Short-Term Rentals in Farmington Hills, MI (2026)

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

Verified from official government sources

Permit Requirements

In September 2023, the Farmington Hills City Council adopted Zoning Text Amendment 3, 2023 amending Chapter 34 (Zoning) - and related provisions in Chapter 9 (Community Development, Housing Code) - to prohibit non-owner-occupied short-term rentals in residential zoning districts. The amendment revised the definition of 'Motel' in Chapter 34, Article 2, Section 2.2 to capture commercial transient rental of residential dwellings as a motel use not permitted in residential districts. Owner-occupied STRs (host lives at the property as a permanent residence) remain allowed in residential districts, but must register through the Building Division as a rental dwelling, pass a property maintenance inspection, and obtain a Certificate of Compliance (valid up to 3 years; renewable on reinspection). Existing non-owner-occupied STRs that were properly registered before the September 2023 effective date received a 5-year amortization (sunset) window after which they must convert to owner-occupied or cease operation. The ordinance is permitted under MCL 125.3204 (Michigan Zoning Enabling Act) and Heydon v. Charter Twp. of Brighton (2014), which allow facially neutral local STR regulation. The proposed Short-Term Rental Regulation Act (HB 4722 of 2021) that would have preempted such bans never passed the Michigan Senate.

Farmington Hills Bans Non-Owner-Occupied STRs in Residential Districts (Sept 2023 Ordinance); Owner-Occupied STRs Require Rental Registration and Certificate of Compliance

Heavy Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Noise Rules

Farmington Hills does not codify short-term-rental-specific quiet hours separate from its general noise framework. STR guests and operators are subject to Chapter 17 (Nuisances) and the general noise provisions of the Farmington Hills Code, which prohibit loud, disturbing, or unnecessary noises that disturb the peace and quiet of any neighborhood or any reasonable person of ordinary sensibilities. Enforcement is principally complaint-driven through the Farmington Hills Police Department (non-emergency 248-871-2610). The owner-occupied STR operator is personally on-site under the September 2023 ordinance framework, so noise complaints are directly traceable to the responsible host. Repeat verified noise or nuisance violations are tracked against the property's Certificate of Compliance under Chapter 9 (Housing Code) and can result in non-renewal or revocation of the certificate, effectively shutting down the STR. Prudent operators post 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. quiet hours in their house rules consistent with customary Michigan suburban norms.

Farmington Hills STR Guests Subject to Chapter 17 (Nuisances) and Chapter 22 General Noise Ordinance; No STR-Specific Quiet Hours But Operator Liability Attaches

Some Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Taxes & Fees

Short-term rentals in Farmington Hills collect a single state-level lodging tax: the 6% Michigan Use Tax under MCL 205.92, applied to rooms or lodging furnished by hotels, motels, and other accommodations including vacation rentals for stays under 30 continuous days, remitted to the Michigan Department of Treasury. Oakland County does NOT impose a county-level accommodations or excise tax (unlike Washtenaw, Kent, and several Upper Peninsula counties), and Farmington Hills does not levy a separate municipal occupancy tax. The combined effective lodging tax burden on a Farmington Hills STR stay is therefore 6%. Operators also pay city-level fees that are not lodging taxes per se: a rental registration fee at initial registration and renewal, and a property maintenance inspection fee tied to the Certificate of Compliance (3-year term, reinspection required for renewal). Airbnb and VRBO generally collect and remit the 6% Michigan Use Tax on platform-booked stays under tax-collection agreements with the Michigan Department of Treasury; off-platform direct bookings remain the operator's responsibility.

Farmington Hills STR Tax Stack: 6% Michigan Use Tax (MCL 205.92) Only; No County or City Lodging Tax; Plus Rental Registration Fee and Inspection Fees

Some Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Parking Rules

Farmington Hills does not impose a separate short-term-rental-specific parking ratio because the September 2023 ordinance restricts STR activity to owner-occupied residential dwellings whose parking is already governed by the existing Chapter 34 (Zoning) Article 5 off-street parking standards for residential uses (typically 2 spaces per single-family dwelling, plus driveway capacity). STR guests use the same off-street capacity as long-term residents; the owner-occupied requirement means the operator's own vehicles share that capacity. Parking inadequacy can be cited at the Certificate of Compliance reinspection if the off-street facilities have been removed or are inoperable. On-street guest parking is subject to the Farmington Hills Code (Chapter 22 - Traffic and Motor Vehicles) and Michigan motor vehicle law: no blocking driveways, fire hydrants, intersections, or crosswalks, no parking against traffic, no overnight on-street parking on posted streets, and compliance with any neighborhood-specific time-limit or permit-zone restrictions. HOA covenants in Farmington Hills subdivisions (Independence Commons, Ramblewood, Independence Village) often impose stricter parking rules including bans on guest commercial vehicles and overnight on-street parking.

Farmington Hills STR Off-Street Parking Governed by Chapter 34 Zoning Article 5 Standards; On-Street Parking Subject to City Traffic Code; HOA Covenants Often Stricter

Some Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Occupancy Limits

Farmington Hills does not codify a single short-term-rental-specific occupancy formula (like 'two per bedroom plus two') separate from the general housing code framework. Maximum occupancy at a registered owner-occupied STR is governed by Chapter 9 (Community Development) Article II (Housing Code) standards and by the Michigan Building Code as adopted by the city: minimum sleeping-room sizes, code-conforming egress from each bedroom (door to exterior or egress window meeting Michigan Residential Code size and sill-height requirements), smoke alarms in each bedroom and on each floor, and CO detectors near sleeping areas in dwellings with fuel-burning appliances or attached garages (MCL 125.1504c). The property maintenance inspection at initial registration and at each 3-year Certificate of Compliance renewal verifies these standards. Operators must size guest capacity to rooms actually designed and built as bedrooms with code-conforming egress; marketing dens, basements without egress, or lofts as sleeping space can result in inspection failure and certificate non-renewal.

Farmington Hills STR Occupancy Governed by Chapter 9 Housing Code and Michigan Building Code; Per-Bedroom Standards Apply at Certificate of Compliance Inspection

Some Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Insurance Requirements

Public summaries of the Farmington Hills September 2023 STR ordinance reference liability insurance as a requirement but do not publish a specific minimum coverage amount in the Municode text accessible to the public; operators should confirm the current insurance condition directly with the Building Division (248-871-2450) before listing. Regardless of the codified minimum, the standard Michigan homeowner's HO-3 policy contains a business-pursuits exclusion that voids coverage for paid short-term rental activity, leaving operators personally liable for guest injuries, property damage, and third-party claims unless they add a short-term-rental endorsement or carry a dedicated commercial STR policy. Platform host-protection programs (Airbnb AirCover, VRBO Liability Insurance) provide up to $1M but are supplemental and exclude off-platform direct bookings. Michigan no-fault auto law does not extend to STR liability. Common industry minimum coverage in the Detroit metro market is $1M-$2M general liability.

Farmington Hills STR Liability Insurance Strongly Recommended but Specific Minimum Not Explicit in Public Code; Standard Michigan HO-3 Policies Exclude Paid STR Activity

Some Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Night Caps

Farmington Hills does not codify an annual night cap on short-term rental operation (no 90-, 120-, or 180-night limit). Instead, the September 2023 ordinance restricts STR activity to owner-occupied dwellings where the host uses the property as a permanent primary residence, which functions as an implicit activity limit because the owner cannot simultaneously reside at the property and rent the entire dwelling year-round in absentia. The owner-occupied operator may host paying guests up to the full calendar year provided the host is also legitimately residing at the property; the home cannot be left vacant of the host while paying guests occupy it as a de facto whole-house rental. Pre-September-2023 registered non-owner-occupied STRs may operate without a night cap during the 5-year amortization window (through approximately September 2028), after which they must convert to owner-occupied or cease. HB 4722 of 2021, which would have constrained local night caps, never passed the Michigan Senate.

Farmington Hills Imposes No Annual Night Cap on STR Operation; Owner-Occupied Restriction Acts as Implicit Activity Limit

Few Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Registration Rules

Under the September 2023 ordinance, every lawful Farmington Hills short-term rental (limited to owner-occupied dwellings, plus pre-September-2023 grandfathered non-owner-occupied operations through the 5-year amortization sunset) must be registered with the Building Division under Chapter 9 (Community Development), Article II (Housing Code), and must hold a current Certificate of Compliance. Registration requires a completed application, proof of ownership, proof of owner-occupied permanent residence (for new registrations after September 2023), driver's license/state ID for owner and authorized agent, registration fees, and a passing property maintenance inspection. The Certificate is valid up to 3 years and must be renewed through reinspection. Designation of a local contact is required if the owner will be away from the property during any rental period. Operating an STR without a current Certificate of Compliance is a Chapter 9 violation enforceable by civil infraction citations and ultimately cease-and-desist with injunctive relief.

Farmington Hills Requires Rental Registration and Certificate of Compliance for All Lawful STRs Under Chapter 9 (Housing Code); 3-Year Term with Reinspection

Heavy Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Host Presence Rule

Farmington Hills' September 2023 ordinance effectively requires host presence for all newly initiated STRs through the owner-occupied / primary-residence requirement. Lawful new STRs after September 2023 must be in dwellings the owner uses as their permanent primary residence, verified at registration and at each 3-year Certificate of Compliance renewal. While the ordinance does not require the host to be physically present at every moment of every rental, the host must genuinely reside at the property and cannot consistently leave the dwelling vacant of the host while paying guests occupy it as a de facto whole-house rental. The framework permits hosted home-share operation (rented bedrooms or ADUs while the host occupies the rest of the dwelling) and short hosted absences (host vacation during which guests occupy the dwelling), but is incompatible with the absentee-investor whole-house operating model. Pre-September-2023 grandfathered non-owner-occupied STRs operate without a host-presence requirement through the 5-year amortization sunset (approx. September 2028).

Farmington Hills Effectively Requires Host Presence for All Post-September-2023 STRs Through Owner-Occupied/Primary-Residence Requirement

Heavy Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

The September 2023 Farmington Hills ordinance imposes an explicit primary-residence requirement on all newly initiated short-term rentals: the host must use the dwelling as their permanent primary residence, with no exceptions for second homes, vacation homes, investment properties, or LLC-held properties intended for absentee operation. Primary residence is verified at initial registration through Michigan driver's license at the property address, two or more utility bills in the host's name at the address, voter registration, and vehicle registration; and is re-verified at each 3-year Certificate of Compliance renewal through reinspection and updated documentation. Pre-September-2023 registered non-owner-occupied STRs receive a 5-year amortization (through approximately September 2028), after which they too must convert to primary-residence operation or cease. The ordinance is permitted under MCL 125.3204 and Heydon v. Charter Twp. of Brighton (2014); HB 4722 of 2021 (which would have preempted primary-residence requirements) never passed the Michigan Senate.

Farmington Hills Mandates Primary Residence Status for All Post-September-2023 STRs; Verified Through Michigan DL, Utilities, Voter Registration, and Re-Verified Each 3-Year Renewal

Heavy Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Looking for Oakland County county-wide rules?

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

Short-Term Rentals in Oakland County →