Traverse City Deck Guide: Permits, Footings, Rules

Updated October 25, 2026. This guide is general information, not legal or engineering advice. Rules change, so confirm with the agency listed before you start work.

Quick reference

Topic	What to know	Source
Building permits	County Construction Code office for the City of Traverse City; Garfield Township issues its own	City of Traverse City; Garfield Twp.
Zoning / land use	City or township land use permit; Peninsula Twp. requires one for structures of 25 sq ft or more	City; Peninsula Twp.
Footings	At least 42 in. below grade; 24 in. allowed in sandy soils	Garfield Twp. deck handout
Guards	Required over 30 in. above grade; 36 in. min. on decks; no 4 in. opening	Garfield Twp. deck handout
Stairs	8¼ in. max riser, 9 in. min tread, 36 in. min width; handrail at 4+ risers	Garfield Twp. deck handout
Contractor license	LARA residential builder or M&A license for projects of $600 or more	MCL 339.2403
Soil erosion	Permit for work within 500 ft of a lake or stream, among other triggers	Grand Traverse County
Climate	January mean 23.1°F; roughly 100 in. of snow a year	Wikipedia (NOAA normals); NWS Gaylord

Who issues a deck permit?

It depends on where the house is, and most decks need more than one approval.

City of Traverse City. The city's construction guide says city permits cover land use and zoning, and that the county issues the building permit. Approved plans then go to the Grand Traverse County Construction Code office at 2650 LaFranier Road.
Garfield Township. The township runs its own Building Department and Zoning Department at 3848 Veterans Drive. Its deck handout says a land use permit is needed for decks over 100 square feet and nearly all decks need a building permit.
Peninsula and Acme townships. Each has its own land use permit application. Peninsula Township's form requires one for all structures of 25 square feet or more and counts raised decks toward lot coverage; Acme's lists decks among its project types.

The county Construction Code office says homeowners who live in the home and do the work themselves may pull their own permit, while work on a rental is treated as commercial. Every contractor application requires a state license number, which the office checks against Michigan's records.

What does the code ask for?

Michigan builds homes under the Michigan Residential Code. Garfield Township's deck handout summarizes the deck provisions, and the numbers are a useful guide to what builders across the area work to:

Footings at least 42 inches below grade, or 24 inches in sandy soils, with posts at least 4x4.
Ledgers flashed, fastened with half-inch lag screws or bolts, and never attached to stone or masonry veneer or used to carry beams.
Framing in ground contact treated for ground contact, with galvanized, stainless or silicon bronze fasteners.
Guards where the surface is more than 30 inches above grade, at least 36 inches tall, with no opening that passes a 4-inch object.
Stairs at least 36 inches wide, 8¼-inch maximum risers, 9-inch minimum treads, and a handrail 34 to 38 inches high on four or more risers.
Inspections of the footing holes, the framing and the finished deck.

Your permit office has the final word, so have the builder confirm details for your address.

When is a soil erosion permit needed?

Grand Traverse County's soil erosion ordinance requires a permit for earth work within 500 feet of a lake, stream, regulated wetland or county drain, on slopes of 20 percent or more, or when more than an acre is disturbed. That catches a lot of deck projects on bay and lake lots. The county Health Department runs the program, but in Traverse City and Garfield Township you contact that community's zoning office instead.

Does the builder need a license?

Usually. Michigan's Occupational Code requires a residential builder or maintenance and alteration contractor license for residential construction work, and its small-job exemption only applies when the total price for labor, materials and everything else on the project is under $600. Splitting a larger job into smaller contracts doesn't count. Homeowners working on their own home are exempt. LARA says license applicants must finish 60 hours of approved prelicensure education, including six hours on the Michigan Residential Code, before the exam.

How does the climate affect a deck?

NOAA's 1991–2020 normals for Cherry Capital Airport put January's daily mean at 23.1°F and July's at 70.3°F, with about 29 inches of precipitation and roughly 100 inches of snow a year. The National Weather Service's January 2026 summary for Traverse City implies a normal January snowfall above 47 inches. That much snow, much of it lake-effect, means long stretches of wet wood and slow melt, which is why ledger flashing, joist protection and footings below frost matter so much.

Questions to ask a builder

What's your Michigan license number, and are you insured?
Who will apply for the land use, building and any soil erosion permits?
How deep will the footings go, and how will the ledger be attached and flashed?
Will the guards and stairs meet the code dimensions?
What does your warranty cover, and what does the manufacturer's?
Will you give me lien waivers when I pay?

Common questions

Who issues deck building permits in Traverse City?

The Grand Traverse County Construction Code office, after the City of Traverse City approves land use and zoning. Garfield Township issues its own building permits.

How deep do deck footings need to be?

Garfield Township's deck handout, based on the Michigan Residential Code, lists at least 42 inches below grade, or 24 inches in sandy soils. Confirm with your permit office.

Does a contractor need a license to build my deck?

Generally yes, once the project totals $600 or more. Michigan requires a residential builder or maintenance and alteration contractor license from LARA.

Traverse City deck guide (2026)