Permitting is highly decentralized; most incorporated cities and some townships operate their own building departments and issue their own permits. The Washtenaw County Building Department serves as the authority having jurisdiction only for those townships and villages that have not established their own building departments. Applicants must verify jurisdiction based on the specific property address before submitting plans.
The Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner's Office requires separate soil erosion and sedimentation control (SESC) permits for most earth-disturbing activities.
How this fits with the state
The state authority here is Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. The county file does not replace that — it adds the permit office, local overlays, and the actual filing path.
Source · City-by-city; Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and other municipalities run independent permit portalsLast verified · 05 / 2026