Flint, MI Home Business: Zoning Restrictions (2026)

Michigan law treats home occupations as a zoning matter under the Zoning Enabling Act; MCL 125.3201 authorizes Flint to designate uses permitted by right, by special land use, or by conditional use in each district. A common two-tier framework reflected in the Flint Chapter 50 form-based code distinguishes (1) customary or minor home occupations, permitted by right or by zoning compliance review with limits on floor area (commonly 25 percent of the dwelling), no non-resident employees, no external changes, limited customer traffic, and no outdoor storage; and (2) major home occupations requiring special land use approval from the Flint Planning Commission under MCL 125.3502 with notice to neighbors under MCL 125.3103 and findings on compatibility, hours of operation, off-street parking, and signage. Unlike Pennsylvania, Michigan has no state-mandated no-impact home business floor, so Flint's standards apply in full. Businesses also must comply with the Flint Income Tax Ordinance (Flint imposes a city income tax of 1 percent for residents and 0.5 percent for non-residents under the City Income Tax Act, MCL 141.501 et seq.), any state professional licensing through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, and the Michigan Cottage Food Law (PA 113 of 2010, MCL 289.1101 et seq.) for direct sale of non-potentially-hazardous foods up to $25,000 in annual gross sales.