Bolthole Index

Tuscola County, Michigan

Village of Millington, Michigan building permits and zoning rules

Village of Millington, Michigan requires village zoning approval before building permits through Tuscola County Building Codes.1 The village regulates land use; Tuscola County Health Department handles private septic systems and wells.23 RV dwelling use requires a temporary-use permit from the village Planning Commission.4

At a glance

Building permits
Village zoning approval first; building permits through Tuscola County Building Codes1
Zoning
Village ordinance regulates land use and development2
Septic
County health permit before private-system construction where public sewer is unavailable5
RV living
Dwelling use requires Planning Commission temporary-use authorization4
Dwelling size
Efficiency minimum: 350 square feet; apartment minimums vary by bedroom count6
Private wells
Health Department permit before construction, then final inspection and sampling7
Owner-builder
State licensing exemption for own use and occupancy on own property; approvals still apply8

Who to call

Zoning

Village of Millington Zoning Administrator

Village zoning approval, development review and zoning applications

989-737-9802

P.O. Box 261, Millington, MI 48746

Building permits

SAFEbuilt (Tuscola County building department services)

Building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and soil-erosion permitting, inspection, and plan review, except in Tuscola Township and Arbela Township

989-262-4546

tuscolapermits@safebuilt.com

141 S. Almer St. Caro, MI 48723

Online permits →

Septic permits

Tuscola County Health Department Environmental Health

Well and sewage permit applications

(989) 673-8119

1309 Cleaver Road Ste B, Caro, MI 48723

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Village of Millington, MI?

Village of Millington building projects require village zoning approval before the building-permit stage, with building permits obtained through Tuscola County Building Codes.1 The village zoning permit must be presented to the county building-code authority to obtain the applicable building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits.9 Michigan requires a written application to the enforcing agency before construction, subject to code exemptions.10

An owner building a residential structure for the owner’s own use and occupancy on the owner’s property can qualify for Michigan’s residential-builder licensing exemption, but the exemption does not remove building permits, inspections, zoning or utility requirements.8

Who handles Village of Millington building permits and zoning approval?

Contact the Village of Millington Zoning Administrator for project-specific zoning requirements and approvals.11 Building permits then go through Tuscola County Building Codes, rather than the village zoning office.1 Tuscola County identifies SAFEbuilt as its provider for building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing and soil-erosion permitting, inspection and plan review.12

Use the county’s current SAFEbuilt contact listed below when arranging building review.12 Village zoning and site-plan fees are due at submission; ask the village office for the current fee schedule for the proposed work.13 Private sewage and well applications remain with Tuscola County Health Department Environmental Health.3

Does Village of Millington have zoning, lot-size and dwelling-size rules?

Village of Millington’s zoning ordinance regulates land uses and development throughout the village.2 New lots must have public-street frontage meeting the applicable zoning district’s minimum lot width, with a conditional frontage exception for cul-de-sac or curvilinear streets.14 We could not confirm the complete district lot-size and setback table; ask the Village Zoning Administrator for the parcel’s district requirements.

Millington’s dwelling-unit floor-area schedule specifies 350 square feet for an efficiency, 500 for a one-bedroom apartment, 700 for a two-bedroom apartment, 800 for a three-bedroom apartment and 880 for a four-bedroom apartment.6 Basements, utility rooms, breezeways, porches and attached garages are excluded from those minimum floor-area calculations.6

How do septic permits and private wells work inside Village of Millington?

Where public sewer is unavailable in Village of Millington, private sewage-system construction requires a written permit signed by the county health department sanitarian.5 A subsurface soil-absorption system cannot be permitted on a lot smaller than 12,000 square feet.5 The applicant must notify the county sanitarian for final inspection before underground portions are covered.15

Tuscola County Health Department’s fee sheet effective October 2025 lists a sewage permit at $447 and a well permit at $301; commercial fees require contacting the office.16 A private well requires a permit before construction, followed by Health Department notification for final inspection and sampling, with water clear of chlorine before sampling.7 Public sewer availability matters: Michigan requires connection to public sewer where available, otherwise to an approved private sewage system.17

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Village of Millington?

Village of Millington prohibits using a camper, travel trailer, recreational vehicle, tent or other listed substandard structure as a dwelling unless the Planning Commission authorizes a temporary-use permit.4 The same provision covers a mobile home not installed according to the village ordinance’s requirements.4 Ask the Village Zoning Administrator about Planning Commission authorization before planning RV occupancy during construction.11

For a proposed tiny dwelling, ask the village to identify the applicable dwelling classification and district requirements; Millington publishes minimum dwelling-unit floor areas rather than a blanket tiny-home permission.6 Sewage still must go to a municipal sanitary sewer or an approved onsite septic system, so a small dwelling does not bypass sanitation approval.18

Building a home in Village of Millington: what are the steps?

  1. Start with the Village Zoning Administrator to establish project-specific requirements and obtain village zoning approval.111
  2. Confirm whether site-plan review applies: single-family and duplex residences on individual parcels and their accessory structures are exempt from that review, while applicable submissions must be complete and arrive 21 days before the Planning Commission meeting.19
  3. Resolve public sewer service or county health approval for a private sewage system, and obtain any private-well permit before drilling.57
  4. Present the approved zoning permit to Tuscola County Building Codes for the applicable construction permits.9
  5. Arrange required construction inspections and request a certificate of occupancy after completion; new or altered buildings cannot be occupied until the certificate is issued.2021

What should you check before buying in Village of Millington?

Confirm the village zoning district and the intended dwelling use with the Village Zoning Administrator before committing to a parcel.11 For a new lot, public-street frontage must satisfy the district minimum, subject to the ordinance’s conditional frontage exception.14 The village also lists a driveway-permit application, and driveway questions go to the Village Office or Zoning Administrator.22

Michigan’s floodplain rules prohibit new residential construction in the floodway; we could not confirm an additional village floodplain-development rule.23 Ask the village about local floodplain review before selecting a building site. For land outside village limits, use the Tuscola County guide and identify the applicable local zoning administrator before submitting a building-permit application.24

Watch-outs

  • The Village of Millington site-plan exemption for single-family and duplex residences does not remove the village zoning approval required before building permits.191
  • Village of Millington RV dwelling use needs Planning Commission temporary-use authorization; do not assume owning the lot authorizes occupancy.4
  • Village of Millington private sewage systems require final county-sanitarian inspection before underground portions are covered.15
  • We could not confirm Village of Millington agricultural exemptions or short-term-rental rules; ask the Village Zoning Administrator before relying on either use.11

Sources

  1. Millington Code of Ordinances, § 36-902 — Zoning permits (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village of Millington Guide to Development — Zoning (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  3. Wells and Septic, quoted and re-checked
  4. Sec. 36-303. Zoning of vacated areas; Table of Uses (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  5. Sec. 34-177. Private sewage disposal (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  6. Millington Code of Ordinances, § 36-304 — Schedule of regulations (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  7. Directions When Applying for a Sewage Disposal Permit and/or Water Supply Permit (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  8. Frequently Asked Questions – Residential Builder (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Village of Millington Zoning Permit (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  10. Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, MCL 125.1510 (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Village of Millington Zoning Administrator (millingtonvillage.org)
  12. SAFEbuilt (Tuscola County building department services) (tuscolacounty.org)
  13. Zoning and development review process (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  14. Village of Millington Schedule of Fees (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  15. Millington Code of Ordinances, § 34-177 — Private sewage disposal (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  16. tchd.us, quoted and re-checked
  17. Michigan Part 7 Plumbing Code Rules (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Disposal of residential wastewater such as swimming pool water (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Village of Millington Guide to Development — Zoning (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  20. courts.michigan.gov (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Certificate of Occupancy Request (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  22. Sec. 36-600. Parking (Village of Millington), quoted and re-checked
  23. Floodplains (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Building Codes - Tuscola County, quoted and re-checked

Written October 11, 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 Village of Millington

Village of Millington’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Excavation, construction, alteration, moving a building or structure, and changes of use inside Millington village.

    • A village zoning permit must be approved before a building permit is issued.
    • Building permits are obtained through Tuscola County Building Codes after village zoning approval.
    “The building permits are obtained thru Tuscola County Building Codes.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Millington village limits.

    • Village zoning administrator handles project-specific zoning requirements and approvals.
    “The village’s Zoning Ordinance regulates land uses and development throughout the community. The zoning ordinance is available in the link below. For questions related to zoning, contact the Village Zoning Administrator.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Millington village.

    • The zoning table lists R-1, R-3, C-1, C-2, and IND districts and uses marked P, A, or SUP.
    “Zoning Districts R-1 R-3 C-1 C-2 IND Residential”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Dwelling units inside Millington village; supplied schedule provision does not identify a district-specific limitation.

    • Basements, utility rooms, breezeways, porches, and attached garages are excluded from minimum floor area.
    • Schedule distinguishes efficiency through four-bedroom units.

    efficiency minimum floor area: >= 350 square feet · one-bedroom apartment minimum floor area: >= 500 square feet · two-bedroom apartment minimum floor area: >= 700 square feet · three-bedroom apartment minimum floor area: >= 800 square feet · four-bedroom apartment minimum floor area: >= 880 square feet

    “Efficiency: 350 square feet. [...] Four-bedroom apartment: 880 square feet.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Detached accessory buildings in Millington R-1 and R-3 districts.

    • One-story maximum applies.
    • Rule concerns detached accessory buildings; principal-building district height limits remain unresolved from omitted Table 3-3.

    R-1/R-3 detached accessory-building maximum height: <= 16 feet

    “No detached accessory building in the R-1, or R-3 districts shall exceed one story or 16 feet in height”
  • Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

    Travel trailers, motor homes, and similar RVs used as dwellings inside Millington village.

    • Transient occupancy may not exceed 30 continuous days per year.
    • Zoning administrator may grant up to an additional 30 days only if all applicable village ordinances have been complied with.

    maximum continuous transient occupancy: <= 30 days per year (Zoning administrator may grant up to an additional 30 days upon compliance with all applicable village ordinances.)

    “shall not be occupied for transient purposes for a continuous period exceeding 30 days per year”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured or mobile-home occupancy inside Millington village.

    • Mobile home park use is subject to special-use-permit treatment.
    • A mobile home not installed according to Chapter 36 requirements may be used as a dwelling only under a temporary-use permit issued by the planning commission.
    “no basement-dwelling, cellar-dwelling, garage-house, tent, camper, travel trailer, recreational vehicle, mobile home not installed according the requirements of this chapter, or other substandard structure shall be erected or moved upon any premises and used for dwelling purposes except as authorized by a temporary use permit issued by the planning commission.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Private sewage disposal inside Millington village when public sewer is unavailable.

    • Privies, septic tanks, cesspools, and similar facilities are prohibited except as provided by the sewer division.
    • County health-department permitting and inspection are required.
    “Except as hereinafter provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Properties inside Millington village abutting a street, alley, or right-of-way containing a village public sanitary or combined sewer.

    • Connection is required within 90 days after official notice when public sewer service is available.
    • Owner bears the expense and must connect directly with the proper public sewer.

    connection deadline after official notice: <= 90 days (Only where public sewer service is available to the property.)

    “within 90 days after date of official notice to do so”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Residential development projects such as subdivision plats and site condominiums inside Millington village.

    • Under-60-site plat/site review uses a $2,500 deposit including a $1,500 application fee.
    • 61+-site tentative/final review uses a $3,500 deposit and may require additional deposit if exhausted.

    plat/site-review deposit under 60 sites: 2500 USD (Includes $1,500 application fee.) · plat/site-review deposit 61 or more sites: 3500 USD (Additional deposit required if fees are exhausted.)

    “PLAT/SITE REVIEW (FOR EACH) UNDER 60 SITES”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Driveways and parking access inside Millington village.

    • The village lists a driveway permit among its planning forms.
    • Off-street parking requires defined ingress and egress drives.
    • Backing directly onto a street is prohibited.
    • Parking-lot entrances and exits in single-family residential areas must be at least 25 feet from adjacent property in a single-family residential district.

    parking-lot entrance/exit separation: >= 25 feet (single-family residential zoning areas)

    “For fence permits, adding a storage shed, putting in a driveway or a pool, select the appropriate permit and fill out the application to the Village Office with the appropriate fee or call the Zoning Administrator at 989-737-9802 for any questions you may have.”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Filling or building within a floodplain inside Millington village.

    • Village fee schedule lists a permit to fill or build within floodplain.
    • Source directs users to FEMA map portal to look up floodplain map.

    permit to fill or build within floodplain: 500 USD

    “PERMIT TO FILL OR BUILD WITHIN FLOOD PLAIN”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Village zoning and sewer-tap fees inside Millington village.

    • Zoning/site-plan fees are due at submission.
    • Sewer tap charges are set by village council resolution and may change over time.
    • The opened sources did not expose a current complete fee table.
    “Fees are due at the time of submittal. [...] Payments can be made with check, cash or credit/debit card. Credit/debit cards have a 3% convenience fee attached.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Village zoning and site-plan process inside Millington village.

    • Complete site-plan materials and fees must be submitted 21 days before the Planning Commission meeting.
    • Incomplete submissions are not accepted.
    • No construction or site-preparation permits are awarded before site-plan approval where site-plan review is required.

    site-plan submittal deadline before Planning Commission meeting: >= 21 days (Applies to the stated site-plan process.)

    “Incomplete submissions will NOT be accepted.”

Rules another office applies inside Village of Millington

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

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside Millington village, enforced locally through Tuscola County Building Codes/SAFEbuilt.

    • One- and two-family dwellings are governed by the Michigan Residential Code.
    • The official village development page directs village applicants to Tuscola County Building Codes for building permits.
    “The Michigan Building Code controls all matters concerning the construction”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Adopted (with conditions) — Building construction inside Millington village is subject to Michigan building-code requirements administered through Tuscola County Building Codes.
      “THIS PERMIT MUST BE PRESENTED TO THE TUSCOLA COUNTY BUILDING CODE AUTHORITY TO OBTAIN BUILDING, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING AND MECHANICAL PERMITS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW IN ACCORDANCE WITH PUBLIC ACT 230, 1972.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New or altered buildings inside Millington village subject to Michigan building-code administration.

    • The permit holder or authorized agent must request the certificate after completion.
    • All fees must be paid, permits finaled, and work completed according to the permit, code, and applicable laws and ordinances.
    “A new building or a building that is altered shall not be used or occupied until a Certificate of Occupancy is issued by the code official.”
  • Who permits septicCounty (with conditions)

    Private sewage disposal systems inside Millington village where public sewer is not available.

    • County health department sanitarian issues the private-disposal permit and performs completion/final inspection.
    • System must comply with state department and county health department recommendations.
    “written permit signed by the county health department sanitarian”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Private sewage disposal systems inside Millington village where public sewer is unavailable.

    • A written permit signed by the county health department sanitarian is required before construction.
    • Subsurface soil absorption systems cannot be permitted on lots smaller than 12,000 square feet.

    minimum lot area for subsurface absorption: >= 12000 square feet

    “Before commencement of construction of a private sewage disposal system the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the county health department sanitarian. [...] No permit shall be issued for any private sewage disposal system employing subsurface soil absorption facilities where the area of the lot is less than 12,000 square feet.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Private sewage disposal systems installed inside Millington village.

    • Installation must be complete to the county sanitarian's satisfaction.
    • Applicant must notify the sanitarian when ready for final inspection and before underground portions are covered.
    “ready for final inspection and before any underground portions are covered”
  • Well permitRequired

    Private wells inside Millington village.

    • A well permit must be obtained before well construction.
    • The Health Department must be notified upon completion for final inspection; water must be clear of chlorine before sampling.
    • An additional fee applies if final inspection and sampling are not completed before permit expiration.
    “For water system, follow these steps: a. Apply and receive permit prior to well construction. b. Notify the Health Department upon well completion to schedule a final inspection. Water must be clear of chlorine prior to sampling. c. An additional fee will be charged if final inspection and sampling are not completed prior to permit expiration date.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Millington or Tuscola County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Millington village.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential districts inside Millington village.
  • Lot coverage — Residential districts inside Millington village.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Millington village.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Millington village.
2 more unanswered
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals

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 Village of Millington publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Tuscola County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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