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7 permits · verified 2026-10-10

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

In short

No permit applies to every contractor or trade in Kent County Mi, MI. All 7 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). 3 of the 7 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 Kent County Mi

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
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 Kent County Mi

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Septic (On-Site Sewage Disposal) and Well (Water Supply) Permits (conditional — premises off public sewer or water)only if it applies to youKent County Health Department, Environmental HealthVaries — formula on the Kent County Mi pagepermits and site evaluations are valid for 2 years and are non-transferable2026-10-10
County Road Right-of-Way Permit (Kent County Road Commission)only if it applies to youKent County Road CommissionVaries — formula on the Kent County Mi pageper permit, obtained before the work begins2026-10-10

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 Kent County Mi?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 7 records listed for a contractor or trade in Kent County Mi, MI, 0 apply to every business of this type and 7 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

3 of the 7 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 1 has no fee published at all.

The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Kent County Mi permits page and the MI state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Kent County Mi?

Permits for a contractor or trade in Kent County Mi, MI come from 5 separate offices: Kent County Health Department, Environmental Health, Kent 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 Kent County Mi that other businesses do not?

1 of the 1 permit particular to a contractor or trade here applies to no other business type we cover in Kent County Mi: Residential Builder License.

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 2 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Kent County Mi, MI; what each one involves is set out on the Kent 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 Kent County Mi?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A contractor or trade also needs 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 Kent 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 shops2012
Childcare centres2012
Coffee shops5015
Fitness studios1011
Food trucks5015
Restaurants4014
Retail stores1011
Salons and barbers3013
Veterinary clinics1011

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 Kent County Mi permits page and the MI state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes — builder license feesMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  2. 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.