Dearborn, MI Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- First occupant
- 250 sq ft minimum
- Each added occupant
- +100 sq ft
- Shared sleeping room
- 50 sq ft/occupant
- Fixed STR headcount number
- none set
Summary
Dearborn sets no single headcount cap for short-term rentals. Sec. 11-317(h) instead ties STR occupancy to the city's existing dwelling-unit, zoning, and Michigan Building Code standards, including the floor-space formula already in the property maintenance code.
(h) Maximum occupancy. The number of occupants in a STR shall comply with applicable requirements under the law, including but not limited to the city's Code of Ordinances, the city's Zoning Ordinance, and the Michigan Building 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
Section 11-317(h) requires STR occupancy to comply with 'applicable requirements under the law,' pointing to the Code of Ordinances, Zoning Ordinance, and Michigan Building Code rather than stating one fixed number. The Code's general dwelling-unit standard at Sec. 11-137 requires at least 250 square feet of floor space for the first occupant and 100 additional square feet per additional occupant, while Sec. 11-138 caps sleeping rooms at 100 square feet for one occupant or 50 square feet per occupant when shared by more than one person: the same formula that governs STR units under the Sec. 11-317(h) cross-reference.
Violations & Fines
Housing more occupants than the applicable floor-space and code standards allow is a division violation: a minimum $500 civil fine, rising with repeat offenses, and grounds for certificate action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a maximum number of guests allowed at a Dearborn Airbnb?
How is STR occupancy calculated in Dearborn?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dearborn
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