City of Grand Haven
Ottawa County, Michigan
Last verified September 17, 2026
City of Grand Haven is a jurisdiction in Ottawa County, Michigan, with an online portal for searching and pulling active or historical building permits. Use the contact information below to reach the local building department, or the mailing address if the jurisdiction needs to be listed as a certificate holder on a contractor's insurance documentation.
Contact
Permit Search
Certificate Holder Mailing Address
City of Grand Haven Building Operations519 Washington Avenue
Grand Haven, MI 49417-1486
Use this address when the jurisdiction needs to be listed as a certificate holder on a contractor's insurance documentation.
Additional Notes
Building Official is Tom Bruursema per the official city site. Building permitting is organized under the city's Department of Public Safety. Distinct, separate government from Grand Haven Charter Township, verified independently.
What You Need Before Applying for a Permit
Most building departments ask for the same core package before they'll issue a permit: a completed application naming the property owner and contractor, the contractor's state license number and proof of insurance (general liability, and workers' comp if employees are on the job), a notice of commencement or equivalent recorded filing for larger jobs where the state requires one, and scaled plans or a site plan for anything beyond minor repairs. Roofing, fence, pool, and solar permits typically have their own simplified checklists — City of Grand Haven's department (above) can confirm exactly what applies to your project.
Why this matters for insurance: permit history is one of the first things an underwriter or adjuster checks. Unpermitted work — a finished basement, an added bedroom, a rebuilt roof — can complicate a claim or even void coverage for that portion of the loss, and it routinely surfaces during a home inspection. Pulling the right permit up front, and keeping the closed-permit record on file, protects both the property's value and its insurability at resale.
More in Ottawa County
See Ottawa County property and court records →
Other building permit jurisdictions in Ottawa County: