13 published records
Business licenses and permits in Washtenaw County, Michigan
Washtenaw County, Michigan, seat Ann Arbor; population 373,875 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). Most county records here run through the Washtenaw County Health Department's Environmental Health Division under its 2026 Environmental Health Fee Schedule (effective January 1, 2026): food service licensing (fixed, seasonal, non-profit, mobile, special transitory food unit and temporary) with food plan review, body art facility plan review and inspection, public swimming pool licensing inspections, child care facility environmental health inspections, commercial onsite sewage and Type II well permits, and the Pollution Prevention (P2) Program, whose regulation applies throughout the county, in cities, villages and townships alike. The Water Resources Commissioner issues soil erosion and sedimentation control permits in the 14 local units its Commercial Projects page lists, and the Washtenaw County Road Commission issues right-of-way permits, including commercial driveway approaches, on county roads. The county's Cities, Townships & Villages page lists the cities of Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, Manchester, Milan, Saline and Ypsilanti, Barton Hills Village, and townships including Ann Arbor, Augusta, Bridgewater, Freedom, Lima, Lodi, Lyndon, Northfield, Pittsfield, Salem, Saline, Scio, Sharon, Sylvan, Webster, York and Ypsilanti; the county's soil erosion page also names Superior Township. City, village and township requirements, such as local business licensing, zoning and building permits, are set by each local unit and stack on the county records listed here; City of Ann Arbor licenses are city requirements. On-premises liquor licenses are issued by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, with the approval of the local legislative body required by MCL 436.1501(2).
What are you opening in Washtenaw 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 Washtenaw County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Onsite Sewage and Type II Well Permits (conditional — premises on a private well or septic system)only if it applies to you | Washtenaw County Health Department, Environmental Health Division | Non-residential (commercial) onsite sewage: soil evaluation $843; plan review $559; review of building addition impact $559; permit by peak flow 0-999 GPD $664, 1,000-2,999 GPD $1,442, 3,000+ GPD $1,637. Non-residential water supply: Type II (transient and non-transient) permit $635; Type II first annual site visit/level 2 assessment $276, subsequent annual site visit $182; Type III permit $635 (2026 Environmental Health Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2026). | per permit | 2026-10-10 |
| Commercial Driveway Approach Permit (county road right-of-way)only if it applies to you | Washtenaw County Road Commission | Commercial driveway approach permit $350, plus an inspection fee of 3% of the approved estimate of construction ($500 minimum), required before the permit is issued (Washtenaw County Road Commission Permit Fees 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 Washtenaw County?
Commercial Onsite Sewage and Type II Well Permits (conditional — premises on a private well or septic system)
A business premises in Washtenaw County served by its own septic system or well needs permits from the Environmental Health Division. For a non-residential (commercial) onsite sewage system the fee schedule lists a $843 soil evaluation, a $559 plan review and a permit priced by peak flow: $664 for 0-999 gallons per day, $1,442 for 1,000-2,999 and $1,637 for 3,000 or more. A non-residential Type II water supply permit is $635, with a $276 first annual site visit or level 2 assessment and $182 for each later annual visit; a Type III permit is $635. The figure is from the Washtenaw County Health Department's 2026 Environmental Health Fee Schedule, the county fee schedule linked from the Environmental Health Division's Applications, Forms & Fees page, which states that its fees are effective January 1, 2026. The county's Sewage & Well Permits page states that once the conditions are met, the Certificate of Approval is forwarded to the appropriate building department, and that 'The building department must have this Certificate of Approval on file before they will issue their Certificate of Occupancy!' A premises without its own well or septic system needs no permit under this record.
Commercial Driveway Approach Permit (county road right-of-way)
A business adding a commercial driveway onto a road in the Washtenaw County Road Commission's system needs a right-of-way permit from the Road Commission. As published on the Road Commission's live Permit Fees page, a commercial driveway approach permit is $350, and 'An inspection fee in the amount of 3% of the approved estimate of construction ($500 minimum), will be required prior to the issuance of commercial driveway approach, private driveway approach, road construction / improvements and extensive utility projects as determined by WCRC.' The permit covers county roads; a site on a city street or state trunkline is outside this record.
Sources
Every figure in the table above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.
- 2026 Environmental Health Fee Schedule (fees effective January 1, 2026)Washtenaw County Health Department, Environmental Health Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Sewage & Well PermitsWashtenaw County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
- Permit Fees — Right-of-Way Permit ApplicationsWashtenaw County Road Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
Who issues business permits in Washtenaw County?
Permitting in Washtenaw 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.
Washtenaw County issuing agencies
- Washtenaw County Health Department, Environmental Health DivisionFood service licensing (fixed, seasonal, non-profit, mobile, special transitory food unit and temporary) with food plan review · Body art facility plan review, inspection and temporary facility inspection · Public swimming pool licensing inspections · Child care facility environmental health inspections · Onsite sewage system and water supply (well) permits · Pollution Prevention (P2) Program under the Washtenaw County Pollution Prevention Regulation, throughout the county10 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
- Washtenaw County Road CommissionRight-of-way permits for work in the county road right-of-way, including commercial driveway approaches1 permit
- Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner's OfficeDesignated county enforcing agency for soil erosion and sedimentation control under the Washtenaw County SESC Ordinance; issues SESC permits and waivers in the local units its Commercial Projects page lists1 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.