Two jobs that share one name
The first is the inspection that comes with a permit. An electrician or an owner-occupant finishes work, notifies the inspector, and the inspector decides if it conforms. The second is a condition check you order on an existing house, before a purchase or when something feels wrong, from an electrician who writes down the findings.
Who sends the inspector depends on where you live. LARA's Statewide Jurisdiction List marks each unit of government as state, county or local for electrical work, and the October 2026 revision shows electrical enforcement as local in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Saginaw. Elsewhere the state's own inspectors may handle it.
Inspection fees and wages: the figures we can read
Our estimate for this job in Michigan is $90 to $240 per inspection. It is a model, not a quote, built from one national published cost range, widened by 15 percent each side, and adjusted by Michigan's wage ratio to the US (1.03).
The estimate above is for a condition check and is modeled from a national published range, not collected from Michigan companies. The fees below are the state's or a city's charge for permit inspections, not an electrician's price. Medium-tier rows come from older or partial sheets, so check with your city.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $90 to $240 per inspection | Built from one national published range, adjusted by the Michigan electrician wage ratio (1.03). |
| Electrician wage, Michigan mean | $35.50 an hour | What electricians are paid (BLS, May 2025), not what you are charged. |
| State permit, where the state inspects | $75 application, $75 final inspection, $75 rough or additional | LARA form BCC-339, revised April 2024. |
| Grand Rapids permit | $52 application with one inspection, $42 per additional | Effective July 1, 2026. |
| Troy permit | $150 same-day inspection | Fiscal year 2026-27. |
| Ann Arbor permit | $35 per inspection | Fee sheet dated January 2020. Check with your city. |
How we estimate costs: the Estimated range row is a model, not a quote. It takes one published national range for this job (cost guides from third-party sites that we have not verified and do not cite) and multiplies them by Michigan's electrician wage ratio to the US (1.03, BLS May 2025). The wage and permit rows below are what electricians are paid and what the enforcing agency charges, and neither is a price. We have not collected quotes, and too few Michigan electrical companies publish a price we could count to show a range. Full method. Prices as of Oct 19, 2026.
What the inspector signs off, and what follows
Under R 408.30818 the installer notifies the inspector when work under a permit is finished, and if it conforms the inspector issues a final approval or certificate of approval that authorizes connection to the supply. Work to be hidden from view must not be concealed until it has been inspected, so ask for the inspection before drywall closes a wall.
For service equipment, R 408.30827 says the enforcing agency approves it before the load side of the meter is energized. Utilities follow the same order. Consumers Energy says a meter needs an inspection sticker or it will not connect, and DTE says the municipality inspects first and DTE inspects the meter box after.
When an inspector can act on a house
Michigan puts the duty to keep wiring in good electrical repair on the owner (R 408.30815). An enforcing agency may disconnect a premises it finds dangerous to life or property, and must give written notice within 24 hours (R 408.30810). Where work contradicts a permit or the act, the agency gives notice, and without a response within one full working day it can post a written stop-construction order (MCL 339.5601).
Some cities also inspect rentals. Royal Oak's Building Division inspects all residential rental units under Chapter 556 of its Property Maintenance Code, and Ann Arbor will not let a landlord lease a unit without a Certificate of Compliance.
Ordering a condition check on an existing house
No Michigan source gives a standard checklist or a price, so judge a proposal by what it hands back. Ask for written findings, the code section behind each item, and photographs of the panel with its cover on. Ask if the visit includes opening the panel, and who does that. Check the electrician's license on the LARA lookup under Skilled Trades, Electrician.
Inspection questions that are really emergencies
- Smoke, flames, sparking or a burning smell at an outlet, switch or panel: leave and call 911.
- Water is reaching the panel or outlets.
- You want a condition check before buying or selling a house.
- A permit inspection is due after finished work.
Before the inspector comes
- Find the permit and check that its copy is posted or easy to reach.
- Ask your electrician which inspections the job needs, and who requests each.
- Photograph the closed panel and list the work done since you bought the house.
- Keep walls open until the rough inspection has passed.
Permit life, posting and who to call
R 408.30818 says a permit is not transferable, a copy must be posted or readily accessible at the work site, and it expires 180 days after issuance, with one 180-day extension available. LARA's permit page lists the state office at 517-241-9313 for applicants where the state inspects. Where your city enforces, call the city's building or electrical office.
A homeowner doing permitted work in an owner-occupied single family home is still a permit applicant, so the inspection applies to you too. The permit guide covers which jobs are exempt.
Ask for the license number and check it with your state's licensing board before any work starts.
- Michigan LARA (state, where the state inspects) electrical permit fee schedule Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Grand Rapids electrical permit fee schedule Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Troy electrical permit fee schedule Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Ann Arbor electrical permit fee schedule Read Oct 19, 2026. Confirm with the source before you rely on it.
A tool for this job
Permits and DIY limits
Pick your state, whether you own and live in the home, and the job. You get what the law says you may do yourself, whether a license is required, whether a permit and inspection apply, and who issues the permit. Michigan is the only state covered so far, and the code in force is the 2023 National Electrical Code with Michigan amendments, in effect since March 12, 2024.
Open the toolQuestions people ask
What does an electrical inspector check in Michigan?
The sources we have say the inspector decides if the permitted installation conforms, and approves service equipment before it is energized. For anything more specific, ask the inspector or electrician for the code section behind the item.
Who does the electrical inspection in my city?
The enforcing agency named for your city on LARA's Statewide Jurisdiction List: state, county or local. Detroit, Grand Rapids and Saginaw are listed as local, and each city page on this site shows its own row.
Do I need an inspection after a panel upgrade in Michigan?
It reads that way, because service equipment is approved before the load side of the meter is energized. Consumers also wants an inspection sticker, and DTE inspects the meter box after the municipality.
How long is an electrical permit good for in Michigan?
180 days after issuance, with one 180-day extension available, under R 408.30818. Annual permits exist for employers maintaining their own premises.
How much does an electrical inspection cost in Michigan?
Our estimate for a condition check is $90 to $240 per inspection, modeled from a national published range and adjusted for Michigan electrician wages. Permit inspections are a different charge: the state lists $75 for a final inspection. Fees are the agency's charge, not an electrician's price.
Can the inspector shut off power to my house?
Yes, the enforcing agency may disconnect a premises it finds dangerous to life or property, with written notice within 24 hours (R 408.30810). The owner has the duty to keep wiring in good repair.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: electricians (SOC 47-2111), Michigan statewide Read Oct 19, 2026.
- BCC Statewide Jurisdiction List Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Mich. Admin. Code R. 408.30818(f) Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Mich. Admin. Code R. 408.30827 (Cornell LII) Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Consumers Energy: New Service Connection Process Read Oct 19, 2026.
- DTE: Modify Electric Service Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Mich. Admin. Code R. 408.30807-30820 (Cornell LII) Read Oct 19, 2026.
- MCL 339.5601 Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Royal Oak Rental Information Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Rental Housing | City of Ann Arbor Read Oct 19, 2026.
- LARA: Find / Verify a Licensed Professional or Business Read Oct 19, 2026.
- LARA BCC: Electrical Permit Information Read Oct 19, 2026.
- ElectricianMatch: how we estimate costs (editorial policy) Read Oct 19, 2026.
- DTE Empowering Michigan: Downed Wire Safety Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Consumers Energy: Report an Issue Read Oct 19, 2026.
- DTE: Electrical Emergency Read Oct 19, 2026.
- Consumers Energy: Safety in Your Home Read Oct 19, 2026.