Michigan: who needs a license to work on your chimney or fireplace?

Checked Jul 2026·Laws as cited·Not in the Sep 2026 verification pass

Public recordMI LAW

For consumer remedies, home-sale rules and carbon monoxide law, see Michigan chimney & fireplace laws — know your rights. That page was verified more recently than this matrix.

Stove & insert installation: is a credential required in Michigan?

Credential: Mechanical Contractor license, specialty classification (b) 'solid fuel and vented decorative gas appliances' — wood/pellet stoves are licensed mechanical work by name; mechanical permit required (fireplaces/solid fuel expressly in permit scope); code note: 2021 MRC adoption STAYED by Court of Claims order (Home Builders Assoc v. LARA, order 7/7/2025) — MRC 2015 (2015 IRC base) remains in effect as of 7/2026
Issuing body: MI LARA Bureau of Construction Codes (Mechanical Division)
Statute: Forbes Mechanical Contractors Act, Act 192 of 1984; Mich. Admin. Code R. 339.5161(1)(b); Mich. Admin. Code R. 408.30500 (MRC)
Dollar threshold: none found (mechanical act; $600 threshold is the builder act)
Exam: y (exam per classification)
Local overlay: n
Confidence: high · checked 2026-07-09
Sources: REFlaw.cornell.edu/regulations/michigan/Mich-A…GOVmichigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bcc/sectio…REFrhoadesmckee.com/michigan-pauses-implementat…

Credential: Residential Builder or Residential Maintenance & Alteration Contractor license with 'roofing' craft/trade — roofing is an enumerated M&A trade, so chimney flashing/roof leak repair >=$600 requires the licensed roofing trade; sweeps holding only masonry trade would be outside scope for flashing work
Issuing body: MI LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing
Statute: Occupational Code, Act 299 of 1980, Article 24 (MCL 339.2401 et seq.; roofing enumerated in MCL 339.2404-related licensing docs); $600 threshold per builder act (rights research)
Dollar threshold: $600
Exam: y (trade exam)
Local overlay: n
Confidence: high · checked 2026-07-09
Sources: GOVlegislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCLGOVmichigan.gov/lara/-/media/Project/Websit…REFup.codes/s/residential-builder-and-r…

Credential: Mechanical Contractor license — specialty classification 'solid fuel and vented decorative gas appliances' (gas fireplaces/log sets by definition) + 'fuel gas piping'/'fuel gas piping and venting'; separate 'LP distribution piping' specialty = explicit LP/NG split; full HVAC equipment class covers all
Issuing body: MI LARA Bureau of Construction Codes (Mechanical Division)
Statute: Forbes Mechanical Contractors Act, Act 192 of 1984; Mich. Admin. Code R. 339.5161
Dollar threshold: none found (MI $600 threshold is the residential builder act; mechanical act exemptions UNVERIFIED)
Exam: y (exam per classification)
Local overlay: n
Confidence: high · checked 2026-07-09
Sources: REFlaw.cornell.edu/regulations/michigan/Mich-A…GOVlegislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/archive/2015/…GOVmichigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bcc/sectio…

Credential: Mechanical specialty 'solid fuel and vented decorative gas appliances' — narrow specialty suffices for log sets/decorative appliances without full HVAC class (distinct cheaper path, so tracked separately)
Issuing body: MI LARA Bureau of Construction Codes
Statute: Mich. Admin. Code R. 339.5161(1)(b); Act 192 of 1984
Dollar threshold: none found
Exam: y
Local overlay: n
Confidence: high · checked 2026-07-09
Sources: REFlaw.cornell.edu/regulations/michigan/Mich-A…

Regime: license (Residential Builder / M&A contractor incl. masonry >= $600; MCL 339.2401 et seq.)
Liability minimum: NONE — MCL 339.2404 entry requirements and LARA licensing page contain no insurance requirement whatsoever; third-party claims of $100k GL are unsupported (license = exam + 60hr education only)
Bond: none at state level
Guaranty fund: none — Homeowner Construction Lien Recovery Fund abolished by PA 147 of 2010 (insolvent); was a lien fund, not a misconduct fund; nothing replaced it
Workers' comp threshold: dual threshold (MCL 418.115): 3+ employees at one time OR 1+ employee regularly 35+ hrs/wk for 13+ weeks in preceding 52; self-employed w/o employees exempt; family/officer exclusions via WDCA Insurance Compliance Division
How to verify: no insurance to verify; license lookup michigan.gov/statelicensesearch; WC public lookup: MI WC Insurance Coverage Lookup (wcinsurancecoveragelookup.apps.lara.state.mi.us, updated weekly) + WORCS lookup
Confidence: high · checked 2026-07-09
Sources: GOVlegislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCLGOVmichigan.gov/lara/bureau-list/bcc/sectio…GOVlegislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCLGOVmichigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/wdca/i…

Before anyone goes on your roof

Is your company a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild (NCSG)?
Does the technician coming to my home hold an individual NCSG certification, and which one?
Does the technician hold a National Fireplace Institute (NFI) certification — and for which fuel: wood, gas, or pellet?
What other certifications does the technician hold (for example, CSIA), and can I check them on the issuer's own roster?
What state or local license or registration covers this work here, and what is the number?
Will you send a certificate of insurance, dated and naming your company, before work starts?
Which NFPA 211 inspection level — Level 1, 2, or 3 — are you performing, and why that level?
Will you show me what you found — photos or video of the flue — in writing?

We take no fee from any certification body, guild, or contractor, and are not paid to mention anyone named.