Bolthole Index

Tuscola County, Michigan

Village of Millington, Michigan building permits and zoning rules

Village of Millington, Michigan requires village zoning approval before building permits through Tuscola County Building Codes.1 The village regulates land use; Tuscola County Health Department handles private septic systems and wells.23 RV dwelling use requires a temporary-use permit from the village Planning Commission.4

At a glance

Building permits
Village zoning approval first; building permits through Tuscola County Building Codes1
Zoning
Village ordinance regulates land use and development2
Septic
County health permit before private-system construction where public sewer is unavailable5
RV living
Dwelling use requires Planning Commission temporary-use authorization4
Dwelling size
Efficiency minimum: 350 square feet; apartment minimums vary by bedroom count6
Private wells
Health Department permit before construction, then final inspection and sampling7
Owner-builder
State licensing exemption for own use and occupancy on own property; approvals still apply8

Who to call

Zoning

Village of Millington Zoning Administrator

Village zoning approval, development review and zoning applications

989-737-9802

P.O. Box 261, Millington, MI 48746

Building permits

SAFEbuilt (Tuscola County building department services)

Building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and soil-erosion permitting, inspection, and plan review, except in Tuscola Township and Arbela Township

989-262-4546

[email protected]

141 S. Almer St. Caro, MI 48723

Online permits →

Septic permits

Tuscola County Health Department Environmental Health

Well and sewage permit applications

(989) 673-8119

1309 Cleaver Road Ste B, Caro, MI 48723

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

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Do you need a building permit in Village of Millington, MI?

Village of Millington building projects require village zoning approval before the building-permit stage, with building permits obtained through Tuscola County Building Codes.1 The village zoning permit must be presented to the county building-code authority to obtain the applicable building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits.9 Michigan requires a written application to the enforcing agency before construction, subject to code exemptions.10

An owner building a residential structure for the owner’s own use and occupancy on the owner’s property can qualify for Michigan’s residential-builder licensing exemption, but the exemption does not remove building permits, inspections, zoning or utility requirements.8

Who handles Village of Millington building permits and zoning approval?

Contact the Village of Millington Zoning Administrator for project-specific zoning requirements and approvals.11 Building permits then go through Tuscola County Building Codes, rather than the village zoning office.1 Tuscola County identifies SAFEbuilt as its provider for building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and soil-erosion permitting, inspection and plan review.12

Use the county’s current SAFEbuilt contact listed below when arranging building review.12 Village zoning and site-plan fees are due at submission; ask the village office for the current fee schedule for the proposed work.13 Private sewage and well applications remain with Tuscola County Health Department Environmental Health.3

Does Village of Millington have zoning, lot-size and dwelling-size rules?

Village of Millington’s zoning ordinance regulates land uses and development throughout the village.2 New lots must have public-street frontage meeting the applicable zoning district’s minimum lot width, with a conditional frontage exception for cul-de-sac or curvilinear streets.14 We could not confirm the complete district lot-size and setback table; ask the Village Zoning Administrator for the parcel’s district requirements.

Millington’s dwelling-unit floor-area schedule specifies 350 square feet for an efficiency, 500 for a one-bedroom apartment, 700 for a two-bedroom apartment, 800 for a three-bedroom apartment and 880 for a four-bedroom apartment.6 Basements, utility rooms, breezeways, porches and attached garages are excluded from those minimum floor-area calculations.6

How do septic permits and private wells work inside Village of Millington?

Where public sewer is unavailable in Village of Millington, private sewage-system construction requires a written permit signed by the county health department sanitarian.5 A subsurface soil-absorption system cannot be permitted on a lot smaller than 12,000 square feet.5 The applicant must notify the county sanitarian for final inspection before underground portions are covered.15

Tuscola County Health Department’s fee sheet effective October 2025 lists a sewage permit at $447 and a well permit at $301; commercial fees require contacting the office.16 A private well requires a permit before construction, followed by Health Department notification for final inspection and sampling, with water clear of chlorine before sampling.7 Public sewer availability matters: Michigan requires connection to public sewer where available, otherwise to an approved private sewage system.17

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Village of Millington?

Village of Millington prohibits using a camper, travel trailer, recreational vehicle, tent or other listed substandard structure as a dwelling unless the Planning Commission authorizes a temporary-use permit.4 The same provision covers a mobile home not installed according to the village ordinance’s requirements.4 Ask the Village Zoning Administrator about Planning Commission authorization before planning RV occupancy during construction.11

For a proposed tiny dwelling, ask the village to identify the applicable dwelling classification and district requirements; Millington publishes minimum dwelling-unit floor areas rather than a blanket tiny-home permission.6 Sewage still must go to a municipal sanitary sewer or an approved onsite septic system, so a small dwelling does not bypass sanitation approval.18

Building a home in Village of Millington: what are the steps?

  1. Start with the Village Zoning Administrator to establish project-specific requirements and obtain village zoning approval.111
  2. Confirm whether site-plan review applies: single-family and duplex residences on individual parcels and their accessory structures are exempt from that review, while applicable submissions must be complete and arrive 21 days before the Planning Commission meeting.19
  3. Resolve public sewer service or county health approval for a private sewage system, and obtain any private-well permit before drilling.57
  4. Present the approved zoning permit to Tuscola County Building Codes for the applicable construction permits.9
  5. Arrange required construction inspections and request a certificate of occupancy after completion; new or altered buildings cannot be occupied until the certificate is issued.2021

What should you check before buying in Village of Millington?

Confirm the village zoning district and the intended dwelling use with the Village Zoning Administrator before committing to a parcel.11 For a new lot, public-street frontage must satisfy the district minimum, subject to the ordinance’s conditional frontage exception.14 The village also lists a driveway-permit application, and driveway questions go to the Village Office or Zoning Administrator.22

Michigan’s floodplain rules prohibit new residential construction in the floodway; we could not confirm an additional village floodplain-development rule.23 Ask the village about local floodplain review before selecting a building site. For land outside village limits, use the Tuscola County guide and identify the applicable local zoning administrator before submitting a building-permit application.24

Watch-outs

  • The Village of Millington site-plan exemption for single-family and duplex residences does not remove the village zoning approval required before building permits.191
  • Village of Millington RV dwelling use needs Planning Commission temporary-use authorization; do not assume owning the lot authorizes occupancy.4
  • Village of Millington private sewage systems require final county-sanitarian inspection before underground portions are covered.15
  • We could not confirm Village of Millington agricultural exemptions or short-term-rental rules; ask the Village Zoning Administrator before relying on either use.11

Sources

  1. Zoning (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  2. Zoning (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  3. Wells and Septic, quoted and re-checked
  4. Sec. 36-303. Zoning of vacated areas; Table of Uses (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  5. Sec. 34-177. Private sewage disposal (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  6. Sec. 36-304. Schedule of regulations (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  7. Directions When Applying for a Sewage Disposal Permit and/or Water Supply Permit (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  8. Frequently Asked Questions – Residential Builder (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Village of Millington Zoning Permit (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  10. Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, MCL 125.1510 (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Village of Millington Zoning Administrator (millingtonvillage.org)
  12. SAFEbuilt (Tuscola County building department services) (tuscolacounty.org)
  13. Zoning and development review process (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  14. Sec. 36-414. Lot frontage (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  15. Sec. 34-177. Private sewage disposal (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  16. tchd.us, quoted and re-checked
  17. Michigan Part 7 Plumbing Code Rules (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Disposal of residential wastewater such as swimming pool water (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Zoning and development review process (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  20. courts.michigan.gov (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Certificate of Occupancy Request (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  22. Sec. 36-600. Parking (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  23. Floodplains (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Building Codes - Tuscola County, 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 Village of Millington

Village of Millington’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Millington village limits.

    “The village’s Zoning Ordinance regulates land uses and development throughout the community.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Millington village.

    • The zoning table lists R-1, R-3, C-1, C-2, and IND districts and uses marked P, A, or SUP.
    “Zoning Districts R-1 R-3 C-1 C-2 IND Residential”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Dwelling units governed by Millington Chapter 36.

    • Basements, utility rooms, breezeways, porches, and attached garages are excluded from minimum floor-area calculations.

    efficiency: >= 350 square feet · one-bedroom apartment: >= 500 square feet · two-bedroom apartment: >= 700 square feet · three-bedroom apartment: >= 800 square feet · four-bedroom apartment: >= 880 square feet

    “The minimum floor space per dwelling unit shall be: Efficiency: 350 square feet. One-bedroom apartment: 500 square feet. Two-bedroom apartment: 700 square feet. Three-bedroom apartment: 800 square feet. Four-bedroom apartment: 880 square feet.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured or mobile-home occupancy inside Millington village.

    • Mobile home park use is subject to special-use-permit treatment.
    • A mobile home not installed according to Chapter 36 requirements may be used as a dwelling only under a temporary-use permit issued by the planning commission.
    “no basement-dwelling, cellar-dwelling, garage-house, tent, camper, travel trailer, recreational vehicle, mobile home not installed according the requirements of this chapter, or other substandard structure shall be erected or moved upon any premises and used for dwelling purposes except as authorized by a temporary use permit issued by the planning commission.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private sewage disposal inside Millington village when public sewer is unavailable.

    • Privies, septic tanks, cesspools, and similar facilities are prohibited except as provided by the sewer division.
    • County health-department permitting and inspection are required.
    “Except as hereinafter provided, 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.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Creation of lots inside Millington village.

    • New lots must front on a public street at least equal to the applicable district minimum lot width.
    • Cul-de-sac or curvilinear lots may use 80 percent frontage if minimum lot width is met at the required front setback.

    cul-de-sac or curvilinear frontage: >= 80 percent of district minimum lot width (minimum lot width must be met at required front setback)

    “Any lot created after the adoption of this chapter shall have frontage on a public street greater than or equal to the minimum lot width required for the zoning district in which the lot is located. Lots located on a cul-de-sac or a curvilinear street shall have frontage greater than or equal to 80 percent of the minimum lot width required for the zoning district in which the lot is located, provided the minimum lot width is met at the required front setback.”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveways and parking access inside Millington village.

    • The village lists a driveway permit among its planning forms.
    • Off-street parking requires defined ingress and egress drives.
    • Backing directly onto a street is prohibited.
    • Parking-lot entrances and exits in single-family residential areas must be at least 25 feet from adjacent property in a single-family residential district.

    parking-lot entrance/exit separation: >= 25 feet (single-family residential zoning areas)

    “For fence permits, adding a storage shed, putting in a driveway or a pool, select the appropriate permit and fill out the application to the Village Office with the appropriate fee or call the Zoning Administrator at 989-737-9802 for any questions you may have.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Village zoning and sewer-tap fees inside Millington village.

    • Zoning/site-plan fees are due at submission.
    • Sewer tap charges are set by village council resolution and may change over time.
    • The opened sources did not expose a current complete fee table.
    “Fees are due at the time of submittal. [...] Payments can be made with check, cash or credit/debit card. Credit/debit cards have a 3% convenience fee attached.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Zoning and development approval inside Millington village.

    • Complete applications, plans, and fees must be submitted.
    • Site-plan submissions are due 21 days before the Planning Commission meeting.
    • Incomplete submissions are not accepted.
    • Single-family and duplex residences on individual parcels and their accessory structures are exempt from site-plan review.

    site-plan submission lead time: >= 21 days (before scheduled Planning Commission meeting)

    “To initiate the site plan review process, the following documents should be submitted to the Zoning Administrator or Village Clerk 21 days prior to the next scheduled Planning Commission meeting held on the 3rd Tuesday of every month. Incomplete submissions will NOT be accepted. [...] All projects require site plan review except: Single Family and Duplex Residences on individual parcels and their accessory structures.”

Rules another office applies inside Village of Millington

Village of Millington 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, alteration, or related building work inside Millington village.

    • The village zoning permit must be approved first.
    • Building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits are obtained through Tuscola County Building Codes.
    • Requirements are under Michigan Public Act 230, 1972.
    “After approval of the zoning permit, you will need a Building Plan Review that is required for nearly all projects and includes electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems. The building permits are obtained thru Tuscola County Building Codes.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building construction inside Millington village is subject to Michigan building-code requirements administered through Tuscola County Building Codes.

    • The village zoning permit must be presented to the Tuscola County Building Code Authority.
    • Building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits are required by state law under Public Act 230, 1972.
    “THIS PERMIT MUST BE PRESENTED TO THE TUSCOLA COUNTY BUILDING CODE AUTHORITY TO OBTAIN BUILDING, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING AND MECHANICAL PERMITS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW IN ACCORDANCE WITH PUBLIC ACT 230, 1972.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New or altered buildings inside Millington village subject to Michigan building-code administration.

    • The permit holder or authorized agent must request the certificate after completion.
    • All fees must be paid, permits finaled, and work completed according to the permit, code, and applicable laws and ordinances.
    “A new building or a building that is altered shall not be used or occupied until a Certificate of Occupancy is issued by the code official.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Private sewage disposal systems inside Millington village where public sewer is unavailable.

    • A written permit signed by the county health department sanitarian is required before construction.
    • Subsurface soil absorption systems cannot be permitted on lots smaller than 12,000 square feet.

    minimum lot area for subsurface absorption: >= 12000 square feet

    “Before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the county health department sanitarian. [...] No permit shall be issued for any private sewage disposal system employing subsurface soil absorption facilities where the area of the lot is less than 12,000 square feet.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Private sewage disposal systems inside Millington village.

    • The county sanitarian may inspect at any stage.
    • The applicant must notify the sanitarian for final inspection before underground portions are covered.
    “A permit for a private sewage disposal system shall not become effective until the installation is completed to the satisfaction of the county sanitarian. He shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction and, in any event, the applicant for the permit shall notify the county sanitarian when the work is ready for final inspection and before any underground portions are covered.”
  • Well permitRequired

    Private wells inside Millington village.

    • A well permit must be obtained before well construction.
    • The Health Department must be notified upon completion for final inspection; water must be clear of chlorine before sampling.
    • An additional fee applies if final inspection and sampling are not completed before permit expiration.
    “For water system, follow these steps: a. Apply and receive permit prior to well construction. b. Notify the Health Department upon well completion to schedule a final inspection. Water must be clear of chlorine prior to sampling. c. An additional fee will be charged if final inspection and sampling are not completed prior to permit expiration date.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Millington or Tuscola County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Millington village.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size by Millington zoning district.
  • Agricultural exemption — Agricultural exemptions from Millington village building or zoning requirements.
  • Building in a floodplain — Floodplain development inside Millington village.
  • Short-term rentals — Short-term rental use inside Millington village.

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 Village of Millington publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Tuscola County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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