Most homeowners know permits exist. Fewer know exactly when they're required, what happens when they're skipped, or why the answer matters more than it might seem.
The short version: permits exist to make sure work is done safely to a code that protects you and future owners. Skipping one when it's required can void your homeowner's insurance on a related claim, trigger a stop-work order mid-project, require opening walls for inspection after the fact, and show up as a liability during a sale. It's rarely worth the shortcut.
The general rule
A permit is typically required when work affects the structure, safety systems, or systems that are inspected for a reason — electrical, plumbing, gas, and HVAC. Cosmetic or like-for-like replacements generally don't require permits. Anything that changes the structural layout, adds square footage, or touches a safety-regulated system usually does.
Typically no permit needed
- Painting, wallpaper, flooring replacement
- Cabinet replacement in same location
- Replacing a faucet or toilet (same location)
- Replacing a light fixture (same box)
- Replacing an outlet or switch
- Replacing windows in same opening
- Replacing roofing material (varies by jurisdiction)
- Fence replacement (under 6 ft in most areas)
Typically permit required
- Adding or moving electrical circuits
- Moving or adding plumbing
- Adding or relocating gas lines
- Any structural wall removal or modification
- Additions or finished basement space
- New HVAC equipment installation
- Detached structures over a certain size
- Pool or hot tub installation
These lists are general guides. Michigan building codes are enforced at the local level, and Oakland County municipalities vary in their specific requirements. When in doubt, a 5-minute call to your township's building department will give you a definitive answer — and a paper trail that the question was asked.
What happens if you skip a required permit
The consequences range from minor to serious:
- Fines. Building departments can issue stop-work orders and fines when unpermitted work is discovered. In Michigan, fines are typically 2x the original permit fee — not devastating, but not free.
- Insurance denial. If a fire, flood, or structural failure is connected to unpermitted work, your homeowner's insurance carrier may deny the claim on the basis that the work didn't meet code at the time it was done.
- Required demolition for inspection. An inspector who finds finished work that should have been permitted may require that drywall be opened so they can see what's inside. You pay for the opening and the repair.
- Sale complications. Home inspectors flag unpermitted work. Buyers request permits be retroactively obtained — which often means an inspection of finished work — or use it as negotiating leverage. Lenders sometimes refuse to approve mortgages on homes with significant unpermitted additions.
The "just do it and don't tell anyone" math doesn't work out
Homeowners who skip permits are essentially betting that: (1) no inspector ever discovers it, (2) nothing goes wrong that triggers an insurance claim, (3) future buyers and their lenders won't care. All three of those are real risks, and they tend to compound at exactly the worst moments — when you're trying to sell, when something has gone wrong, or when you need your insurance to work.
A permit for most residential work is not expensive — typically $100–$500 depending on scope. That's cheap insurance compared to the consequences of skipping it.
Every contractor in our network handles permits properly
Pulling permits, scheduling inspections, and delivering permitted work is part of how we vet the contractors we recommend. No shortcuts.