Primary-Residence-Only Rule
Kent County imposes no primary-residence rule for STRs. Some cities do. Grand Rapids allows short-term rentals only as owner-occupied home occupations, effectively requiring the host to live in the home being rented.
10 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Kent County, Michigan.
Verified from official government sources
Kent County issues no short-term-rental permit itself. Under Michigan's Zoning Enabling Act, zoning and STR permitting sit with your city or township. Grand Rapids, for example, requires a Home Occupation Class C license before you may host overnight guests.
Kent County has no STR-specific noise rule. Guests must follow the local noise ordinance of the city or township, which typically enforces nighttime quiet hours. Complaints go to municipal police, not the county.
Kent County levies an 8% lodging (hotel/motel) excise tax, effective January 1, 2025, on anyone providing accommodations to transient guests, short-term rentals included. Stays of 30 or more consecutive days are exempt. This is on top of Michigan's 6% use tax.
Kent County Lodging Excise Tax (Public Act 263 of 1974)
All persons engaged in the business of providing accommodations for dwelling, sleeping or lodging for transient guest. Current rate is 8%, effective January 1, 2025. Any guest that stays 30+ consecutive days is considered tax exempt.
Kent County imposes no short-term-rental parking rule. Off-street parking standards are set by each city's zoning ordinance. Grand Rapids reviews parking as part of its Home Occupation Class C / special land use process for STRs.
Kent County sets no STR occupancy cap. Cities do it through zoning and property-maintenance codes. Grand Rapids limits its Home Occupation Class C short-term rentals to a single household's home with guest rooms rather than a full multi-unit operation.
Kent County does not require short-term-rental hosts to carry specific insurance. Some cities require proof of liability coverage as a license condition, and platforms like Airbnb provide their own host protection. Standard homeowner policies often exclude commercial rental use.
Kent County sets no annual limit on the number of nights a property may be rented short-term. Any night cap comes from the city or township. Michigan's state use tax and the county lodging tax apply from the first taxable night.
Kent County keeps no STR registry. Cities do. Kentwood, for instance, requires every rental dwelling to be entered in its rental registry and hold a Certificate of Compliance before it may be occupied.
Kentwood Code Sec. 74-74(c)(1)
All rental dwellings and rental units shall be registered under this article prior to use or occupancy as a rental dwelling or rental unit.
Kent County requires no host presence at short-term rentals. Cities decide. Grand Rapids' home-occupation framework ties the rental to an occupied residence, while ordinances like Kentwood's require a local agent when the owner lives out of the area.
Kentwood Code Sec. 74-74(a)(5)
A local agent is required for every rental unit where an owner does not reside in Kent County or any adjoining county.
Kent County imposes no primary-residence rule for STRs. Some cities do. Grand Rapids allows short-term rentals only as owner-occupied home occupations, effectively requiring the host to live in the home being rented.
2 cities in Kent County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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