Sterling Heights’s own rules
Building code adoptedAdopted
Residential building construction inside Sterling Heights city limits (one- and two-family dwellings)
- Same page lists 2021 Michigan Building Code/ICC A117.1 2017 and 2021 Michigan Building Code for commercial and accessibility work, 2023 Michigan Electrical Code, 2021 Michigan Commercial Energy Code, 2024 International Fire Code with amendments (Charter and Code of Ordinances Chapter 20), 2021 Michigan Mechanical Code and 2021 Michigan Plumbing Code.
- Adoption statement is a list on the city's building codes page; the adopting ordinance text (Chapter 11) was not reached.
“residential - 2015 michigan residential code”
InspectionsRequired
Business (non-residential) occupancy and change-of-ownership inspections inside Sterling Heights city limits; residential inspection rules not established
- Inspections are scheduled after plan review and held 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; disapproved inspections require correction and rescheduling.
- Inspections done under an existing building permit are billed only for special inspections where work is not being done.
“fire, building, and c of o are the only inspections required”
Certificate of occupancyRequired
Business (non-residential) occupancy inside Sterling Heights city limits; does not address certificates for newly built single-family homes
- Required for a change of ownership, a change of use, or moving into the city.
- If renovations do not require a building permit, the certificate of occupancy application still applies.
- Restaurants require all inspections; certain change-of-ownership or suite situations require only fire, building and C of O inspections.
- Certificate is emailed within 2 business days after all inspections are approved.
“the following situations require a new certificate of occupancy: change of ownership, change of use or moving into the city of sterling heights.”
Local zoningPresent
Land inside Sterling Heights city limits
- The city publishes its own zoning district map with one-family, multiple-family, office, commercial, industrial and overlay classifications.
- The city's zoning ordinance text was not reached in this research; a Planning Department agenda snippet (not opened) mentions a pending Zoning Ordinance Rewrite, so current text must be confirmed.
“zoning district map zoning districts classifications”
Zoning districtsPublished
Zoning districts inside Sterling Heights city limits
- Map shows one-family residential districts R-60, R-70, R-80, R-90 and R-100, two-family R-2, multiple-family RM-1, RM-2, RM-3, office O-1, O-2, O-3, O-R, industrial M-1, M-2, local convenience C-1, general business C-3 and planned center PCD, plus NVDA and Van Dyke Mixed Use districts and a flood plain area.
- District labels were read from the map text; district rules were not reached.
“zoning district map zoning districts classifications”
Subdividing landRegulated
Land division and combination inside Sterling Heights city limits
- The city code lists a Chapter 27 on land division and combination and a separate subdivision regulations document.
- The text of Chapter 27 was not reached.
“chapter 27: land division and combination”
Permit processPublished
Building permits for new homes inside Sterling Heights city limits
- Residential plan review checklist for new homes and new home submittal requirements are published on the Building Codes page; contents of those checklists were not opened.
- Permit applications (building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing) are published as online forms.
“residential plan review checklist for new homes”
Rules another office applies inside Sterling Heights
Sterling Heights 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
Onsite sewage (septic) systems serving homes and buildings inside Sterling Heights city limits where public sewer is not used; the Macomb County Health Department is the authority, not the city
- The city refers septic system questions to the county health department.
- The county service covers single-family dwellings and commercial or industrial buildings generating less than 10,000 gallons of sewage per day.
- Sites generating 10,000 to 20,000 gallons per day need permits from both the local health department and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
“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 Sterling Heights or Macomb County directly.
- Building permit — New single-family home construction inside Sterling Heights city limits
- Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Sterling Heights city limits
- Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for one-family residential districts (R-60, R-70, R-80, R-90, R-100) inside Sterling Heights city limits
- Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size for one-family residential districts (R-60, R-70, R-80, R-90, R-100) inside Sterling Heights city limits
- Setbacks — Front, side and rear setbacks for one-family residential districts (R-60, R-70, R-80, R-90, R-100) inside Sterling Heights city limits
16 more unanswered
- Lot coverage
- Building height
- Living in an RV
- Camping on your land
- Tiny homes
- Manufactured homes
- Accessory dwellings
- Septic inspection
- Off-grid sanitation
- Well permit
- Mandatory utility hookup
- Agricultural exemption
- Driveway access
- Building in a floodplain
- Short-term rentals
- Permit fees
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.
