Short-Term Rentals in Dearborn, MI (2026)

8 verified short-term rentals rules for Dearborn, Michigan, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Short-Term Rental Permits

Dearborn requires a detailed certificate application before any short-term rental can operate: owner and agent information, bedroom counts, smoke/CO detector and fire-extinguisher certifications, and a mandatory city inspection under Sec. 11-314(b).

Dearborn Short-Term Rental Permit Requirements

Significant Restrictions

Dearborn Code of Ordinances § 11-314(b)

(b) Application. The application for a certificate of compliance shall, at a minimum, include the following: ... (7) Number of bedrooms available to rent. (8) A statement certifying that each bedroom has a working smoke detector and working carbon monoxide detector installed in compliance with the requirements of this division ... (16) Submit the property to an inspection for compliance with ap...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Noise Rules

Dearborn requires every short-term rental's local agent to respond within 30 minutes to noise and disorderly-conduct complaints, and separately holds STR occupants and guests directly responsible for violating the city's noise, fireworks, and public peace ordinances during their stay.

Dearborn STR Noise and Conduct Rules

Some Restrictions

Dearborn Code of Ordinances §§ 11-317(b)-(c), 11-318(b)

(b) Timely and effective response. The local agent shall, upon notification that any occupant or guest of the STR has created unreasonable noise or disturbances, engaged in disorderly conduct, ... respond in a timely and appropriate manner to halt and prevent a recurrence of such violations. ... (b) Duty to comply with applicable laws. STR occupants and guests shall comply with all local laws a...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Taxes & Fees

Dearborn charges a non-refundable $750 application fee for every short-term rental certificate under § 11-314(b)(14), due with the sworn application before the Department of Economic Development schedules the compliance inspection needed to issue or renew a certificate.

Dearborn STR Certificate Application Fee

Some Restrictions

Dearborn Code of Ordinances § 11-314(b)(14)

(13) A statement certifying that the owner consents to inspections by the city and that the owner or local agent will make the dwelling unit available to inspections upon request. (14) A non-refundable application fee of $750. (15) The application must be signed by the applicant-owner(s) and local agent.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Occupancy Limits

Dearborn sets no single headcount cap for short-term rentals. Sec. 11-317(h) instead ties STR occupancy to the city's existing dwelling-unit, zoning, and Michigan Building Code standards, including the floor-space formula already in the property maintenance code.

Dearborn STR Occupancy Standard

Some Restrictions

Dearborn Code of Ordinances § 11-317(h)

(h) Maximum occupancy. The number of occupants in a STR shall comply with applicable requirements under the law, including but not limited to the city's Code of Ordinances, the city's Zoning Ordinance, and the Michigan Building Code.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Insurance Requirements

Every Dearborn short-term rental certificate application must include a sworn statement that the owner has obtained liability insurance covering the STR use, one of sixteen certifications the Department of Economic Development reviews under § 11-314(b) before issuing or renewing a certificate.

Dearborn STR Liability Insurance Requirement

Some Restrictions

Dearborn Code of Ordinances § 11-314(b)(10)

(9) A statement certifying that the STR has a working fire extinguisher located in compliance with this division (See section 11-321 below). (10) A statement certifying that the owner has obtained liability insurance to cover the short-term rental use. (11) A statement certifying that the property is not currently in violation of the city's Code of Ordinances, Zoning Ordinance, or any state ...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Host Presence Rule

Dearborn's short-term rental ordinance treats an owner-occupied homestay differently from an owner-occupied off-site rental: for a homestay, the property owner must serve as the STR's local agent and stay on-site for the entire guest stay.

Dearborn STR Host On-Site Rule

Some Restrictions

Dearborn Code of Ordinances § 11-313

(4) Owner-occupied homestay STR. For an owner-occupied homestay STR, the local agent shall be the property owner staying on-site throughout the visitors' stay. ... Owner-occupied off-site means an activity whereby the property owner(s) hosts visitors in their home, for compensation, for periods of 30 consecutive days or less, while the home is unoccupied by the owner of record during a guest's ...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

Dearborn licenses three short-term rental types, and only two require owner-occupancy: an owner-occupied homestay or off-site applicant must swear under § 11-314(b)(6) that the unit is and will remain their principal residence, while a separately certified non-owner-occupied STR carries no such residency requirement.

Dearborn STR Principal Residence Rule

Some Restrictions

Dearborn Code of Ordinances § 11-314(b)(6); § 11-313

(6) For owner-occupied STRs (homestay or off-site), the owner shall submit a sworn statement affirming that the dwelling or dwelling unit being used as an STR is and will remain the applicant's principal residence for the duration of the certificate. ... Principal residence (owner-occupied) means the one dwelling or dwelling unit where an owner of the property, has their true, fixed, and perma...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Repeat Violator Strikes

Dearborn escalates short-term rental fines with each repeat offense, $500, then $750, then $1,000, and requires the director to revoke the STR certificate once a property racks up three separate violations within any 12-month period.

Dearborn STR Repeat Violation Strikes

Significant Restrictions

Dearborn Code of Ordinances §§ 11-322(a), 11-324(a)

(a) Violations as civil infraction. A violation of this division shall be punishable as a civil infraction with a fine of not less than $500, plus costs and other sanctions... The fine for a first repeat offense shall be no less than $750... a second repeat offense or any subsequent repeat offense shall be no less than $1,000... The director shall revoke the STR certificate for any short-term r...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Looking for Wayne County county-wide rules?

County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Dearborn city rules.

Short-Term Rentals in Wayne County →