Bolthole Index

Wexford County, Michigan

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Cadillac, Michigan

Cadillac, Michigan requires a building permit for new homes, additions and alterations inside city limits, issued through the city's Community Development department1. The city also runs its own zoning, and is rewriting its zoning ordinance now2. Septic and well permits are not a city function: District Health Department #10 issues them for Wexford County3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside the city for new homes, additions and alterations; city Community Development issues it1
Who inspects
Associated Government Services (AGS), contracted by the city4
Zoning
City zoning ordinance in force; a rewrite is under way2
Small accessory buildings
Under 200 sq ft need a zoning compliance form, not a building permit1
Septic and wells
District Health Department #10 (Wexford County)35

Who to call

Building permits

City of Cadillac Community Development

Building permit applications, payments and paperwork inside Cadillac city limits; the city's contractor AGS performs the permit review and inspections

231-775-0181

200 N. Lake Street, Cadillac, MI 49601

Zoning

City of Cadillac Community Development (zoning)

Zoning questions and the zoning ordinance update inside Cadillac

231-775-0181

200 N. Lake Street, Cadillac, MI 49601

Septic permits

District Health Department #10, Wexford County Environmental Health

Well and septic permit applications and environmental health review for Wexford County

Online permits →

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Do you need a building permit in Cadillac, Michigan?

Yes. Cadillac requires a residential building permit for new home construction and for home additions inside city limits1. Separate electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits apply on top of it, and historic district and soil erosion permits may also be needed1.

Accessory buildings under 200 square feet need a zoning compliance form instead of a building permit1. Michigan's construction code itself requires a permit before construction starts, with its own exceptions6.

These are the city's rules for land inside Cadillac. Land outside the city limits falls under Wexford County's rules; see the Wexford County page.

Who issues building permits in Cadillac, and how do you reach them?

Building permits inside Cadillac come through the city's Community Development department at 200 N. Lake Street, not from the Wexford County Building Department78. The city has retained Associated Government Services (AGS) to provide all building permit and inspection services, and Community Development accepts applications, payments and other documents as the liaison74.

Only trade permits can be filed through the city's online portal; submit a building permit application on paper at the city offices97. The page does not list required inspection stages, so ask Community Development which inspections your project will need4.

We could not confirm the city's current building permit fee schedule; the Wexford County fee schedule does not apply inside the city.

Does Cadillac have zoning?

Yes. Cadillac administers zoning for land inside city limits2. The city is rewriting its zoning ordinance, with staff expecting the review to run from May through December 2026, so the existing ordinance stays in force until a new one is adopted210.

We could not confirm district-level standards such as minimum lot size, setbacks, minimum dwelling size, accessory dwellings, tiny homes or RV occupancy for Cadillac. The adopted ordinance is on the city's Municode page; ask Community Development which district a parcel is in and what it allows before you buy. Michigan leaves actual zoning districts to each local government11.

How do septic permits work in Cadillac?

Septic permits are not issued by the city. In Wexford County, District Health Department #10 issues well and septic permits3, and private wells need a DHD#10 permit as well5. Statewide, EGLE oversees onsite wastewater and local health departments permit and inspect the systems12.

Michigan's plumbing rules require connection to a public sewer where one is available, and otherwise to an approved private system13. We could not confirm whether Cadillac requires lots inside the city to hook up to city sewer or water; ask Community Development and the district health department before planning a well or septic system on a city lot.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Cadillac?

We could not confirm Cadillac's rules on RV occupancy, temporary camping or tiny homes on a lot inside the city; ask Community Development before parking or placing one. Michigan's statewide campground rules apply once five or more recreational units are used as temporary living quarters on a parcel14, and those rules do not answer whether one RV may be lived in on a single lot.

Building a home in Cadillac: the steps, in order

  1. Ask Community Development at 200 N. Lake Street which zoning district the parcel is in and what it allows102.
  2. Contact District Health Department #10 about well and septic permits where city sewer or water does not serve the lot35.
  3. File the building permit application with the city's Community Development department; permit review and inspections are handled by AGS74.
  4. Add the separate electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits; trade permits can be filed online19.
  5. Request a Certificate of Occupancy in writing after completion; Michigan does not allow a new building to be occupied before the code official issues one15.

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

Septic and well permits stay with DHD#103. A driveway onto a county road needs a permit from the Wexford County Road Commission, and one onto a state highway needs a permit from MDOT16. Construction in the 100-year floodplain of a river, stream or drain with a drainage area of 2 square miles or more needs a state EGLE permit17.

Wexford County's effective property tax rate is 1.2% and the median tax bill is $1,868 a year1819. For land outside Cadillac, see the Wexford County page.

Watch-outs

  • Cadillac's zoning ordinance is being rewritten, and standards may change before you build; confirm the current rules with Community Development2.
  • Only trade permits can be filed online in Cadillac; building permit applications go to Community Development at 200 N. Lake Street9.
  • We could not confirm Cadillac's rules on short-term rentals, tiny homes, RV occupancy or accessory dwellings; ask Community Development before relying on any of them2.

Sources

  1. City of Cadillac Development Guide: Residential (Cadillac), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Cadillac Development Guide: Residential (Cadillac), quoted and re-checked
  3. Well & Septic | District Health Department #10, quoted and re-checked
  4. Building Permits and Registered Rental Certificates - Cadillac, MI (Cadillac), quoted and re-checked
  5. Well & Septic | District Health Department #10, quoted and re-checked
  6. Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act, MCL 125.1510 (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. City of Cadillac Community Development (cadillac-mi.net)
  8. Building Department | Wexford County Michigan, quoted and re-checked
  9. Building Permits and Registered Rental Certificates - Cadillac, MI (Cadillac), quoted and re-checked
  10. City of Cadillac Community Development (zoning) (cadillac-mi.net)
  11. Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Michigan Guide to Environmental Regulations, Chapter 3: Wastewater (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Michigan Part 7 Plumbing Code Rules (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Temporary campgrounds (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Certificate of Occupancy Request (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Wexford County Building Department Permit Information Packet, quoted and re-checked
  17. Floodplains (Michigan statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 23, 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 Cadillac

Cadillac’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New homes, additions and alterations inside Cadillac city, issued through the city's Community Development department

    • Accessory buildings under 200 square feet need a zoning compliance form instead of a building permit.
    • Separate electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits apply.
    • Historic district and soil erosion permits may also apply.

    accessory building permit threshold: >= 200 sq ft (smaller buildings use a zoning compliance form)

    “the residential building permit is used for both new home construction or home additions.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction inside Cadillac city; inspections provided by contractor AGS for the city

    • The page says inspection services are provided but does not list required inspection stages.
    “the city of cadillac has retained associated government services (ags) to provide all building permit and inspection services.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Cadillac city limits

    • The city is currently rewriting its zoning ordinance; staff expect the review to run May through December 2026, so the existing ordinance remains in force until a new one is adopted.
    “the city of cadillac has started the process of updating its zoning ordinance!”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building permit applications inside Cadillac city

    • Applications go to Community Development at 200 N. Lake Street.
    • Only trade permits can be filed online.
    “currently only trade permits are accepted via our online portal.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Cadillac or Wexford County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Cadillac city
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Cadillac city
  • Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Cadillac city
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Cadillac city residential districts
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in Cadillac city residential districts
19 more unanswered
  • Setbacks
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • 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.

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

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