Who pulls the permit on framing work

The contractor of record pulls the permit. On a builder's job that is the builder or general contractor. On homeowner work, it is a general contractor who holds a builder license, or in some cases the homeowner themselves under a homeowner permit. A framing subcontractor works under that permit, not their own.

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Last updated: September 2026

This is the normal structure for framing in Michigan and it is not a workaround. Framing is a subcontracted trade inside someone else's permitted project.

Contractor of record, explained

The contractor of record is the party the municipality holds responsible for the permitted work. They:

Submit the permit application and the plans
Are named on the permit
Schedule inspections
Answer to the building department if something fails
Carry the license the permit was issued against

Subcontractors work inside that permit. See what a framing subcontractor does. The framing crew does not pull a separate permit for framing, and there is no such thing as a "framing permit" issued to a sub on a residential job.

How it works, three situations

You are a builder or general contractor

You pull the permit. You are the contractor of record. Mavericks frames under it as your subcontractor.

What you get from us, same day on request: certificate of insurance, W-9, and SAM.gov registration details. That is the paperwork most builders need before a sub sets foot on site, and having it ready is part of the job. The full list is on the builders page.

You are a homeowner with a project that needs a permit

Mavericks does not hold a Michigan Residential Builder license, so Mavericks cannot be your contractor of record.

Mavericks works with a partner general contractor who pulls the permit and is the contractor of record, while Mavericks does the framing labor. You get a contractor who holds the license on the permit and the framing crew you wanted, and the permit question is handled rather than left to you.

You are a homeowner doing work that does not need a permit

Some work does not require a permit. Non-structural interior framing and many decks below a certain height are common examples, and the threshold varies by municipality. Where no permit is required, Mavericks can be hired directly.

Check with your local building department rather than assuming. Rules differ between townships in the same county, and the cost of guessing wrong is a stop-work order.

Why this matters more than it sounds

Unpermitted structural work follows the house. It surfaces at resale, during an appraisal, or when an insurance claim gets investigated. The cost of opening finished walls for a retroactive inspection is many times the cost of the permit.

Insurance can decline a claim on work that required a permit and did not have one.

The person on the permit carries the liability. If a homeowner pulls a homeowner permit to save money on a structural job, the homeowner is the one the building department holds responsible. That is a real transfer of risk and it is worth understanding before signing anything.

What Mavericks is and is not

Is: a fully insured framing subcontractor, SAM.gov registered, UEI Y5KXX63BMZT1, CAGE 18HW1. Operating under the builder's or general contractor's license as a labor subcontractor.

Is not: a Michigan Residential Builder. Mavericks does not hold a builder license and does not act as contractor of record on permitted work.

That distinction is stated plainly here because a builder deciding who to hire deserves an accurate answer, and because a homeowner should know who is on their permit.

Frequently asked questions

Who pulls the permit for framing work?

The contractor of record pulls the permit for framing work. On a builder's project that is the builder or general contractor. On homeowner work it is a general contractor who holds a builder license or, in some cases, the homeowner. The framing subcontractor works under that permit and does not pull one of their own.

Does a framing subcontractor need their own permit?

No. Residential framing is a subcontracted trade inside someone else's permitted project. There is no separate framing permit issued to a sub.

Can Mavericks pull a permit for my project?

No. Mavericks does not hold a Michigan Residential Builder license and cannot be contractor of record. For homeowner projects that need a permit, a partner general contractor pulls it and is the contractor of record while Mavericks does the framing labor.

What is a contractor of record?

The contractor of record is the party named on the building permit, responsible to the municipality for the permitted work. They submit the plans, schedule inspections and answer to the building department. Subcontractors work under them.

Do I need a permit for basement framing?

Basement framing usually needs a permit if you are creating rooms, altering egress or touching anything structural. Requirements vary by municipality, so confirm with your local building department before starting.

What happens if structural work is done without a permit?

Unpermitted structural work surfaces at resale, appraisal or during an insurance claim. Correcting it can mean opening finished walls for a retroactive inspection, which costs far more than the permit would have. An insurer may also decline a claim on unpermitted work.