Lansing, MI Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

The City of Lansing regulates short-term rentals primarily through its general rental registration system rather than a stand-alone STR occupancy ordinance. Non-owner-occupied dwellings used as STRs must register with the Office of Code Compliance under Part 14 Title 6 Chapter 1460 (Premises Maintenance Code) of the Codified Ordinances. The registration application requires the operator to declare the number of bedrooms and the maximum guest occupancy and to certify that life-safety requirements are met. Lansing's Zoning Administrator (Department of Economic Development and Planning, 517-483-4085) confirms that the occupancy ceiling for any individual property is governed by the zoning district where the unit sits and by the Codified Ordinances' definition of family and household. Owner-occupied single-family homes are not required to register as rentals. Beyond the local declared maximum, hosts must also satisfy Michigan Building Code Chapter 12 minimum room dimensions and the International Property Maintenance Code sleeping-room area thresholds adopted into Chapter 1460. Listings on Airbnb, Vrbo, or similar platforms remain subject to the 6 percent Michigan Use Tax on stays under 30 days regardless of the local cap.