Bolthole Index

Oakland County, Michigan

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Bloomfield Hills, Michigan requires building permits for construction and changes in use or occupancy; the city’s Building Safety department enforces construction codes.12 Bloomfield Hills administers its own zoning, while Oakland County Health Division handles septic permits and inspections.34 RVs parked or stored on residential lots cannot be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping.5

At a glance

Building permits
Required for construction and changes in use or occupancy; contact city Building Safety12
Zoning
City zoning controls structure location, size, height and uses36
Septic permits
Oakland County Health Division issues septic permits and conducts inspections4
RV living
Living, sleeping and housekeeping in RVs on residential lots are prohibited5
Owner-builder
Michigan’s own-use licensing exemption does not waive building permits or zoning7
Private wells
Ask Oakland County Environmental Health about the applicable permit or notification requirement before drilling8

Who to call

Building permits

Bloomfield Hills Department of Building Safety

City construction-code enforcement; city staff connect applicants with the planning team

248-644-1520

45 E Long Lake Road

Zoning

Bloomfield Hills Zoning / Zoning Board of Appeals

City zoning questions and zoning variances

248-644-1520

45 E Long Lake Road

Building permits

Bloomfield Hills Building Department — Inspections

Building and trade inspection requests

248-644-1520

45 East Long Lake Road

Septic permits

Oakland County Health Division, Environmental Health Services

Septic permits, site evaluations and septic construction inspections

248- 858-1312

1200 N Telegraph Bldg. 34 East

Online permits →

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

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Do you need a building permit in Bloomfield Hills, MI?

Bloomfield Hills construction requires a written building-permit application before work begins, and a change in a structure’s use or occupancy also requires a building permit.1 Ordinary repairs are exempt, but that exception excludes structural changes, changes to required egress and work affecting health or general safety, including specified wiring, piping and mechanical work.1 Michigan’s owner-builder licensing exception applies to a residential structure built on your own property for your own use and occupancy; the exception does not remove building-permit, inspection or zoning requirements.7

Who handles building permits and inspections in Bloomfield Hills?

Contact Bloomfield Hills Department of Building Safety through City Hall at 248-644-1520 for construction-code questions; the department enforces city and state codes for construction, remodeling, alteration, repair and demolition within the city.2 City staff also connect applicants with the city’s planning team.2 For building and trade inspections, call the Building Department at 248-644-1520; inspection requests must be made by 4 p.m. the business day before the requested date.9 Septic inspections are a separate responsibility of Oakland County Health Division, rather than the city building counter.4

Does Bloomfield Hills have zoning, lot-size and setback rules?

Bloomfield Hills has its own zoning ordinance controlling the location, size and height of buildings, garages and home additions, as well as what uses are allowed in different parts of the city.36 Ask the city zoning office to identify the parcel’s district and provide its current lot-size, setback, height, coverage and dwelling-size requirements; we could not confirm the complete numeric schedule.10 A zoning variance requires approval from the Bloomfield Hills Zoning Board of Appeals.10 City zoning also allows access drives in required front or side yards to reach rear yards or accessory or attached structures, but that provision does not establish a driveway-permit exemption.11

How do septic permits work inside Bloomfield Hills?

Oakland County Health Division handles septic permits for Bloomfield Hills properties, including new systems and qualifying replacement, alteration or repair work.412 A new residential septic permit on vacant land costs $325, while the residential repair permit costs $221.13 Applications can be submitted through the county’s Citizen Access Portal or at a county office; first-time portal users must register.14 Follow the inspections listed on the septic permit, and arrange the final inspection before covering the system when no special inspections are listed.15 Where municipal sewer infrastructure is absent, onsite sewage disposal remains subject to county permits and inspections.16

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Bloomfield Hills?

Bloomfield Hills prohibits using an RV parked or stored on a residential lot for living, sleeping or housekeeping, and prohibits connecting that RV to sanitary facilities.5 RV storage generally must be inside an enclosed garage, with a driveway or rear-yard loading and unloading exception lasting no more than 24 hours.5 The city manager can issue a temporary rear-yard permit for no more than 1 week under extraordinary circumstances; that parking exception does not authorize RV occupancy.5 We could not confirm permission for tiny-home occupancy, an independent accessory dwelling or temporary camping; ask the Bloomfield Hills planning team how the proposed use would be classified before buying a structure.2

What are the steps to build a home in Bloomfield Hills?

  1. Ask Bloomfield Hills city staff to connect you with the planning team and confirm the parcel’s zoning and proposed home location, size and height.23
  2. Establish whether the property uses municipal sewer or needs onsite sewage disposal, then apply to Oakland County Health Division for the applicable septic permit if needed.1612
  3. Submit the written building-permit application before construction, including when building for your own use under Michigan’s licensing exemption.17
  4. Arrange city building inspections and county septic inspections through their respective offices, keeping the septic system uncovered for the required final inspection.915

What stays with Oakland County when buying in Bloomfield Hills?

Septic permits and septic construction inspections stay with Oakland County Health Division even though Bloomfield Hills controls its own zoning and construction-code enforcement.432 For a proposed private well, ask Oakland County Environmental Health about the applicable county permit or notification requirement before drilling; Michigan’s statewide guidance allows either requirement depending on the county ordinance.8 We could not confirm the city’s own floodplain-development procedure, so ask the city planning team before designing work near a watercourse.2 For land outside Bloomfield Hills, use the Oakland County guide to orient the county-office questions; the city’s zoning ordinance applies within Bloomfield Hills.3

Watch-outs

  • Bloomfield Hills’ temporary RV parking exceptions do not allow living, sleeping or housekeeping in the RV on a residential lot.5
  • We could not confirm the numeric minimum-lot-size and minimum-dwelling-size schedule; ask the Bloomfield Hills zoning office for the parcel’s district requirements.10
  • Bloomfield Hills site condominium projects require city approval, while Oakland County Environmental Health also reviews proposed subdivisions and site condominiums.1718

Sources

  1. Building Permit Information (Bloomfield Hills), quoted and re-checked
  2. Bloomfield Hills Department of Building Safety (bloomfieldhills.gov)
  3. Zoning Ordinance (Bloomfield Hills), quoted and re-checked
  4. Onsite Sewage Disposal System (Septic), quoted and re-checked
  5. Sec. 24-243. Parking and storage of recreational vehicles in residential districts (Bloomfield Hills), quoted and re-checked
  6. Zoning Ordinance (Bloomfield Hills), quoted and re-checked
  7. Frequently Asked Questions – Residential Builder (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Before you start a well drilling business (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Bloomfield Hills Building Department — Inspections (bloomfieldhills.gov)
  10. Bloomfield Hills Zoning / Zoning Board of Appeals (bloomfieldhills.gov)
  11. Sec. 24-239. Access through yards (Bloomfield Hills), quoted and re-checked
  12. Onsite Sewage Disposal System (Septic), quoted and re-checked
  13. Onsite Sewage Disposal System (Septic) — applications and fees, quoted and re-checked
  14. Onsite Sewage Disposal System (Septic) — applications and fees, quoted and re-checked
  15. Onsite Sewage Disposal System (Septic) (Bloomfield Hills), quoted and re-checked
  16. Onsite Sewage Disposal System (Septic) (Bloomfield Hills), quoted and re-checked
  17. Sec. 24-245. Site condominium projects (Bloomfield Hills), quoted and re-checked
  18. Onsite Sewage Disposal System (Septic), 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 Bloomfield Hills

Bloomfield Hills’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Bloomfield Hills city; the city adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance.

    “The City of Bloomfield Hills Zoning Ordinance controls the location, size and height of structures such as buildings, garages and additions to homes.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts and zoning-map administration inside Bloomfield Hills city.

    • The opened code identifies A-5 one-family detached and A-6 one-family attached districts; additional districts and the complete map/schedule require consulting the full city code and official map.
    “The Zoning Ordinance also controls what you can do in different parts of the City.”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Living, sleeping or housekeeping in recreational vehicles parked or stored on residential lots inside Bloomfield Hills city.

    • Recreational vehicles may otherwise be parked or stored only in an enclosed garage, with a loading/unloading driveway or rear-yard exception of no more than 24 hours.
    • The city manager may issue a temporary rear-yard permit for no more than one week under extraordinary circumstances.
    • The vehicle may not be connected to sanitary facilities on a residential lot.

    loading/unloading duration: <= 24 hours (Total period.) · extraordinary-circumstances temporary permit: <= 1 week (Issued by city manager.)

    “All recreational vehicles parked or stored shall not be used for living, sleeping or housekeeping purposes and shall not be connected to sanitary facilities when on a residential lot.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Site condominium projects and related development inside Bloomfield Hills city.

    • Approval is required before construction, expansion, conversion, or conversion of an existing development to a site condominium project.
    • The process includes preliminary site plan approval, final site approval, and final engineering plan approval.
    • The project must comply with applicable zoning, subdivision-control, and other ordinances.
    “Approval under this section shall be required as a condition to the right to construct, expand or convert a site condominium project or the convert an existing development to a site condominium project in the city.”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Access drives serving rear yards or accessory or attached structures inside Bloomfield Hills city.

    • Access drives may be placed in required front or side yards for the stated access purpose.
    • Walks, terraces or similar pavement no more than nine inches above grade are not considered structures for this chapter and may be in required yards.

    pavement elevation exception: <= 9 inches above grade

    “For the purpose of this chapter, access drives may be placed in the required front or side yards so as to provide access to rear yards and/or accessory or attached structures.”

Rules another office applies inside Bloomfield Hills

Bloomfield Hills 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 in use or occupancy, inside Bloomfield Hills city under Michigan building-code requirements.

    • An application must be submitted to the appropriate enforcing agency.
    • Ordinary repairs do not require a permit, but ordinary repairs exclude structural changes, changes to required egress, and work affecting public health or general safety, including specified piping, wiring, mechanical and similar work.
    “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.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    On-site sewage systems inside Bloomfield Hills city.

    • Inspections noted on the permit are required.
    • If special inspections are not noted, only the final before-covering inspection is required.
    “Yes, inspections needed are noted on the permit. If special inspections are not noted, then a final "before covering" inspection is the only one needed.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Off-grid sanitary sewage disposal inside Bloomfield Hills city where municipal sewer infrastructure does not exist.

    • Oakland County states on-site sewage disposal is the alternative in areas not serviced by municipal sewers.
    • County permits and inspections apply.
    “The use of sewers and municipal sewage treatment plants is limited to areas where infrastructure exists. On-site sewage disposal is the only viable alternative in areas not serviced by municipal sewers.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work on residential construction inside Bloomfield Hills city.
  • Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Bloomfield Hills city.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Bloomfield Hills residential districts.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in A-5 and A-6 residential districts inside Bloomfield Hills city.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Bloomfield Hills city residential districts.
9 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • 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 Bloomfield Hills publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Oakland County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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