City of Portage

Kalamazoo County, Michigan

Last verified September 17, 2026

City of Portage is a jurisdiction in Kalamazoo 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

Phone: 269-329-4400
Email: norgs@portagemi.gov
Department Site: Community Development Department - Building & Permits, City of Portage (opens in a new tab)

Source: portagemi.gov (opens in a new tab)

Permit Search

BS&A Online Permits (City of Portage) (opens in a new tab)

BS&A Online Bill Pay (City of Portage) (opens in a new tab)

Certificate Holder Mailing Address

City of Portage
7900 South Westnedge Avenue
Portage, MI 49002

Use this address when the jurisdiction needs to be listed as a certificate holder on a contractor's insurance documentation.

Additional Notes

Confirmed via official portagemi.gov. Staff: Stephanie Norg, Permit Coordinator (269-329-4466, norgs@portagemi.gov); Terry Novak, Deputy Director (269-329-4467); Brady VanderVeen, Building Official (269-324-9281); Craig Hanosh, Building Inspector (269-329-4478); David Sliwa, Electrical Inspector (269-329-4469); Gary Jensen, Plumbing Inspector (269-329-4470). Hours: Mon-Thu 7:30am-5:30pm, Fri 8:00am-12:00pm. This is the City of Portage in Kalamazoo County, distinct from Portage Charter Township in Houghton County (above) and from a third, unrelated Portage Township in Mackinac County.

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 Portage'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.

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