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10 permits · verified 2026-10-10

What permits do you need to open a contractor or trade in Genesee County Mi?

In short

No permit applies to every contractor or trade in Genesee County Mi, MI. All 10 depend on your premises, the work you do or how you are set up. Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau charges $50 one-time filing, non-refundable for the articles of organization (llc). 6 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-10 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a contractor or trade in Genesee County Mi

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Septic Installer License (annual, with surety bond)only if it applies to youGenesee County Health Department, Environmental Health Division$220 annual license fee plus a $35,000 surety bond on the county bond form, valid through the end of the year (county septic page).annual; the license and surety bond run through the end of the calendar year2026-10-10
Residential Builder Licenseonly if it applies to youMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes$195 application; $150 to renew every three years3 years — expires 31 May2026-09-03

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

Local permits that apply to every type of business in Genesee County Mi

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
On-Site Sewage Disposal (Septic) Soil Evaluation and Permit (conditional — premises off public sewer)only if it applies to youGenesee County Health Department, Environmental Health DivisionVaries — formula on the Genesee County Mi pagesoil evaluation valid 5 years; issued permits valid 1 year from the date of issuance2026-10-10
Water Well Permit (conditional — premises on a private or Type III well)only if it applies to youGenesee County Health Department, Environmental Health DivisionVaries — formula on the Genesee County Mi pageone-time, per well2026-10-10
Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control (SESC) Permit (multi-family, commercial or industrial site)only if it applies to youGenesee County Drain Commissioner, Division of Water & Waste ServicesVaries — formula on the Genesee County Mi pageper permit; minimum 6-month duration including renewal2026-10-10
County Road Right-of-Way Permit (driveways, commercial site construction and other work)only if it applies to youGenesee County Road CommissionVaries — formula on the Genesee County Mi pageper permit2026-10-10

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

MI registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau$50 one-time filing, non-refundableno expiry, but an annual statement is due every 15 February2026-09-03
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau$60 one-time minimum — a $10 fee plus an organization fee from $50, banded by authorised sharesno expiry, but an annual report is due every 15 May2026-09-03
General Business License — Michigan state positiononly if it applies to youMichigan Department of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentNo feenot applicable at state level2026-09-03
Annual Report or Annual Statementonly if it applies to youMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing BureauVaries — formula on the MI pageannual — 15 February for an LLC, 15 May for a corporation2026-09-03

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

How much does it actually cost to permit a contractor or trade in Genesee County Mi?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 10 records listed for a contractor or trade in Genesee County Mi, MI, 0 apply to every business of this type and 10 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

6 of the 10 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 1 has no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Septic Installer License (annual, with surety bond): $220 annual license fee plus a $35,000 surety bond on the county bond form, valid through the end of the year (county septic page).

The other 5 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Genesee County Mi permits page and the MI state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Genesee County Mi?

Permits for a contractor or trade in Genesee County Mi, MI come from 6 separate offices: Genesee County Health Department, Environmental Health Division, Genesee County Drain Commissioner, Division of Water & Waste Services, Genesee County Road Commission, Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a contractor or trade need in Genesee County Mi that other businesses do not?

2 of the 2 permits particular to a contractor or trade here apply to no other business type we cover in Genesee County Mi: Septic Installer License (annual, with surety bond) and Residential Builder License.

Septic Installer License (annual, with surety bond)

A contractor who installs septic systems in Genesee County needs a septic installer license from the Genesee County Health Department. The county septic page states that after passing the installer requirements the applicant submits the installer application, a $35,000 surety bond on the required bond form (valid through the end of the year) and the $220 annual license fee; license and identification stickers are then mailed and the company is added to the public list of licensed installers. The figures are from the county's official septic page. The septic page states that a GCHD-licensed septic contractor, or the property owner under Environmental Health supervision, must install each permitted system. A contractor that does not install septic systems is outside this record.

Residential Builder License

Michigan licenses residential builders and not commercial ones — the construction codes bureau states it directly — so a purely commercial contractor needs no state license, while the skilled trades are licensed either way. The qualifier is that a residential builder's definition reaches a combined residential and commercial structure, so mixed projects are inside the regime. Veterans have the application fee waived. A sixty-hour prelicensure course is required, and continuing education is twenty-one hours in each of the first two renewal cycles then three hours thereafter. A company license needs an individual license holder as its qualifying officer, and if that individual lapses the company is suspended. Exemption threshold: an aggregate contract price under $600. A physical Michigan address is required — a post office box will not do.

The other 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Genesee County Mi, MI; what each one involves is set out on the Genesee County Mi permits page. The 4 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across MI and are covered on the MI state page.

How does a contractor or trade compare with other businesses in Genesee County Mi?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A contractor or trade also needs Septic Installer License (annual, with surety bond) and Residential Builder License. A auto repair shop needs Motor Vehicle Repair Facility Registration and Mechanic Certification, which a contractor or trade does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Genesee County Mi, MI, compared with a contractor or trade
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a contractor or tradeOnly a contractor or trade needsOnly it needs
Auto repair shops2022
Childcare centres1021
Coffee shops5025
Fitness studios0020
Food trucks6026
Restaurants5025
Retail stores2022
Salons and barbers3023
Veterinary clinics1021

Sources

Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Genesee County Mi permits page and the MI state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Septic: GCHD Environmental Health ProgramGenesee County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
  2. Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes — builder license feesMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  3. Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes — builders FAQ, confirming Michigan licenses residential but not commercial buildersMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.