For non-emergency city services in Detroit, dial 311, or call (313) 224-3111 if you’re outside the city or your cell phone doesn’t route 311 correctly. For emergencies, dial 911. Everything else runs through department-specific lines, and this list of City of Detroit phone numbers points you at the right one so you’re not bounced through transfers.
311 for Non-Emergency City Services
The 311 system takes reports on potholes, illegal dumping, damaged street signs, running hydrants, overgrown lots, streetlight outages, and blight complaints. From outside the city, use (313) 224-3111. You can also skip the phone entirely with the Improve Detroit app on iPhone or Android, which uses your location and lets you attach a photo before dispatch. Status updates come through the app as the request moves. Submissions from a desktop browser go through the city’s website.1City of Detroit. Improve Detroit
Water and Sewerage Department
One number handles almost everything at the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department: (313) 267-8000. Billing questions, shutoffs, water quality, main breaks, and sewer backups all go here, and the line is staffed around the clock for emergencies.2City of Detroit. DWSD Customer Service
Assistance programs run through the same number, including the Lifeline Plan for income-qualified households and the EasyPay Plan for past-due balances. Low-income residents needing plumbing repairs have a separate line at (313) 386-9728. The Heat and Warmth Fund (THAW) offers water assistance at 800-866-8429, and United Way’s 2-1-1 line connects you with additional resources.3City of Detroit. DWSD is Here to Help – Water Assistance Programs
Property Tax, Income Tax, and Assessments
Three different offices, three different numbers. Confusing them is the most common way people get stuck on hold at the wrong desk.
- Property tax bills and the Treasury: (313) 224-3560. Email the Detroit Taxpayer Service Center at DTSC@detroitmi.gov.4City of Detroit. Office of the Treasury
- City income tax: (313) 224-3315. Filing questions, refund status, and withholding all go here.
- Assessment disputes and appraiser appointments: (313) 224-3035, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.5City of Detroit. Office of the Assessor
Non-residents who work in Detroit but spend time at locations outside city limits need extra paperwork before calling the income tax line. If you allocate less than 100% of your income to Detroit, you’ll need a letter from your employer on official letterhead plus a work log showing days worked inside and outside the city. Without those documents, the return typically gets sent back and any refund is delayed.6City of Detroit. Income Tax Information
Parking Tickets
The Municipal Parking Department answers at (313) 221-2500. To reach the Parking Violations Bureau directly, use (313) 963-9630. Online payment is available through the city’s website.7City of Detroit. Pay Parking Ticket
Police Non-Emergency
Call 911 when someone’s life or safety is in immediate danger. For everything else, the Telephone Crime Reporting line at (313) 267-4600 handles reports for incidents already over: break-ins, auto theft, illegal dumping, abandoned vehicles, noise complaints, neighbor disputes, an open fire hydrant, or someone in police custody.8City of Detroit. Report Crime
Recurring quality-of-life issues on your block, like persistent noise, loitering, or traffic problems, are handled by Neighborhood Police Officers assigned to specific areas. The Chief Neighborhood Police Liaison can be reached at (313) 596-2520, and the NPO finder on the police department’s website will match your address to the officer assigned to your area, along with your local precinct’s direct number.9City of Detroit. Precincts and Neighborhood Police Officers
Fire Department Non-Emergency
Fire emergencies go through 911. For fire inspections, burn permits, or other non-urgent business, the Detroit Fire Department’s administrative office is at (313) 596-2900.10City of Detroit. Communications
Building Permits, Inspections, and Code Complaints
The Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department (BSEED) answers at (313) 224-2733. Use this line to pull a renovation permit, get a zoning verification, or report a building code violation. BSEED inspectors cover electrical, plumbing, mechanical, elevator, and boiler work along with general building inspections.11City of Detroit. Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department
Public Works, Bulk Pickup, and Dead Animal Removal
The Department of Public Works administrative office is at (313) 224-3901 for general questions about street sweeping, trash schedules, and road maintenance.12City of Detroit. Contacts for Detroit Department of Public Works
For bulk items like old furniture, construction debris, or large yard waste, call the DPW Solid Waste Division at (313) 876-0004 to schedule a paid pickup.13City of Detroit. Paid Pick-Up Bulk Collection Service Dead animal removal from your property or the street also goes through DPW at (313) 628-4268.
Animal Control and Cruelty Reports
Detroit Animal Care and Control takes stray reports, missing dog reports, and other animal-related concerns at (313) 922-DOGS (3647). Animal neglect or cruelty reports go to the Michigan Humane Cruelty Hotline at (313) 872-3401. If a person is in immediate danger from an animal, call 911.14City of Detroit. Animal Control
Mayor’s Office, City Council, and City Clerk
The Mayor’s Office is at (313) 224-3400 for constituent concerns that don’t fit a single department and for questions about citywide policy.15City of Detroit. Mayor’s Office For neighborhood-specific zoning, community meetings, or legislative questions, contact your City Council district office through the council directory on the city’s website; the same site will identify your district if you’re not sure.16Detroit Government. Staff Directory
The City Clerk’s Office handles vital records and public documents at (313) 224-3270, in Suite 200 of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center.17City of Detroit. City Clerk’s Office For Freedom of Information Act requests, email FOIA@detroitmi.gov or fax (313) 224-5505; the city recommends checking the open data portal at data.detroitmi.gov first, since much of what people ask for is already published. Water department records and police records have separate FOIA processes.18City of Detroit. Submit A FOIA Request
What to Have Ready Before You Call
The call goes faster with the right paperwork in front of you. For tax questions, have your property parcel number from your annual assessment notice or from the city’s online parcel viewer. For water and sewerage, pull up a recent statement with your account number. If you’re following up on an existing complaint or service request, find the ticket number from your earlier interaction. Non-residents calling the income tax line should have the employer letter and work log ready before dialing, since the Income Tax Division needs both to process an allocation claim.6City of Detroit. Income Tax Information