13 published records
Business licenses and permits in Muskegon County, Michigan
Muskegon County, Michigan, seat Muskegon; population 177,428 (U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimate). Most county records here run through Public Health - Muskegon County, which licenses food service establishments under the Michigan Food Law (fixed, limited, seasonal, mobile, transitory food unit and temporary) and reviews food plans at the figures on its Food Service Fee Schedule as of January 1, 2026, and which charges for public pool and spa inspections, body art plan review and inspections, and septic and well permits at the figures on its 2026 Environmental Quality Fee Schedule. Septic and well permits are issued under the Muskegon County Sanitary Regulations, which state that the Health Department has jurisdiction throughout Muskegon County, including all cities, villages and townships. The Muskegon County Department of Public Works is the County Enforcing Agency for soil erosion and sedimentation control under Ordinance No. 2011-569, except in areas where a Municipal Enforcement Agency or Authorized Public Agency program is in effect. The Muskegon County Road Commission permits all work in county road right-of-way, including commercial driveways. The county's list of municipalities names seven cities (Montague, Muskegon, Muskegon Heights, North Muskegon, Norton Shores, Roosevelt Park and Whitehall), four villages (Casnovia, Fruitport, Lakewood Club and Ravenna) and sixteen townships (Blue Lake, Casnovia, Cedar Creek, Dalton, Egelston, Fruitland, Fruitport, Holton, Laketon, Montague, Moorland, Muskegon, Ravenna, Sullivan, Whitehall and White River). The county's Local Ordinances page links the codes of ordinances of several of these cities and townships, and the Sanitary Regulations state that where a municipal license requires a health or sanitation inspection, the municipality must first obtain a written statement of compliance from the Health Department; local requirements stack on the county records here.
What are you opening in Muskegon 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 Muskegon County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-Site Sewage (Septic) System Permit and Commercial Septic Plan Review (conditional — premises off public sewer)only if it applies to you | Public Health - Muskegon County | 2026: Septic System Permit $175 (includes all septic systems, commercial and domestic); Commercial Septic Plan Review $100 (traditional systems, except single and 2 family dwellings); Alternative System Plan Review $300 (2026 Environmental Quality Fee Schedule, revised January 2026). | permits expire 24 months from the date of issuance | 2026-10-27 |
| Water Well Permit (conditional — premises on a private well)only if it applies to you | Public Health - Muskegon County | 2026: Private & Type III Well Permit $125; Private Well Permit with Coliform Bacteria and Partial Chemistry $161; Type III Well Permit with 2 Coliform Bacteria, 1 Partial Chemistry and an additional site visit $237; Irrigation Well Permit $135; Type II Well Permit $325, or $437 with 2 Coliform Bacteria, 1 Partial Chemistry and an additional site visit (2026 Environmental Quality Fee Schedule, revised January 2026). | permits expire 24 months from the date of issuance | 2026-10-27 |
| Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control (SESC) Permit (commercial site)only if it applies to you | Muskegon County Department of Public Works | Land Development (subdivisions, multi-family residential, industrial, recreational, service facilities, cut and fill, demolition and restoration) Plan Review and Permit Fee: $225 for up to 1 acre of disturbance, plus $50 for each additional acre or fraction; all permit fees are doubled if work starts without a permit (Soil Erosion Fee Schedule linked from the county's Soil Erosion page; Ordinance No. 2011-569, §4.5.1). | one year, which may be extended for an additional year if an extension request is received before the permit expires | 2026-10-27 |
| Commercial Right-of-Way Permit and Commercial Driveway Site Plan Review (Muskegon County Road Commission)only if it applies to you | Muskegon County Road Commission | ROW Permits – Commercial $220; Commercial Driveway / Private Road Site Plan Review $500; a non-compliance permit surcharge of 3 times the charge applies; additional costs may be assessed for inspections and additional plan reviews (Muskegon County Road Commission permit fee schedule, adopted September 25, 2024, effective January 1, 2025). | per permit, obtained before work in the county road right-of-way begins | 2026-10-27 |
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 Muskegon County?
On-Site Sewage (Septic) System Permit and Commercial Septic Plan Review (conditional — premises off public sewer)
The county's Septic Permits & Evaluations page states that "A permit is required for the following: Installation of a new on-site sewage disposal system. Replacement of an existing sewage disposal system. Addition to an existing sewage disposal system." The Muskegon County Sanitary Regulations state that the Health Department "shall have jurisdiction throughout Muskegon County, including all cities, villages and townships." For 2026 a Septic System Permit is $175 (the schedule states it "Includes all septic systems (commercial & domestic)"), a Commercial Septic Plan Review for traditional systems (except single and 2 family dwellings) is $100, and an Alternative System Plan Review is $300. The schedule states that permits expire 24 months from the date of issuance and that permits and plan reviews include an unlimited number of site visits and plan submittals before final approval or installation. The figures are from the county's official "2026 Environmental Quality Fee Schedule" (revised January 2026), a calendar-year 2026 schedule in effect through December 31, 2026, which states that fees are subject to annual changes. This record applies to a premises served by its own septic system.
Water Well Permit (conditional — premises on a private well)
The county's Well Permits & Evaluations page states that "A permit is required for new drinking water well installation and major repairs to existing wells." For 2026 the Private & Type III Well Permit is $125; a Private Well Permit with Coliform Bacteria and Partial Chemistry is $161; a Type III Well Permit with 2 Coliform Bacteria, 1 Partial Chemistry and an additional site visit is $237; and an Irrigation Well Permit is $135. A well that serves the public needs a Type II Well Permit, $325, or $437 with 2 Coliform Bacteria, 1 Partial Chemistry and an additional site visit. The schedule states that permits expire 24 months from the date of issuance. The figures are from the county's official "2026 Environmental Quality Fee Schedule" (revised January 2026), a calendar-year 2026 schedule in effect through December 31, 2026, which states that fees are subject to annual changes. This record applies to a premises that draws water from its own well. Contact Public Health - Muskegon County Environmental Health at 231-724-6208.
Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control (SESC) Permit (commercial site)
The county's Soil Erosion page states that the Muskegon County Department of Public Works administers Part 91 Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control requirements for earth change projects within the county, and that "Projects that disturb one or more acres of land or are within 500 feet of a lake or stream* require an earth change permit before starting work." Muskegon County Ordinance No. 2011-569, adopted by the Board of Commissioners on November 8, 2011, names the DPW as the County Enforcing Agency and applies "except for those areas of the county where a SESC Municipal Enforcement Agency program or Authorized Public Agency program is in effect"; a site in such an area applies to that program instead. For land development, including industrial and service facility sites and demolition, the Soil Erosion Fee Schedule that the county's Soil Erosion page links sets the plan review and permit fee at $225 for up to 1 acre of disturbance plus $50 for each additional acre or fraction; the ordinance's own 2011 Attachment A lists the same land development figures, and §4.5.1 provides that all permit fees are doubled if work starts without a permit. The page states that "Permits are issued for a period of one year and may be extended for an additional year if an extension request is received before the permit expires."
Commercial Right-of-Way Permit and Commercial Driveway Site Plan Review (Muskegon County Road Commission)
The Muskegon County Road Commission's permits page states that "a permit from the Road Commission is required any time work is performed in County road right-of-way", and notes that approaches serving more than 2 parcels use the commercial drive approach application. A business adding a commercial driveway or other commercial work in a county road right-of-way pays $220 for a commercial right-of-way permit, and a commercial driveway or private road site plan review is $500. The schedule adds a non-compliance permit surcharge of three times the charge and states that additional costs may be assessed for inspections and additional plan reviews. The figures are from the Road Commission's permit fee schedule, adopted September 25, 2024 and effective January 1, 2025, which its permits page links as the "Permit Fee Schedule" as of October 27, 2026. Contact the Road Commission at 231-788-2381.
Sources
Every figure in the table above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- 2026 Environmental Quality Fee Schedule (Revised January 2026)Public Health - Muskegon County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Septic Permits & EvaluationsPublic Health - Muskegon County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Muskegon County Sanitary Regulations (Effective April 26, 2005, As Amended)Muskegon County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Well Permits & EvaluationsPublic Health - Muskegon County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Soil Erosion Fee ScheduleMuskegon County Department of Public Works · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Soil ErosionMuskegon County Department of Public Works · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- Muskegon County Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance, Ordinance No. 2011-569 (adopted November 8, 2011)Muskegon County Board of Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- New Permit Fee Schedule, Effective January 1, 2025 (adopted September 25, 2024)Muskegon County Road Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
- PermitsMuskegon County Road Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-27
Who issues business permits in Muskegon County?
Permitting in Muskegon County is split across 3 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.
Muskegon County issuing agencies
- Public Health - Muskegon CountyFood service licensing under the Michigan Food Law (fixed, limited, seasonal, mobile, transitory food unit and temporary), with food plan review and change of ownership evaluation (Food Service Sanitation, 231-724-4406) · Public swimming pool and spa inspections under contract with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (Environmental Health, 231-724-6208) · Body art facility plan review and inspections (Environmental Health, 231-724-6208) · On-site sewage (septic) and water well permits under the Muskegon County Sanitary Regulations (Environmental Health, 231-724-6208, EHPayments@co.muskegon.mi.us)11 permits
- Muskegon County Department of Public WorksCounty Enforcing Agency for soil erosion and sedimentation control under Part 91 of Public Act 451 of 1994 and Muskegon County Ordinance No. 2011-569, except in areas where a Municipal Enforcement Agency or Authorized Public Agency program is in effect1 permit
- Muskegon County Road CommissionPermits for any work performed in county road right-of-way, including commercial driveways and commercial driveway or private road site plan review1 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.