HVAC Permit requirements across Michigan
By Mario Bailey Last checked
- Always required
- 2
- of 4 jurisdictions
- Conditional
- 2
- depends on size or scope
- Not required
- 0
- exempt outright
Requirements and size thresholds for HVAC permits vary by locality. The table below compares what each Michigan county or city requires. Always confirm with the local office before starting.
Comparing states? See HVAC permit rules across every locality we cover.
What to know about HVAC permits in Michigan
HVAC permits in Virginia typically apply to new installations and to replacing gas or oil fueled equipment. Costs vary with equipment type and your locality. Using a licensed mechanical contractor matters, because the install must meet code and pass inspection, which also helps protect your equipment warranty.
The application steps and inspection sequence for HVAC permits come from the model code rather than from Michigan law, so they read the same wherever you build. We keep that walkthrough in one place: how an HVAC permit application and its inspections work, start to finish. What changes between Michigan jurisdictions is below: who requires a permit, what they charge, and which office you file with.
Swipe sideways to see thresholds and confidence.
| Locality | Permit required? | Typical threshold | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor | Yes | Not specified | Confirmed on official page |
| Detroit | Conditional | Not specified | Confirmed on official page |
| Grand Rapids | Conditional | Not specified | Confirmed on official page |
| Sterling Heights | Yes | Not specified | Confirmed on official page |
| No localities match your filter. | |||
What an HVAC permit costs in Michigan
4 Michigan jurisdictions we cover publish a fee figure for this work. Each line is quoted from that office's own schedule and linked to its citation. The figures are not comparable to one another: some are flat minimums, some a percentage of job value, some charged per fixture, so what you pay depends on which schedule applies and on your job's valuation.
Mechanical Permit Fees (effective July 1, 2017): $15 base application fee required for all permits, non refundable with no inspections, plus $35 each inspection. Residential line items include "Heating Appliances ... $50", "Distribution System - Duct ... $40", "Gas Distribution System lines ... $15", "Water Heater Regular and Tankless ... $15" and refrigeration or AC units at $40 for 2 HP or less, $55 for 2.25 to 5 HP and $75 for 5.25 to 50 HP. Mechanical contractor registration or re-registration is $15. Work without a permit is $130.
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BSEED Fee Schedule effective January 1, 2024, modified 7/18/2025, GAS FIRED EQUIPMENT: INSTALLATION PERMITS, HOMEOWNER, "Central heating units, conversion burner, floor furnace, Each" $203; INSTALLATION PERMITS (NEW OR REPLACEMENT), "Burner with input rating not exceeding 500,000 BTU, Each" $142 and "Alterations to existing burner, furnace installation, Each unit" $148; INSTALLATION AND ALTERATION PERMITS, SPACE HEATING, "Installation of ductwork, Flat" $200 and "Duct Alteration Installation, Flat" $105; "Gas Piping System Permit, Each system" $127.
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FY 2027 Planning, Design and Development Fee Schedule effective July 1, 2026, Mechanical Permit Fees: "Application (Includes 1 Inspection) $52.00" plus equipment fees. Residential lines include "Air Conditioning Units $31.00", "Heating Systems (add duct work) $52.00", "Water Heaters (new construction) $21.00" and "Generator $25.00". Residential Replacement Equipment is cheaper: "Air Conditioning Units / Heat Pumps $21.00", "Furnaces $21.00", "Water Heaters (replacement) $21.00". Ductwork and piping is banded from $31.00 under $3,000 up to $73.00 for $11,000 to $14,999.
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Mechanical Permit Application 2026-2027: non-refundable application fee $55.00, then per item. Gas or oil fired equipment up to 75,000 BTU's $57.00 (75,001 to 500,000 BTU's $64.00), A/C systems 5 ton or less $57.00, A/C Reconnect $40.00, Furnace Wiring $40.00, Duct Work $57.00, Alteration to existing system $75.00, Water Heater $43.00, Pool Heater $63.00, Generator $58.00, Dryer vents $28.00, Pre-Fab Fireplace $64.00. Re-inspection fee $75.00; re-establish expired permit $77.00.
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Jurisdictions not listed publish no dollar figure we could quote. Absence does not mean a permit is free.
Ready to move on your HVAC permit?
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Before you sign, ask the contractor:
- Who pulls the permit, you or me, and is the permit fee included in the bid?
- Which inspections will this job need, and who meets the inspector on site?
- Is your contractor license active in this locality, and under which business name?