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Dearborn, MI Short-Term Rentals: Host Presence Rule (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Homestay rule
Owner must stay on-site
Off-site rule
Owner may be absent
Local agent
Owner is agent for homestay
Effective date
January 1, 2026

Summary

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.

(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 stay.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-07: Code: Updated through: July 22, 2026 | Zoning: Updated through: July 22, 2026).

Full Breakdown

Dearborn's 2025 short-term rental ordinance (Ord. No. 25-1847, effective January 1, 2026) splits owner-occupied rentals into two types under Sec. 11-313: an 'owner-occupied homestay,' where at least one owner lives in the unit throughout the guest's stay, and an 'owner-occupied off-site' rental, where the owner is absent. For a homestay, the code requires the property owner personally to serve as the STR's local agent and remain on-site for the entire visit, a physical host-presence rule that off-site and non-owner-occupied rentals don't carry. The Department of Economic Development enforces the division.

Violations & Fines

Operating outside a certificate's homestay/off-site terms is a civil infraction under Sec. 11-322: minimum $500 fine, $750 for a first repeat, $1,000 for later repeats within 12 months, plus revocation after three violations in a year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a Dearborn STR host have to be home during the rental?
Only for an owner-occupied homestay. Sec. 11-313 requires the owner to act as local agent and stay on-site the whole visit. An owner-occupied off-site rental doesn't require the owner present.
What if I rent my house while I'm on vacation?
That's an owner-occupied off-site STR under Sec. 11-313: allowed, but you still need a designated local agent living within 20 miles under Sec. 11-316.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Dearborn

Noise Ordinances: Quiet HoursSome RestrictionsShort-Term Rental PermitsSignificant RestrictionsPrimary-Residence-Only RuleSome RestrictionsTaxes & FeesSome RestrictionsNoise RulesSome RestrictionsOccupancy LimitsSome RestrictionsRepeat Violator StrikesSignificant RestrictionsInsurance RequirementsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Decibel LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Towing & Impound RightsSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Preferential Parking DistrictsSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Curb Color RulesSome Restrictions

All Dearborn rules

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