Oakland County, MI Ordinances (2026)

Oakland County does not issue a county-wide short-term rental (STR) permit. STR licensing is handled by the city or township under Michigan's Home Rule City Act (MCL 117.1 et seq.) and…

STRs in Oakland County must comply with the noise ordinance of the host municipality. The Ferndale STR ordinance (§7-157) requires owners to provide a written copy of the city noise…

Every STR booking of less than 30 days in Oakland County is subject to Michigan's 6% Use Tax under the Use Tax Act (MCL 205.93a). Oakland County does not impose a separate…

Oakland County STR occupancy caps are set by the host municipality. Ferndale Code §7-157 limits overnight occupancy to 'no more than two (2) adult (meaning over eighteen years of age)…

Most Oakland County municipalities require STR guest parking to fit entirely on-site or in lawful on-street spaces, with no blocking of alleys, fire lanes, or driveways. Ferndale Code…

Registration is handled at the city/township level, not by Oakland County. In Hazel Park, HPMC Ch. 5.44 requires a $500 application plus building-department inspection, capped at 30…

Backyard recreational fires are regulated municipality-by-municipality in Oakland County. State EGLE Rule R 336.1310 allows recreational fires for cooking and recreation, but Royal Oak…

Oakland County has no countywide fire pit ordinance; rules are set by each city, village, or township. State EGLE Rule R 336.1310 allows recreational fires using logs, brush, and…

Smoke alarms in Oakland County are required under Michigan state law MCL 125.1504c and the Michigan Residential Code R314. Owners of homes built before November 6, 1974 must install at…

Under the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act (MCL 28.451-28.471), consumer fireworks are legal statewide but Oakland County cities and townships may restrict use except on certain protected…

Oakland County is suburban southeast Michigan and has no countywide wildfire defensible-space brush-clearance ordinance. Vegetation control is handled under each municipality's general…

Outdoor burning in Oakland County is governed by Michigan EGLE Rule R 336.1310, which prohibits burning of garbage, plastics, rubber, treated wood, and textiles, plus most local…

Oakland County is not designated as a wildfire hazard zone. Southeast Michigan has historically low wildland fire risk due to high humidity, deciduous forest cover, and dense suburban…

All residential swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas in Oakland County must comply with the Michigan Residential Code Appendix G (AG105), which requires a 48-inch barrier with…

Fence permits are issued by each Oakland County municipality, not by the County. Most suburban cities (Troy, Farmington Hills, Royal Oak, Birmingham) require a permit for any fence…

Michigan's Partition Fence Act (MCL 43.51) makes adjoining rural landowners equally responsible for the cost of a boundary fence in unincorporated/agricultural areas, but it does not…

Oakland County has no county-wide fence height ordinance; rules are set by each city, village, or township. Suburban municipalities typically cap residential fences at six feet in…

Oakland County municipalities universally prohibit barbed wire, razor wire, and electrified fences in residential zones. Front-yard fences must commonly be 'ornamental' (wrought iron…

Adults 21+ in Oakland County may cultivate up to 12 marihuana plants per household for personal use under Michigan MCL 333.27955, provided plants are not visible from public places and…

Under MCL 333.27956, each Oakland County municipality decides whether to allow or prohibit recreational marihuana retailers (dispensaries) within its borders. The majority of Oakland…

Oakland County Health Division enforces Michigan's public swimming pool safety rules at over 900 pools and spas annually. Rules cover water quality, disinfection, lifeguarding, depth…

Oakland County does not issue residential swimming pool permits directly. Public pools must be reviewed and permitted by EGLE under MCL 333.12522, while residential pools require a…

Above-ground pools in Oakland County are regulated as residential pools under Michigan Residential Code Appendix G. A pool with walls at least 48 inches above grade can use the pool…

Residential hot tubs and spas in Oakland County must either be enclosed by a 48-inch barrier or fitted with a listed safety cover meeting ASTM F1346 under Michigan Residential Code…

Michigan law requires swimming pools to be completely enclosed by a fence or barrier at least 48 inches (4 ft) high, with self-closing and self-latching gates. For public pools, R…

No Oakland County municipality has adopted an express tiny-home ordinance. Tiny houses on permanent foundations must meet the Michigan Residential Code (MRC) and the host city's…

Michigan has no statewide accessory dwelling unit (ADU) law, and Oakland County does not regulate residential zoning — each city, village, and township sets its own ADU rules under the…

Converting a garage to living space in Oakland County requires (a) a zoning determination that the conversion is permitted in the district, (b) a building permit reviewed against the…

Michigan's Residential Code (adopted statewide) requires a building permit for any detached accessory structure larger than 200 square feet. Sheds 200 sq ft or smaller are exempt from…

Oakland County does not directly regulate backyard chickens or livestock at the county level. Each of the 62 cities, villages, and townships sets its own rules under their local zoning…

Oakland County is in Michigan's Lower Peninsula, where the Michigan Natural Resources Commission's Wildlife Conservation Order bans baiting and feeding of deer and elk year-round (in…

Under the Michigan Dog Law (MCL 287.262), enforced county-wide by Oakland County Animal Control, no dog may stray from the owner's premises unless held properly in a leash. Most…

Oakland County does not regulate beekeeping. Michigan's Apiary Law (MCL 286.501 et seq., Act 412 of 1976) governs the state, with no apiary registration required and no statewide…

Oakland County does not ban any dog breed. Dangerous-dog determinations are made under MCL 287.321 et seq. based on individual behavior — biting a person or attacking another dog — not…

Michigan's Large Carnivore Act (MCL 287.1101 et seq.) bans private ownership of lions, tigers, cougars, leopards, cheetahs, panthers, jaguars, and bears statewide — directly…

Oakland County does not zone livestock at the county level — each township or city controls horses, cattle, goats, pigs, and sheep through its zoning code. The county does enforce the…

Grading and on-site drainage in Oakland County are governed under three overlapping authorities: (1) Part 91 SESC for earth changes; (2) the Oakland County Stormwater Engineering…

The Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner (WRC) adopted new countywide Stormwater Engineering Design Standards effective May 31, 2021. They apply to any development of 1 acre or…

Oakland County communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and enforce local floodplain ordinances mapped against FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). In…

Oakland County contains hundreds of inland lakes (Cass Lake, Orchard Lake, Lake Orion, Union Lake, Walled Lake, and others). Seasonal single-family docks placed by a riparian property…

Any earth change of 1 acre or more, or any earth change within 500 feet of a lake, stream, wetland, or county drain in Oakland County, requires a Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control…

Political yard signs in Oakland County are regulated jointly by the host municipality and the state. MDOT prohibits political signs within state highway right-of-way (I-75, I-696, M-1…

Holiday displays and seasonal signs (Christmas lights, Halloween yard décor, inflatables, Fourth of July banners) are regulated as 'temporary signs' by Oakland County municipalities…

Garage sale and yard sale signs in Oakland County are regulated as 'temporary signs' by each city. Troy Sign Code §85.03.02 treats garage sale signs identically to political, holiday…

Oakland County has no countywide refuse-container ordinance — rules are set by each of its 62 cities, villages, and townships. Across the largest jurisdictions the pattern is…

Oakland County itself does not enforce a countywide blight ordinance — that authority sits with its 62 cities, villages, and charter townships. Most large Oakland County jurisdictions…

Vacant land and vacant structures in Oakland County are regulated at the city or township level, not by the county. The dominant pattern: vacant lots must be mowed (grass typically…

Garage-sale rules in Oakland County are set by each city or township, and the pattern varies sharply. Royal Oak requires no permit but bans sign placement in the right-of-way and on…

Michigan state law (MCL 67.9) authorizes — but does not by itself require — cities to make adjacent property owners clear sidewalks. Each Oakland County municipality decides whether…

Light trespass — illumination crossing a property line and falling on a neighbor's land — is regulated at the city/township level in Oakland County. Farmington Hills bans light…

Oakland County has no countywide dark-sky ordinance, but most of its suburbs regulate outdoor lighting through their zoning or nuisance codes. Farmington Hills (Chapter 17, Section…

Recreational drone use in Oakland County is governed by federal law (49 USC 44809 and FAA Part 107 where applicable). Michigan state law (MCL 259.305) preempts every Oakland County…

Commercial drone work in Oakland County — real estate photography in Bloomfield Hills, roof inspections in Troy, construction progress shoots in Auburn Hills, wedding video in…

Oakland County has no county-wide just-cause eviction ordinance. Landlord-tenant disputes in Royal Oak, Troy, Farmington Hills, Southfield, Pontiac, and every other Oakland County…

Oakland County has no rent control or rent stabilization. Michigan law (MCL 123.411) explicitly bars every county, city, township, and village in the state from enacting or enforcing…

Oakland County itself does not operate a county-wide rental registration program. Rental registration is set by each city, village, or township and the rules and fees vary widely…

Michigan state law sets a baseline juvenile curfew that applies countywide in Oakland County. Under MCL 722.751, no child under 12 may loiter, idle, or congregate on any public street…

Oakland County Parks and Recreation operates 14 parks under Michigan's County and Regional Parks Act (Public Act 261 of 1965, MCL 46.351–46.367). The Parks Commission sets posted…

Building height limits in Oakland County are set by each municipality, not the county. In Royal Oak's One-Family Residential district (§ 770-34), no principal building may exceed 30 ft…

Oakland County itself does not regulate building setbacks — the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (MCL 125.3101 et seq.) delegates all front, side, and rear yard requirements to the…

Lot coverage — the percentage of a lot that may be covered by buildings and impervious surface — is regulated by each Oakland County municipality, not the county. Typical single-family…

Oakland County itself has no countywide door-to-door solicitor permit ordinance. Permits are issued at the city, village, or township level — and every Oakland County municipality…

Oakland County itself does not operate a countywide no-knock list, but several of its largest municipalities — including Royal Oak, Bloomfield Township, Madison Heights, Troy, and…

Oakland County's cities and townships set their own garage sale hours. The City of Oak Park is the clearest example: under Chapter 22, Article IX, no garage sale may be conducted…

Oakland County does not require a countywide garage sale permit, but many of its cities and townships do. The City of Oak Park (Chapter 22, Article IX) requires a permit from the City…

Most Oakland County communities cap the number of garage sales each household may hold per year. The City of Oak Park (Chapter 22, Article IX) allows no more than two garage sales per…

Heritage / landmark tree designations in Oakland County exist only at the municipal level. Bloomfield Township defines a Landmark Tree as any tree 24 inches DBH or greater, plus any…

Tree replacement after permitted removal is regulated by individual Oakland County municipalities. In Charter Township of Oakland (Ch. 389), replacement is on a total-caliper basis…

Oakland County does not issue a county-wide tree-removal permit for private property. Tree-removal regulation is delegated to each of the 62 cities, villages, and townships under the…

Oakland County does not have a unified countywide tree ordinance for private property. Tree-protection authority rests with the 62 cities, villages, and townships. Major Oakland County…

Architectural review in Oakland County HOAs (Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Northville, Novi, Rochester Hills, etc.) is driven by the association's recorded declaration of CC&Rs and any…

CC&Rs in Oakland County subdivisions and condominium projects (recorded at the Oakland County Register of Deeds, 1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Pontiac) run with the land and bind successive…

Oakland County has no county-level HOA code. Homeowners associations in Royal Oak, Troy, Farmington Hills, Rochester Hills, Novi, West Bloomfield, and other Oakland County communities…

HOA and condo assessments in Oakland County are levied under the association's bylaws and (for condos) the Michigan Condominium Act. Unpaid assessments — together with interest, late…

Oakland County HOA and condo disputes are resolved in the 6th Judicial Circuit Court (Oakland County Circuit Court, Pontiac) for amounts above the small-claims and district-court…

Oakland County does not issue film-location permits for private property or for cities/townships. Location permits are issued by the host municipality, by Oakland County Parks (for…

Street closures for film production in Oakland County are coordinated through three jurisdictions: the city or township for local streets (e.g., Royal Oak Ch. 312 special-event…

Film productions in Oakland County must comply with the host municipality's noise ordinance — there is no countywide noise standard. Charter Township of Oakland (Ch. 274) prohibits any…

Oakland County, Michigan does not require seismic foundation anchoring (bolting sill plates to foundations) for existing dwellings. New construction follows the Michigan Residential…

Oakland County, Michigan does not have a soft-story seismic retrofit ordinance. Michigan is in a low seismic-hazard zone and the Michigan Building Code (based on the 2015 IBC, MCL…

Oakland County, Michigan has no Unreinforced Masonry (URM) retrofit program. URM ordinances are found in high-seismic jurisdictions (Los Angeles Ordinance 183893, Long Beach, Berkeley…

Oakland County, Michigan has no hurricane-shutter or impact-glazing ordinance. Hurricanes do not make landfall in the Great Lakes region, and the Michigan Building Code's wind-design…

Oakland County has no hurricane-specific debris-management ordinance because the region experiences no hurricanes. Post-storm cleanup (severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, ice storms) is…

Oakland County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). New construction within FEMA-mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) — primarily along the Clinton River…

Oakland County, Michigan has no hurricane-rated roof tie-down or uplift ordinance. The Michigan Residential Code's roof connection and fastening requirements (IRC Chapter 8) address…

Where vendors may legally set up in Oakland County is set by each municipality's zoning ordinance, not by the county. Most Oakland County cities limit street vending to commercial…

Oakland County does not issue a county-wide street vendor or peddler permit. Vendor licensing is handled by each of the county's 62 cities, villages, and townships under Michigan's…

Mobile food carts, trucks, and trailers operating in Oakland County must be licensed as Mobile Food Establishments (MFEs) or Special Transitory Food Units (STFUs) by the Oakland County…

The Oakland County Health Division (OCHD) inspects food service establishments under the Michigan Modified Food Law (MCL 289.1101 et seq.) and the FDA Food Code as adopted by Michigan…

Oakland County, Michigan does not enforce a single county-wide noise ordinance. Quiet hours are set by each of the county's 61 cities, villages, and townships. Common nighttime windows…

Outdoor music in Oakland County is regulated municipally. Public events, parades, and concerts are typically exempt or permit-driven. Pontiac (Ch. 58-IV) exempts publicly sponsored or…

Construction-noise hours are set by each Oakland County municipality, not the county. Common windows: Charter Township of Oakland (Ch. 274) allows construction only between 7:00 a.m…

Oakland County Animal Control does not respond to barking-dog complaints. Barking is enforced by each municipality's police department under its local noise/nuisance ordinance. Charter…

Amplified music in Oakland County is governed by each municipality. Charter Township of Oakland (Ch. 274) bans speakers and sound amplifiers loud enough to be heard 50 feet beyond the…

Oakland County has no county-wide leaf-blower ordinance. Birmingham (an Oakland County city) adopted a resolution on September 11, 2023 to phase out two-stroke gas-powered leaf blowers…

Oakland County does not set a county-wide dBA limit. Royal Oak Zoning §770-94 caps noise at 75 dBA between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. and 60 dBA between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m…

There is no Oakland County-wide tree-removal ordinance. Tree-protection rules are set by individual municipalities. Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, West Bloomfield, Birmingham…

Rainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged in Oakland County. The Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner's RainSmart Rebates program pays homeowners in southeast Oakland County…

Tree trimming on private property is regulated by individual Oakland County municipalities; there is no county-wide private-property trimming ordinance. Trimming within a county road…

Michigan and Oakland County do not impose mandatory year-round outdoor watering restrictions. However, individual water systems (most served by Great Lakes Water Authority through…

Noxious weed control in Oakland County is governed by Michigan's Noxious Weeds Act (Act 359 of 1941, MCL 247.61-247.72). Each city, village, and township appoints a Commissioner of…

Oakland County does not maintain a county-wide grass-height ordinance. Each of the 62 cities, villages, and townships (Royal Oak, Troy, Farmington Hills, Pontiac, Southfield…

Oakland County has no county-wide ordinance specifically governing artificial turf. Installation is regulated through individual municipal zoning codes, which typically address it…

Oakland County actively promotes native Michigan plants through the RainSmart Rebates program. Qualifying rain gardens must be at least 75 square feet and consist of at least 75%…

Oakland County has no countywide commercial-vehicle parking rule. Each municipality sets its own. The common Oakland pattern is strict: only one commercial vehicle (typically a pickup…

Oakland County, MI has no countywide RV or boat parking ordinance. Under the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (MCL 125.3101 et seq.), each of Oakland's 62 cities, villages, and townships…

Oakland County has no county-level street parking ordinance. State law MCL 257.674 (Michigan Vehicle Code) sets baseline prohibitions on all Oakland streets: no parking within 15 feet…

Abandoned vehicles in Oakland County are processed under Michigan statute MCL 257.252a. A vehicle is abandoned after 48 hours on public property (18 hours on a state trunkline if…

Oakland County has no countywide driveway ordinance. Each Oakland municipality sets driveway-paving and front-yard parking rules in its zoning code. The common Oakland pattern…

Oakland County has no countywide overnight parking rule. Each of the 62 municipalities sets its own. Common Oakland pattern: residential streets allow overnight parking unless posted…

Oakland County has no countywide EV charging ordinance. Michigan PA 235 of 2023 created statewide EV charging signage and parking standards. Farmington Hills Code Sec. 30-793 (Article…

Most Oakland County municipalities sharply restrict or completely prohibit exterior signage for home occupations. Bloomfield Township flatly bans 'signage, advertising device or other…

Michigan law (MCL 125.3206) requires every Oakland County township and county zoning ordinance to treat a state-licensed family child care home (1-6 children) as a permitted…

Oakland County does not directly regulate zoning for cities, villages, or townships. Each of the 62 Oakland County municipalities (Royal Oak, Troy, Farmington Hills, Pontiac…

Each Oakland County municipality sets its own home occupation permit requirements. Some (Bloomfield Township) allow home occupations as-of-right if rigorous standards are met; others…

Oakland County home bakers, jam makers, and other cottage food operators are governed by Michigan's Cottage Food Law (MCL 289.4102), administered by MDARD. Sales are capped at…

Residential rooftop solar in Oakland County is permitted at the city/township level under each jurisdiction's zoning ordinance plus state building code. A building permit (electrical…

Effective April 1, 2025, Michigan's Homeowners' Energy Policy Act (2024 PA 68, codified at MCL 559.301 et seq.) forbids Oakland County HOAs and condominium associations from banning…

Oakland County does not run countywide trash collection. Refuse service is provided by each of the 62 cities, villages, and townships either directly or through one of two regional…

SOCRRA and RRRASOC member communities accept bulk items (furniture, appliances, carpet) at the curb on regular collection days. SOCRRA rules: carpet must be cut into 4-foot lengths and…

Oakland County does not set bin placement rules. Most municipalities require carts to be set within 3 feet of the curb on collection day and removed within 12-24 hours after pickup…

Oakland County does not mandate recycling countywide, but participating communities provide curbside recycling through SOCRRA, RRRASOC, or a private hauler. SOCRRA accepts plastics…

Mobile food vendors operating anywhere in Oakland County must hold a Michigan Food Law license issued by the Oakland County Health Division (OCHD) - either a Mobile Food Establishment…

Oakland County does not designate vending zones - each of the 62 Oakland municipalities sets its own. Most Oakland cities (Royal Oak, Birmingham, Troy, Ferndale, Pontiac, Auburn Hills)…