STATE LICENSE
ConditionalMichigan LARA — Bureau of Construction Co…
'Swimming pool installation' is one of the 12 Maintenance & Alteration crafts (MCL 339.2404(3)). Installing or substantially altering a pool on a 1- or 2-family residential property at $600+ needs that craft or a Residential Builder license; commercial pool construction is outside Article 24.
Weekly cleaning and chemical balancing is a different question. MDARD says a person who is not subject to pesticide business licensing may apply a general-use pesticide to swimming pools without applicator certification. Wiring and plumbing tie-ins remain licensed electrical and plumbing work.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
The Article 24 license is the state layer; it does not replace local permits. Building permits and inspections are handled by the local enforcing agency for the jurisdiction. Commercial work in the same trade carries no state license — any local requirements are set by the municipality, which LARA says to contact directly.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Michigan county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
The exemption covers one undertaking whose aggregate labor and material price is under $600 — splitting a larger job into sub-$600 contracts to evade the act does not qualify (MCL 339.2403(f)).
LARA licenses residential builders, not commercial builders. 'Residential structure' means a 1- or 2-family dwelling or a townhouse of not more than 3 stories (MCL 339.2401(c)).
Honorably discharged veterans can have the $195 fee waived and may request a waiver of the 60-hour course with a letter from a commanding officer or supervisor.
A practical sequence for a new pool service contractor in Michigan. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
Working as an unlicensed residential builder or M&A contractor is a misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum fine; a second offense carries up to 2 years, and an offense causing death or serious injury is a felony (up to 4 years).
An unlicensed contractor cannot sue to collect compensation for work requiring a license and cannot impose a lien on the property.
A prosecuting attorney or the Attorney General may sue an unlicensed person for a civil fine, on top of damages or restitution.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: PSI examination fee for the builder / M&A exam (paid to PSI; not published on the LARA pages reviewed) · Market price of the 60-hour prelicensure course (set by each approved sponsor) · Whether a general liability or workers' compensation minimum applies to Article 24 licensees — not stated on the LARA pages or statute sections reviewed · Whether a for-hire pool chemical service is 'subject to the licensing requirements' of MDARD's pesticide business license (the MDARD swimming-pool exemption turns on that phrase) · Michigan public / commercial pool construction permits and operator rules (EGLE program not researched for this record)
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.