11 published records
Business licenses and permits in Genesee County, Michigan
Genesee County, Michigan, seat Flint; population 402,279 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). The county records here run mainly through the Genesee County Health Department's Environmental Health Division, whose jurisdiction under §1.104 of the county Environmental Health Regulations runs 'throughout Genesee County, including all cities, villages and townships': food service licensing (fixed, mobile, transitory food unit and temporary) with food plan review, body art facility plan review before the state MDHHS license, septic soil evaluations, permits and installer licenses, and well permits. Its 2026 food license figures are combined totals that include the State of Michigan license fee and education surcharges. The Health Department's Environmental Health page states that it does not license public swimming pools or child care facilities, which are licensed by the state. The Genesee County Drain Commissioner is the county enforcing agency for soil erosion and sedimentation control (EGLE lists Burton's Department of Public Works as the municipal enforcing agency for Burton), and the Genesee County Road Commission issues permits for work within the county road right-of-way through the Oxcart Permit Systems portal. The Equalization Department's municipality page lists 33 local units: the cities of Burton, Clio, Davison, Fenton, Flint, Flushing, Grand Blanc, Linden, Montrose, Mt. Morris and Swartz Creek; the townships of Argentine, Atlas, Clayton, Davison, Fenton, Flint, Flushing, Forest, Gaines, Genesee, Grand Blanc, Montrose, Mt. Morris, Mundy, Richfield, Thetford and Vienna; and the villages of Gaines, Goodrich, Lennon, Otisville and Otter Lake. Each of them runs its own business licensing, zoning and building permits, which stack on the county records listed here; City of Flint licenses are city requirements. On-premises liquor licenses are issued by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission with approval by the city, township or village under MCL 436.1501(2).
What are you opening in Genesee County?
- RestaurantsFull-service restaurants carry the densest permit load of any small business: food, fire, occupancy, waste, and usually alcohol.See the full permit list
- Coffee shopsCafés are permitted as food service establishments even where no cooking happens, and the plan review step catches most operators by surprise.See the full permit list
- Retail storesRetail is the lightest common permit load, but the sales tax permit and the certificate of occupancy are non-negotiable in every jurisdiction.See the full permit list
- Salons and barbersPersonal care is licensed at state board level as well as locally, so the shop license and the practitioner licenses are separate obligations.See the full permit list
- Food trucksMobile food is the one category with no certificate of occupancy — but it gains a commissary agreement, and the unit itself is inspected rather than the premises.See the full permit list
- Fitness studiosPrepaid memberships trigger state registration and often a surety bond, which catches operators who budgeted only for the fit-out.See the full permit list
- Childcare centresThe heaviest permit load of any small business: state agency licensing, per-person background checks, and a stricter fire standard than ordinary commercial use.See the full permit list
- Contractors and tradesLicensed at state board level rather than locally, and the only common category with no premises permits at all — the bond is usually the long pole.See the full permit list
- Auto repair shopsOrdinary commercial permitting plus an environmental layer: waste oil, solvents and stormwater are each registered separately.See the full permit list
- Veterinary clinicsA state facility permit, controlled substances registration at both state and federal level, and a medical waste manifest — none of which a general business license covers.See the full permit list
Permits that apply to every type of business in Genesee County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-Site Sewage Disposal (Septic) Soil Evaluation and Permit (conditional — premises off public sewer)only if it applies to you | Genesee County Health Department, Environmental Health Division | Soil evaluation (perc test) $280 commercial / $220 residential; septic permit $280 commercial / $220 residential, in addition to the soil evaluation fee; full system replacement $400 (residential or commercial); septic tank-only replacement $100 (county septic page). | soil evaluation valid 5 years; issued permits valid 1 year from the date of issuance | 2026-10-10 |
| Water Well Permit (conditional — premises on a private or Type III well)only if it applies to you | Genesee County Health Department, Environmental Health Division | Public non-community well (Type III) $300; private residential well $200 (county wells page). | one-time, per well | 2026-10-10 |
| Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control (SESC) Permit (multi-family, commercial or industrial site)only if it applies to you | Genesee County Drain Commissioner, Division of Water & Waste Services | Multi-family, commercial or industrial site: application review $100 per acre; permit $100 per month with a minimum 6-month permit duration including renewal; exemption for a non-single-family site at no additional charge; work commenced without a permit pays double the normal fee; SESC bond (cash, surety bond or letter of credit) $3,000 per acre disturbed (Drain Commissioner fee schedule, the '2026 6-2' document its fee page calls current). | per permit; minimum 6-month duration including renewal | 2026-10-10 |
| County Road Right-of-Way Permit (driveways, commercial site construction and other work)only if it applies to you | Genesee County Road Commission | Permit fees are set by the Genesee County Road Commission and are paid by credit card through the Oxcart Permit Systems website after staff review the application; the current amounts are not published on the Road Commission's permit page. | per permit | 2026-10-10 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
What do these permits involve in Genesee County?
On-Site Sewage Disposal (Septic) Soil Evaluation and Permit (conditional — premises off public sewer)
A business premises that is not on a public sewer needs a soil evaluation and a septic permit from the Genesee County Health Department. The county septic page states that a soil evaluation (perc test) is required before a septic permit can be issued and is valid for 5 years, at $280 for commercial and $220 for residential property; the permit costs another $280 commercial or $220 residential, in addition to the perc test fee, and issued permits are valid for 1 year from issuance. A full system replacement costs $400 and a septic tank-only replacement $100. The figures are from the county's official septic page. The page also requires a street address assigned by the Genesee County Road Commission before a soil evaluation is scheduled, and installation by a GCHD-licensed septic contractor or by the property owner under Environmental Health supervision. The county Construction Standards, dated and effective April 15, 2026 under Chapter VI of the Environmental Health Regulations, set the technical requirements and require commercial systems to meet the Michigan Subsurface Sewage Disposal Criteria. A premises on a public sewer has no septic permit under this record.
Water Well Permit (conditional — premises on a private or Type III well)
A business premises that draws its water from its own well needs a well permit from the Genesee County Health Department before the well is drilled. The county wells page lists $300 for a public non-community (Type III) well and $200 for a private residential well. The figures are from the county's official wells page. Type III public wells are governed by the county Environmental Health Regulations, which the Health Department enforces throughout the county, including all cities, villages and townships. The wells page also states that state law requires the well owner to collect a safe bacteria water test from a new well before using it. A premises on a public water supply needs no well permit under this record.
Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control (SESC) Permit (multi-family, commercial or industrial site)
A business or contractor carrying out earth changes for a multi-family, commercial or industrial site in Genesee County applies to the Genesee County Drain Commissioner, Division of Water & Waste Services, for a Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control permit or waiver. EGLE's Part 91 agency list names the Genesee County Drain Commissioner as the county enforcing agency and Burton's Department of Public Works as the municipal enforcing agency for Burton, so a site in Burton applies to the city instead. The Drain Commissioner's fee schedule sets an application review fee of $100 per acre and a permit fee of $100 per month, with a minimum 6-month permit duration including renewal; an exemption carries no additional charge, work commenced without a permit pays double the normal fee, and the schedule requires a cash bond, surety bond or letter of credit of $3,000 per acre disturbed, in the name of the party performing the work. The figures are from the schedule document titled '2026 6-2 fee schedule with signature', which the Drain Commissioner's fee page links as the current fee schedule.
County Road Right-of-Way Permit (driveways, commercial site construction and other work)
A business or contractor that needs a driveway or road access onto a county road, or that does commercial site construction, drainage work, utility work or any other work within the county road right-of-way, needs a permit from the Genesee County Road Commission. The Road Commission's permit page states that 'A permit is required for all work within the right-of-way' and that, as of December 1, 2020, all transactions, including address requests, driveways and road accessibility, plan review and commercial site construction, must be processed through Oxcart Permit Systems. The applicant creates an Oxcart account, selects the Right of Way tab and Genesee County Road Commission, and submits the application; after staff review, an email gives instructions for paying the permit fee on the Oxcart website. The current permit fee amounts are not published on the Road Commission's permit page; contact the Road Commission at 810-767-4920 for the amount that applies.
Sources
Every figure in the table above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- Septic: GCHD Environmental Health ProgramGenesee County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- On-site sewage disposal Construction Standards (dated 4/15/2026; changes effective 4/15/2026)Genesee County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Genesee County Environmental Health Regulations (§1.104 jurisdiction; §1.108 fees)Genesee County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Wells: Planning, Permits, Bacteria TestingGenesee County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Fee Schedule, Genesee County Division of Water & Waste Services (document titled '2026 6-2 fee schedule with signature')Genesee County Drain Commissioner, Division of Water & Waste Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Fee schedule page ('Click here to view the current fee schedule')Genesee County Drain Commissioner, Division of Water & Waste Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Permit process page (SESC permits and waivers, residential and commercial)Genesee County Drain Commissioner, Division of Water & Waste Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Part 91 agencies (county and municipal enforcing agencies)Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Apply for a Permit or Address (Oxcart Permit Systems, since December 1, 2020)Genesee County Road Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Who Do I Contact? (links the Road Commission and Drain Commissioner)Genesee County, Michigan · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
Who issues business permits in Genesee County?
Permitting in Genesee County is split across 4 agencies we hold records for, with tax registration handled at state level. No single office issues everything, which is why an opening usually means filing in several places rather than one.
Genesee County issuing agencies
- Genesee County Health Department, Environmental Health DivisionFood service licensing (fixed, mobile, transitory food unit and temporary) under the Michigan Food Law, 2000 PA 92, with food plan review · Body art facility plan review, required by MDHHS before it issues the state body art facility license · On-site sewage disposal (septic) soil evaluations, permits and septic installer licenses · Water well permits, including Type III public non-community wells · Public swimming pool inspection on request and child care environmental health inspections under state contract; the pool and child care licenses are issued by the state8 permits
- Michigan Liquor Control CommissionState liquor licensing; under MCL 436.1501(2) an on-premises license application must be approved by the local legislative body in which the place of business is located before the commission grants it5 permits
- Genesee County Drain Commissioner, Division of Water & Waste ServicesCounty enforcing agency for soil erosion and sedimentation control permits under Part 91 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act; EGLE lists Burton's Department of Public Works as the municipal enforcing agency for Burton1 permit
- Genesee County Road CommissionPermits for all work within the county road right-of-way, including driveways and road accessibility, drainage, utility work, plan review and commercial site construction, processed through Oxcart Permit Systems1 permit
Other Michigan jurisdictions we cover
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.