Bay Township
Charlevoix County, Michigan
Last verified September 17, 2026
Bay Township is a jurisdiction in Charlevoix 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
Bay Township Zoning Administrator05045 Boyne City Rd
Boyne City, MI 49712
Use this address when the jurisdiction needs to be listed as a certificate holder on a contractor's insurance documentation.
Additional Notes
Bay Township's own official site (baytownshipmi.org/permits-fees/) confirms building permits are issued by Charlevoix County (Department of Building Safety, 231-547-7236, buildingsafety@charlevoixcounty.org, 13513 Division St, Charlevoix, MI 49720), while the township handles its own Zoning Permit (a prerequisite). Zoning Administrator was previously named as Ron Van Zee at (231) 497-4701 in an older search result, but the township's current official page lists 231-582-3594 as the number — phone field reflects the more current official-site figure; the two differing numbers should be double-checked before publishing.
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 — Bay 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 Charlevoix County
See Charlevoix County property and court records →
Other building permit jurisdictions in Charlevoix County: