Farmington Hills, MI Fence Regulations: Retaining Walls (2026)

Michigan's Stille-DeRossett-Hale Act (Act 230 of 1972, MCL 125.1501 through 125.1531) preempts local building codes and establishes a single statewide construction code. Farmington Hills enforces the Michigan Residential Code and Michigan Building Code adopted by the State of Michigan, currently based on the 2015 ICC code cycle. Section R404.4 of the IRC, as adopted into the MRC, requires a building permit and engineered structural calculations for any retaining wall that is more than 4 feet in height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, or any wall (at any height) that supports a surcharge such as a slope, driveway, structure, or fluid load. Walls under 4 feet retaining only soil and no surcharge generally do not require a building permit but must still comply with Sec. 34-5.12 setbacks, the 30-inch clear-vision triangle rule, drainage easements, and any HOA standards. Walls within the clear vision triangle may not obstruct vision above 30 inches measured from the top of curb. Building permits are issued by the Building Division at (248) 871-2450 via BS&A Online.