitation rules allow a system

248-858-1280

[email protected]

1200 N Telegraph Bldg. 34 East Pontiac, MI 48341

Online permits →

Roads & driveways

Birmingham Engineering Department

Drive approaches, curb cuts, drainage, water and sewer questions

248.530.1850

151 Martin Street, Birmingham, MI 48009

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

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Do you need a building permit in Birmingham, MI?

Before constructing a building or structure in Birmingham, submit a building-permit application under Michigan law unless a construction-code exception applies.1 Birmingham's Building Department enforces city and state codes for construction, remodeling, alteration, repair and demolition within city limits.2

Birmingham requires comprehensive plans for most construction projects and conducts inspections at periodic stages of work.2 Ask the Building Department which building and trade applications cover your proposed work, rather than assuming that an owner-built project is exempt.27

Who issues Birmingham building permits, and how do you apply?

Birmingham accepts building-permit applications through BS&A Online.2 Contact the Birmingham Building Department for construction review and inspection questions; the Planning Department assists with development plans and applications for rezoning, site plans, subdivision plats and lot splits.29

For Birmingham plumbing work, plans and a review fee are required before permit issuance unless a listed exception applies.10 The published plumbing application lists a non-refundable $55 base fee and a $15 registration fee, plus itemized trade fees; confirm the current total before submitting.11 These are plumbing charges, rather than a general building-permit price.11

Does Birmingham have zoning, and what about RVs or tiny homes?

Birmingham's zoning ordinance regulates land development inside city limits.3 Birmingham Planning reviews property-development plans and assists with rezoning, site plans, subdivision plats and lot splits.9 Take the parcel address and proposed use to Planning before committing to a design.9

We could not confirm Birmingham-specific permission for residential RV occupancy, temporary camping, tiny homes, manufactured homes or accessory dwellings; ask Birmingham Planning about the intended use and district.9 We also could not confirm the applicable minimum lot size, minimum dwelling size, setbacks, lot coverage or height limits; request the standards for the parcel rather than treating city zoning as permission for a particular home.39

How do septic permits and sewer connections work in Birmingham?

Birmingham generally makes septic tanks, privies, cesspools and other sewage-disposal facilities unlawful, except as provided in the city sewer chapter.5 For qualifying occupied properties abutting a right-of-way containing or expected to contain a public sewer, Birmingham requires connection at the owner's expense within 90 days after official notice, subject to the chapter's exceptions.6 Ask Birmingham Engineering to clarify sewer availability and the city requirements before planning onsite sanitation.125

Where a septic system is legally applicable in Birmingham, Oakland County requires an application for new installation or qualifying residential replacement, alteration or repair.4 County inspections specified on the septic permit are required; without special inspections, the final inspection is before covering.13 A county septic permit does not resolve Birmingham's separate sanitation restrictions.45

Building a home in Birmingham: what are the steps, in order?

  1. Ask Birmingham Planning to review the parcel and intended development, including any site-plan or lot-split application.9
  2. Resolve sewer requirements with Birmingham Engineering; use the Oakland County Health Division for septic applications only where the city allows onsite sanitation.1245
  3. Submit the building-permit application and required plans to Birmingham before construction.12
  4. Obtain a city engineer permit before creating a driveway opening to the street.8
  5. Arrange construction inspections; Birmingham plumbing work must remain uncovered and unused until the Plumbing Inspector approves it.214
  6. Confirm the occupancy sign-off with the Building Department: Michigan requires a certificate of occupancy before using a new or altered building subject to the construction code.152

What stays with Oakland County, and what should Birmingham buyers check?

Oakland County Health Division administers septic permits and inspections, while Birmingham retains its own sanitation restrictions.165 Before planning a private well, ask the Health Division about the applicable county requirements: Michigan counties require a well permit or notification to the local health department before drilling.17

Birmingham Engineering handles floodplain matters and soil erosion, as well as drive-approach and curb-cut permits.12 Qualifying river, stream or drain floodplain alterations can also require an EGLE permit, and new residential construction is prohibited in the regulated floodway.18 For land outside Birmingham, consult the Oakland County guide; Birmingham's development ordinance applies inside city limits.3

Watch-outs

  • Birmingham's general septic prohibition has sewer-chapter exceptions; ask Engineering whether an exception applies before commissioning a septic design.512
  • Birmingham may charge an administrative fee equal to the plumbing permit fee when plumbing work starts without the permit.11
  • Michigan's own-use owner-builder exemption concerns licensing and does not remove building-permit, inspection or zoning requirements.7
  • We could not confirm Birmingham residential RV or tiny-home occupancy rules; ask Planning before buying for that use.9

Sources

  1. Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, MCL 125.1510 (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  2. Birmingham Building Department (bhamgov.org)
  3. Zoning Ordinance Update (Birmingham), quoted and re-checked
  4. Proposed Use of Septic (Birmingham), quoted and re-checked
  5. Sec. 114-150. - Privies and septic tanks (Birmingham), quoted and re-checked
  6. Sec. 114-151. - Sewer connection required (Birmingham), quoted and re-checked
  7. Frequently Asked Questions – Residential Builder (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Sec. 98-91. - Permit and fees (Birmingham), quoted and re-checked
  9. Birmingham Planning Department (bhamgov.org)
  10. Plumbing Permit Application (Birmingham), quoted and re-checked
  11. Plumbing Permit Application (Birmingham), quoted and re-checked
  12. Birmingham Engineering Department (bhamgov.org)
  13. Onsite Sewage Disposal System (Septic), quoted and re-checked
  14. Plumbing Permit Application (Birmingham), quoted and re-checked
  15. Certificate of Occupancy Request (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Onsite Sewage Disposal System (Septic), quoted and re-checked
  17. Before you start a well drilling business (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Floodplains (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 Birmingham

Birmingham’s own rules

  • Owner-builder exemptionConditional

    Owner-performed plumbing work in the owner's own Birmingham home that the owner currently occupies or is about to occupy.

    • The homeowner must certify that the work is in the owner's own home.
    • The work must comply with the State Plumbing Code.
    • Inspection and approval by the Plumbing Inspector are required before the work is enclosed, covered, or put into operation.
    • The homeowner must arrange necessary inspections.
    “I hereby certify I will install the plumbing work described on this permit application in my own home that I currently occupy or am about to occupy.”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Plumbing work inside Birmingham city limits, including homeowner-performed plumbing work.

    • Work must comply with the State Plumbing Code.
    • Work may not be enclosed, covered up, or put into operation until inspected and approved by the Plumbing Inspector.
    • The applicant must arrange necessary inspections.
    “All work will be installed in accordance with the State Plumbing Code and shall not be enclosed, covered up, or put into operation until it has been inspected and approved by the Plumbing Inspector.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Birmingham city limits; Birmingham adopts and administers a zoning ordinance.

    • The city is updating the ordinance, but the official page states that the existing zoning ordinance regulates land development.
    “The City of Birmingham's zoning ordinance regulates land development.”
  • Off-grid sanitationProhibited

    Privies, privy vaults, septic tanks, cesspools, and other sewage-disposal facilities inside Birmingham city limits.

    • The prohibition is subject to the exception 'Except as provided in this chapter.'
    • Where a public sanitary or combined sewer is available or may be located in the abutting right-of-way, Sec. 114-151 requires connection after official notice.
    “Except as provided in this chapter, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Houses, buildings, and properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or another purpose inside Birmingham city limits that abut a street, alley, or right-of-way containing or expected to contain a public sanitary or combined sewer.

    • Connection is at the owner's expense.
    • Suitable toilet facilities must be installed.
    • Connection must occur within 90 days after official notice.
    • The rule contains an exception cross-reference: 'Except as provided in this chapter.'

    connection deadline: 90 days after official notice

    “The owner of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purpose situated within the city and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is low located or may in the future be located a public sanitary or combined sewer of the city, is hereby required at his expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and regulations supplementary hereto, within 90 days after date of official notice to do so.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    A driveway opening providing access to a street inside Birmingham city limits.

    • A permit from the city engineer is required.
    • Driveway, curb-cut, and curb-closing fees in the schedule of fees, charges, bonds and insurance must be paid.
    “No person shall provide a driveway opening on and providing access to the street without obtaining a permit from the city engineer and paying the driveway, curb cut, and curb closing fees set forth in the schedule of fees, charges, bonds and insurance.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    City plumbing permits inside Birmingham city limits.

    • The application states that an administrative fee equal to the permit fee may be charged when work begins without first obtaining the permit.
    • The published plumbing fee chart includes a $55.00 non-refundable base fee, a $15.00 registration fee, and itemized trade fees.
    • The application is marked Revised 12/2022.

    plumbing base fee: 55 USD (non-refundable) · registration fee: 15 USD · administrative fee for work begun without permit: equal to the permit fee text

    “An administrative fee equal to the permit fee may be charged in addition to the permit fee when work is started without first obtaining the permit.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Plumbing-permit processing inside Birmingham city limits.

    • Applications are submitted through the city's inspection-request and online-application site.
    • Plans and a review fee are required before permit issuance unless one of the listed exceptions applies.
    • Plans are not required for one- or two-family dwellings up to 3,500 square feet, minor alterations or repairs determined by the plumbing official, buildings with fewer than 12 required plumbing fixtures, and qualifying governmental work under $15,000.

    one- or two-family dwelling plan threshold: <= 3500 square feet of building area · governmental work plan threshold: < 15000 USD (work completed by a governmental subdivision or state agency)

    “If plans have not already been reviewed for this project, plans must be submitted with this application along with the review fee before a permit can be issued, except as listed below.”

Rules another office applies inside Birmingham

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

  • Who permits septicCounty

    Onsite sewage disposal systems inside Birmingham city limits, to the extent a septic system is legally applicable.

    • Oakland County Sanitary Code Article XI requires onsite sewage disposal system installers in Oakland County to be licensed by the Oakland County Health Division.
    • Birmingham's code separately restricts septic tanks except as provided in its sewer chapter.
    “Effective May 6, 2012 the Oakland County Sanitary Code, Article XI, requires anyone who installs onsite sewage disposal systems in Oakland County to be licensed by the Oakland County Health Division.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Construction, installation, replacement, alteration, or repair of an onsite sewage disposal system inside Birmingham city limits.

    • A new onsite sewage disposal permit application is required for a new system.
    • A repair permit application is required for replacement, alteration, or repair of an existing residential system where the structure remains intact or remodeling does not increase bedrooms or sewage flows.
    • Birmingham code generally makes septic tanks unlawful except as provided in its sewer chapter.
    “A New Onsite Sewage Disposal Permit Application is required for construction or installation of a new onsite sewage disposal system.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — General building permits for construction inside Birmingham city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Birmingham city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Birmingham city limits.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size inside Birmingham city limits.
  • Setbacks — Residential and other setbacks inside Birmingham city limits.
12 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • 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 Birmingham publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Oakland County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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