Hot tubs and spas in Farmington Hills require both a building permit and an electrical permit through the Building Division. Under the Michigan Residential Code Appendix G as adopted by the state (Stille-DeRossett-Hale Act, MCL 125.1501-1531), a 48-inch barrier is required UNLESS the spa or hot tub has a safety cover that complies with ASTM F1346 - the cover serves as an alternative to the barrier. Chapter 28 of the Farmington Hills code implements these standards locally.
The city's permit-requirements page lists 'Hot Tub' separately from 'Pool/Spa' and confirms that both a building permit and an electrical permit are required. The Michigan Residential Code adopts IRC Appendix G, which provides a specific exception for spas and hot tubs: a spa or hot tub with a safety cover complying with ASTM F1346 (the national standard for safety covers, requiring the cover to support at least 485 pounds of static load, prevent passage of a 4.5-inch sphere through any gap, and bear permanent warning labels) is exempt from the 48-inch barrier requirement. If the spa/hot tub does NOT have an ASTM F1346 cover, then the full IRC Appendix G barrier applies - 48-inch fence, no 4-inch sphere openings, self-closing/self-latching gate opening outward with latch at least 54 inches above grade. Electrical hookups must comply with NEC Article 680 (GFCI on the spa circuit, equipotential bonding of metal shell and equipment). Owners may not run the electrical supply through an extension cord; a dedicated, hard-wired circuit installed by a licensed electrician is required. A final building inspection is required before use.
Installing a hot tub or spa without permits, or operating one with neither a 48-inch barrier nor an ASTM F1346 safety cover that stays in place and locked when the tub is not in use, is a violation of the Michigan Residential Code and Chapter 28. The Building Division can prohibit use, require correction, and pursue civil infractions. Improperly wired hot tubs are an electrocution hazard and a major insurance/liability exposure.
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