Bolthole Index

Macomb County, Michigan

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Clinton Township, Michigan

Clinton Township, Macomb County, Michigan administers its own zoning code and issues building permits through its township building department12. Septic systems inside the township must meet Macomb County Department of Health requirements3. Michigan requires a written building permit application before construction, even for an owner building on their own land4.

At a glance

Zoning
Township zoning code (Part Eleven), with R-1 through R-5 residential and other districts15
Building permit
Required; issued by the Clinton Township building department267
Septic
Macomb County Health Department3
Wells
Well permit from the Macomb County Health Department; $448 for a new residential well8
Sewer hookup
Connect within six months once approved public sewer is available9
Owner-builder
Owner may build for own occupancy without a builder's license, but still needs a permit10

Who to call

Building permits

Clinton Township Building Department

Building permits, inspections and code compliance inside Clinton Township

586-286-9323

40700 Romeo Plank Road

Building permits

Clinton Township building permit information

Plan examination fee and what a minor residential permit request must include

Zoning

Clinton Township Planning & Community Development

Zoning map, rezoning, site plans, special land use and zoning verification

586-286-9325

40700 Romeo Plank Road

Septic permits

Macomb County Health Department, Environmental Health Services Division

Septic permits, soil evaluations, inspections and well permits for Macomb County, including Clinton Township

586-469-5236

environmental.health@macombgov.org

1 South Main St., Mount Clemens, MI 48043

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Clinton Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Clinton Township have zoning, and what does it mean for your lot?

Yes. Clinton Township, Michigan administers its own zoning code, published as Part Eleven of the township code1. The code sets residential districts R-1 through R-5 plus multi-family, manufactured-housing, office, business, industrial, planned-unit and other districts5. Which district a parcel sits in depends on the township's zoning map, so start there: the Planning & Community Development department publishes it11.

Lot size, setbacks, minimum home size, accessory dwellings, tiny homes and long-term RV living are district-specific, and we could not confirm those rules from the code. Ask Planning & Community Development for the district standards before you commit to a parcel11. Manufactured homes in R-1 through R-5 must meet HUD construction standards, sit on a continuous masonry foundation and be permitted by the township building department first12. A variance goes to the Zoning Board of Appeals11.

Do you need a building permit in Clinton Township, and who issues it?

Yes. Michigan requires a written building permit application to the local enforcing agency before construction4, and Clinton Township has adopted its own building code through the township code2. The Clinton Township Building Department handles building permits, inspections and code compliance7. Macomb County does not run a building department for township land13.

The township lists additions, decks, garages and sheds, fences, finished basements, pools and re-roofing among the work that requires a building permit14. New homes pay a $100 non-refundable plan examination fee at submission14. We could not confirm which building code edition the township enforces, the full permit fee schedule or the inspection sequence; call the Building Department7.

Can an owner build their own home in Clinton Township?

Michigan lets a person build a residential structure for their own use and occupancy on their own property without a residential builder's license10. The exemption concerns licensing only: the owner still files a building permit application, and construction-code, inspection, zoning and septic requirements still apply10. We could not find a township-specific owner-builder rule, so confirm with the Building Department7.

How do septic permits and wells work in Clinton Township?

Septic permits for Clinton Township come from the Macomb County Health Department, not the township. The township code requires individual on-site systems to meet the Macomb County Department of Health's regulations3, and the township allows them only on those terms15. The county evaluates the building site, runs soil ("perc") tests and issues septic permits16. A soil evaluation must be completed before the permit, and the application needs a professionally prepared site plan17.

USDA rates only about 3% of Macomb County soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a thorough site evaluation and possibly an engineered system18. Where municipal water is available, fixtures must use it unless a private well meets the township's listed conditions; wells need a county water-quality inspection before the building permit issues9. A new residential well permit costs $4488. Existing dwellings must connect to an approved public sewer within six months of it becoming available9.

Building a home in Clinton Township: the steps, in order

  1. Find the parcel's zoning district on the township zoning map and confirm lot, setback and use rules with Planning & Community Development11.
  2. If the parcel has no public sewer, ask the Macomb County Health Department for a soil evaluation, then apply for the septic permit17.
  3. If you plan a private well, apply to the county for the well permit8.
  4. Submit the building permit application with the plan examination fee to the Building Department14.
  5. Request inspections through the Building Department as work proceeds7.
  6. Michigan requires a certificate of occupancy before the home is occupied19.

What stays with Macomb County, and what to check before you buy

Septic and well permits, and the septic and well evaluation required when a property is sold, stay with the Macomb County Health Department. A septic or well evaluation is required before closing on a property that uses either, and the report must reach the Health Department at least five days before closing20. Floodplain construction must comply with local, state and federal requirements21; the code lists flood hazard area provisions we could not review, so ask the township7.

For land outside Clinton Township, see the Macomb County page. Macomb County's effective property tax rate is 1.4%22.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm minimum lot size, setbacks, minimum home size, RV occupancy, tiny-home or accessory-dwelling rules inside Clinton Township; ask Planning & Community Development before buying11.
  • Septic and well evaluations are required before closing on a Macomb County property that uses them, with the report due at least five days before closing20.
  • Statewide rules about campgrounds do not answer whether you can live in an RV on your own lot; ask the township11.

Sources

  1. Chapter 1156 Performance Standards (Clinton Charter Township Zoning, Part Eleven) (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Charter Township of Clinton, MI Code of Ordinances (American Legal Publishing) - overview and table of parts (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 1156 Performance Standards (Clinton Charter Township Zoning, Part Eleven) (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Building Permit Information, quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 1156 Performance Standards (Clinton Charter Township Zoning, Part Eleven) (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, MCL 125.1510 (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. Clinton Township Building Department (clintontownship.com)
  8. Fee schedule, quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 1156 Performance Standards (Clinton Charter Township Zoning, Part Eleven) (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Builders FAQ, quoted and re-checked
  11. Clinton Township Planning & Community Development (clintontownship.com)
  12. Chapter 1118 R-1 Through R-5 One-Family Residential Districts (Clinton Charter Township Zoning, Part Eleven) (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Macomb Township (Macomb County) - Building / Code Enforcement (2026 county census)
  14. Clinton Township building permit information (clintontownship.com)
  15. Chapter 1156 Performance Standards (Clinton Charter Township Zoning, Part Eleven) (Clinton Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. Macomb County Health Department, Environmental Health Services Division (macombgov.org)
  17. Onsite sewage disposal (septic) systems, quoted and re-checked
  18. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Certificate of Occupancy Request (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. Property transfers, quoted and re-checked
  21. Stormwater services, quoted and re-checked
  22. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Clinton Township

Clinton Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    On-site improvements or construction for manufactured homes in the R-1 through R-5 one-family residential districts inside Clinton charter township

    • The quoted sentence covers on-site improvements or construction for manufactured homes in the R-1 through R-5 districts; it does not state a general permit rule for all new construction.
    • Construction may begin after the building permit is issued by the township department of building.
    “any on-site improvements or construction required herein shall be commenced only after a building permit has been obtained from the township department of building.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Clinton charter township, Macomb County, Michigan

    • The code's table of contents lists Part Fourteen - Building and Housing Code, and the zoning code refers to a building code of the township.
    • The edition of the building code the township has adopted (for example, the Michigan Residential Code edition) was not stated on the pages opened.
    “this zoning code shall not prevent the construction of excavations under a permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this zoning code or the building code of the township of clinton”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside the limits of Clinton charter township, Macomb County, Michigan

    • The township administers its own zoning code, codified as Part Eleven - Zoning (Chapters 1110 through 1158) on the American Legal Publishing code page.
    • The township's zoning code is referenced in its own performance-standards chapter as the code administered under permits issued by the township.
    “this zoning code shall not prevent the construction of excavations under a permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this zoning code”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Clinton charter township, Macomb County, Michigan

    • The district list on the code page shows Chapter 1116 (districts generally and zoning map) and chapters for the R-1 through R-5, RT, RML, RMH, MH, OS, B, I, TR, P, SP, GB, PUD and FW districts.
    • The zoning map itself was not retrieved; district boundaries must be read from the township's zoning map.
    “chapter 1116 districts generally and zoning map chapter 1118 r-1 through r-5 one-family residential districts”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes placed in the R-1 through R-5 one-family residential districts inside Clinton charter township

    • Manufactured homes must meet the HUD manufactured home construction and safety standards (24 CFR 3280), as stated in the chapter's condition list.
    • Foundation and skirting requirements apply, and a five-foot sidewalk requirement applies unless the township board waives it.
    • Any on-site improvements or construction must be permitted by the township department of building first.
    “all manufactured homes must be permanently fastened to a minimum eight-inch wide masonry foundation, which is continuous around the perimeter of the unit to a depth of at least 42 inches below ground surface, with anchors placed every six feet.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Homes inside Clinton charter township not connected to public sewer

    • Individual on-site sanitation systems are allowed only where they meet the Macomb County Department of Health requirements.
    • Connection to an approved public sewer is required once one becomes available for existing dwellings.
    “individual on-site systems must meet the requirements and regulations of the macomb county department of health.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Dwellings and habitable buildings inside Clinton charter township where a municipal water supply or approved public sewer is available

    • Water: where a municipal water supply is available, every fixture supplied for human consumption must be supplied from the municipal supply unless a private well meets the listed requirements.
    • Sewer: when an approved public sewer becomes available, existing dwellings and habitable buildings must connect within six months; the sewer clause as quoted addresses existing dwellings, and the new-construction application was not stated expressly.
    • Private wells need a water-quality inspection by the Macomb County Department of Health before a building permit issues for a structure served by a private well.

    connection deadline after approved public sewer becomes available: 6 months

    “when an approved public sewer becomes available, existing dwellings and habitable buildings shall be connected within six months after such sewer becomes available for use.”

Rules another office applies inside Clinton Township

Clinton Township does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Individual on-site sewage (septic) systems on land inside Clinton charter township, Macomb County, Michigan

    • The township code makes individual on-site systems subject to the requirements and regulations of the Macomb County Department of Health.
    • The county health department's service area is described as single family dwellings and commercial or industrial buildings generating less than 10,000 gallons of sewage per day; larger sites need state permits as well.
    “individual on-site systems must meet the requirements and regulations of the macomb county department of health.”
  • Septic inspectionLimited

    Septic systems inside Clinton charter township serviced by the Macomb County Department of Health

    • The county conducts inspections and investigates complaints of failing systems or improper sewage disposal.
    • The page does not state when an inspection is mandatory (for example, at construction or at sale), so the inspection trigger is not established.
    “conduct inspections of septic systems investigate complaints of failing systems or improper sewage disposal”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Clinton Township or Macomb County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permitting for a home inside Clinton charter township
  • Inspections — Building inspections for construction inside Clinton charter township
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for new homes inside Clinton charter township
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area in the R-1 single-family district inside Clinton charter township
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot area in the R-1 single-family district inside Clinton charter township
15 more unanswered
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Clinton Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Macomb County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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