Kent County, MI Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Kent County, MI, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- County registry
- None
- Kentwood governing chapter
- Chapter 74, Article 3
- Kentwood requires
- Registry + Certificate of Compliance
- Registry data
- Owner name, address, phone, email
- Local agent
- Required if owner is out-of-area
Summary
Kent County keeps no STR registry. Cities do. Kentwood, for instance, requires every rental dwelling to be entered in its rental registry and hold a Certificate of Compliance before it may be occupied.
All rental dwellings and rental units shall be registered under this article prior to use or occupancy as a rental dwelling or rental unit.
Full Breakdown
There is no countywide short-term-rental registry in Kent County; registration is a municipal function. Kentwood's ordinance is representative: under Chapter 74, owners must register the property, provide owner and agent contact details, and obtain a Certificate of Compliance following inspection before letting it for occupancy. Grand Rapids similarly requires rental registration plus its Home Occupation license and a floor plan on file. Details, fees, and inspection cycles differ by city, so register with the municipality where the property is located rather than expecting a single county process.
Violations & Fines
Kentwood: 'It is a violation of this article for an owner to fail to provide information required by the city for the rental registry, or to provide inaccurate information.'
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there one Kent County STR registry?
What must a Kentwood registration include?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kent County
How Kent County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Compare Kent County to another location·View the Michigan short-term rentals overview
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