Do I need an HVAC permit in Michigan?

In Michigan it depends on the size of the job. Permits are issued locally, so the answer comes from your Michigan city or county rather than a single statewide rule. Of the 4 Michigan jurisdictions we have verified for HVAC work, 2 require a permit outright, 2 depend on the size or scope of the job, and 0 require none.

Is there an HVAC permit exemption in Michigan?

2 of the 4 Michigan jurisdictions we cover set a threshold rather than a flat rule, so the same job can be exempt in one Michigan county and permitted in the next. The table above lists each Michigan jurisdiction's published threshold in its own words, with the source and the date we verified it.

Michigan

Do you need an HVAC permit in Michigan?

By Mario Bailey Last checked 15 Aug 2026

Always required: 2; of 4 jurisdictions
Conditional: 2; depends on size or scope
Not required: 0; exempt outright

HVAC Permit rules nationwide, beyond Michigan.

A technician inspects an outdoor air-conditioning condenser beside a house

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.

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	Any size	Confirmed on official page
Detroit	Conditional	Before installing or altering any heating, cooling, gas piping, air distribution or...	Confirmed on official page
Grand Rapids	Conditional	Before changing or updating a water heater, furnace, boiler, exhaust fan, kitchen hood...	Confirmed on official page
Sterling Heights	Yes	Any size	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.

Ann Arbor

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.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Detroit

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.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Grand Rapids

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.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Sterling Heights

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.

last checked 15 Aug 2026

Jurisdictions not listed publish no dollar figure we could quote. Absence does not mean a permit is free.

Common questions about HVAC permits in Michigan

Do I need an HVAC permit in Michigan?: In Michigan it depends on the size of the job. Permits are issued locally, so the answer comes from your Michigan city or county rather than a single statewide rule. Of the 4 Michigan jurisdictions we have verified for HVAC work, 2 require a permit outright, 2 depend on the size or scope of the job, and 0 require none.
Is there an HVAC permit exemption in Michigan?: 2 of the 4 Michigan jurisdictions we cover set a threshold rather than a flat rule, so the same job can be exempt in one Michigan county and permitted in the next. The table above lists each Michigan jurisdiction's published threshold in its own words, with the source and the date we verified it.

Do you need an HVAC permit in Michigan?

What an HVAC permit costs in Michigan

Common questions about HVAC permits in Michigan

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