Retaining Walls in Mid-Michigan: Permits and Drainage

Quick answer: In Michigan, a residential retaining wall up to 4 feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, is exempt from a building permit unless it holds back a surcharge such as a driveway, a slope or a structure above it. Taller walls, and walls that carry a load, need a permit and usually a design. Separately, any earth change within 500 feet of a lake or stream, or over an acre in size, typically needs a soil erosion permit. Contact MISS DIG 811 before digging, and hire a contractor who can explain how the wall will drain.

Step 1: Check whether you need a permit

Building permit

Michigan uses one construction code statewide. For homes and residential accessory work, the permit exemptions are in the Michigan Residential Code rule R 408.30505. It lists as exempt a retaining wall that is not more than 4 feet in height, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless it supports a surcharge. A surcharge is extra load on the soil behind the wall, for example a driveway, a parking area, a building, or a slope that keeps rising above the wall.

Two points catch people out. First, the 4 feet is measured from the bottom of the footing, not from the ground in front of the wall, so a wall that looks 3½ feet tall may be over the limit once the buried base is counted. Second, an exemption from a building permit is not an exemption from zoning. Townships and cities can still regulate where a wall goes, how close it sits to a property line, and how it changes drainage onto a neighbor's land. Call your local building or zoning office before you set a date.

Soil erosion permit

Michigan's soil erosion and sedimentation control rules (Part 91 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act) generally require a permit for earth changes that disturb one acre or more, or that are within 500 feet of a lake or stream. Near water, a permit is typically needed regardless of the size of the project. Permits come from your county enforcing agency or, in some cities, villages and townships, a municipal agency, and some have stricter local rules. Lakefront walls, seawalls and walls on a stream bank deserve an early call to that office.

Step 2: Call MISS DIG before anyone digs

Retaining walls need a trench for the base, and that is where gas, electric and fiber lines get hit. Contact MISS DIG 811, Michigan's free utility notification system, by calling 811 or submitting a request at missdig811.org. Do not start digging before the start time on your locate request.

Step 3: Plan for water

Most retaining wall problems come from water, not from the blocks. Soil behind a wall that cannot drain gets heavy, and in Michigan that water also freezes. When you compare contractors, ask each one to explain:

What goes behind the wall: the type of drainage stone and how far back it extends.
Where the water goes: whether there is a drain pipe at the base and where it outlets.
What the wall sits on: the depth and material of the base, and how it is compacted.
Whether the wall needs reinforcement, such as geogrid layers tied back into the soil, at the planned height and load.
Whether the manufacturer of the block system publishes installation limits for this height, and whether the design follows them.

Step 4: Know when to involve an engineer

Walls over the permit threshold, walls that hold up a driveway or a building, terraced walls stacked close together, and walls on a slope above a house or a lake are where an engineered design matters. Your building department will tell you what it needs for a permit. A contractor who has built similar walls should know when to bring in an engineer and should not discourage you from asking.

Questions to ask before you hire

Will this wall need a building permit, zoning approval or a soil erosion permit, and who pulls them?
What is the total wall height including the buried base?
How will the wall drain, and where does the water end up?
Is the design based on the block manufacturer's guidelines or an engineer's drawing?
Who requests the MISS DIG locate, and when?
What warranty do you give on the wall, and what would void it?
Can I see walls you built at least a few winters ago?

Compare contractors who serve your county in our mid-Michigan retaining wall and hardscape directory.

Sources

Last reviewed: 2026-10-12

This guide is general information, not legal, engineering or tax advice. Rules and prices change; confirm details with your local building or zoning office and with the provider before you commit.