Pool Permit in Sterling Heights, Michigan

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a pool permit in Sterling Heights?

The Pool and Hot Tub Guide heads its checklist 'Permit(s) for Pools/Hot Tubs with Side Walls > 24"', and the Building Department's permits-required list names 'Pool (all types)', with separate fee lines for storable, above ground and below ground pools. The building permit package needs a plan showing the pool location (not in a front yard, easement, or over a septic field, tank or well), size, shape and side wall height, distance from the water's edge to side and rear property lines (at least 6 feet), overhead wire locations, the electric meter and service line, barrier details, and the entrapment protection method. An electrical permit is required for any electrical work, and a mechanical permit if a pool heater is installed. Inspections run open hole (in ground or built-in only), electrical underground, bonding and final, mechanical underground pressure test and final, then the final building inspection. Pool or hot tub side wall height above which the permit package applies. Always confirm with the office before starting.

How much does a pool permit cost in Sterling Heights?

Building Permit Application 26-27 fee chart: 'Swimming pool (Above Ground)' $78.00, 'Swimming pool (Below Ground)' $160.00, 'Swimming pool (Storable)' $78.00, plus the non-refundable $56.00 application fee. Electrical Permit Application 26-27: 'Swimming pools / Hot Tubs' $63.00 plus the $55.00 non-refundable electrical application fee. Mechanical Permit Application 2026-2027: 'Pool Heater' $63.00 plus the $55.00 non-refundable mechanical application fee. See the official fee schedule for current amounts.

Where do you apply for a pool permit in Sterling Heights?

You can apply through the Sterling Heights permit portal or contact the City of Sterling Heights Office of Building (Building Division), Office of City Development directly. The links are listed on this page.

Can a homeowner pull a pool permit themselves in Sterling Heights?

Under Michigan law (MCL 339.2403(b), (c); MCL 339.2401(a)(iii), (b)(ii)(A); MCL 339.5737(3)(g); MCL 339.6107(2)(d); MCL 339.5819): Yes. A Michigan homeowner may pull the building permit and do the work on their own home without a residential builder license, because the licensing article both defines the trade to exclude them and exempts them outright. MCL 339.2401(a)(iii) says a residential builder is a person that erects a residential structure except for the person's own use and occupancy on the person's property, and MCL 339.2403(b) exempts an owner of property with reference to a structure on the property for the owner's own use and occupancy. Own use and occupancy is the condition, so the exemption does not cover building to sell, and MCL 339.2403(c) limits owners of rental property to maintenance and alteration of that property. The statute sets no cap on how many times a homeowner may use the exemption; the only frequency rule in the article catches purchase, substantial rehabilitation, and resale of the same structure more than twice in 1 calendar year, and MCL 339.2401(b)(ii)(A) exempts work for the person's own use and occupancy from even that. Homeowners can also pull their own trade permits: electrical work in a single family home and accompanying outbuildings owned and occupied or to be occupied by the person doing the work (MCL 339.5737(3)(g)), their own plumbing, building sewer, or private sewer in their single-family dwelling if a permit is secured (MCL 339.6107(2)(d)), and a heating or refrigerating system if the owner affirms in the permit application that they are or will become the owner and occupant (MCL 339.5819). Confirm how Sterling Heights applies this before you apply.