Short-term rental permit rules in Flint, MI — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Flint adopted a short-term rental ordinance in 2017 (Ordinance No. 4063, amending Title XV of the Flint Code of Ordinances) that requires hosts renting a dwelling for periods of less than 30 days to register the unit, obtain a city business license, and comply with rental certification under Michigan's Housing Law. Hosts must also collect the Michigan 6% Use Tax on transient accommodations (MCL 205.93a) and the Genesee County accommodations excise tax authorized under MCL 141.861 et seq. Statewide STR preemption proposed in Michigan HB 4722 (2024) remains pending.
Flint's regulation of short-term rentals operates at three legal layers. (1) Local: Flint Ordinance No. 4063, adopted by the City Council in 2017, brought transient rentals under the city's general rental certification framework codified in the Flint Code of Ordinances (hosted on Municode at library.municode.com/mi/flint). Operators must register the dwelling with the City, complete a rental inspection, and obtain a Certificate of Compliance before listing. (2) State: Michigan Public Act 247 of 2014 (MCL 125.526) authorizes Michigan cities to require registration and inspection of rental dwellings, and the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act (MCL 125.3101 et seq.) controls whether STR is a permitted use in a given zoning district. Michigan HB 4722 (2024) - a proposed statewide STR preemption that would have classified short-term rentals as residential use by right - did not pass as of session adjournment and would not retroactively void Flint's 2017 ordinance even if enacted. Hosts should confirm current status through the Michigan Legislature website. (3) Tax: every stay of less than 30 days is subject to Michigan's 6% Use Tax on accommodations under MCL 205.93a (administered by the Michigan Department of Treasury) and Genesee County's accommodations excise tax authorized by the Hotel-Motel Tax Act, MCL 141.861 et seq. (currently 5% in Genesee County, administered by the County Treasurer). Hosts must also hold a Flint business license from the City Clerk's office and comply with the underlying zoning district's permitted-use schedule.
Operating a short-term rental without rental certification is a violation of the Flint Code of Ordinances enforceable by Flint Code Enforcement, with civil-infraction citations issued through the 68th District Court. Failure to register can also bar the owner from exercising eviction rights under MCL 125.530 (Michigan Housing Law) for any tenancy at the unit. Failure to collect the Michigan 6% Use Tax can trigger Department of Treasury assessment plus penalty under MCL 205.23.
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