Garfield Charter Township
Grand Traverse County, Michigan
Last verified September 17, 2026
Garfield Charter Township is a jurisdiction in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, which does not currently list an online permit database — contact the department directly by phone or email. 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
- (231) 941-1620
- Department Site
- Building Department, Charter Township of Garfield (opens in a new tab)
Permit Search
No online permit database on file — contact the department directly by phone or email.
Certificate Holder Mailing Address
Charter Township of Garfield3848 Veterans Drive
Traverse City, MI 49684
Use this address when the jurisdiction needs to be listed as a certificate holder on a contractor's insurance documentation.
Additional Notes
Confirmed via both the township's own site (garfieldmi.gov) and Grand Traverse County's own site (gtcountymi.gov/906/Permit-Records-Search) that building permits for Garfield Charter Township are issued by the TOWNSHIP itself, not the county -- the county's online permit search explicitly excludes 'building permits issued in Garfield Township' and directs residents back to the township. Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits, however, ARE handled by the Grand Traverse County Building Codes Office. Building Official: Carl Studzinski. Fax (231) 346-5984. No online permit portal/database found for the township itself. Note this is 'Garfield CHARTER Township' specifically, distinct from the five plain 'Garfield Township' governments in this batch.
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 — Garfield Charter Township'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 Grand Traverse County
See Grand Traverse County property and court records →
Other building permit jurisdictions in Grand Traverse County: