Dearborn, MI Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Owner-occupied types
- homestay and off-site only
- Sworn statement required
- principal residence for certificate duration
- Non-owner-occupied STR
- separately certified, no residency oath
- Certificate term
- 3 years (§ 11-315)
- First-offense fine
- at least $500
- Revocation trigger
- 3 incidents within 12 months
- Effective date
- January 1, 2026
Summary
Dearborn licenses three short-term rental types, and only two require owner-occupancy: an owner-occupied homestay or off-site applicant must swear under § 11-314(b)(6) that the unit is and will remain their principal residence, while a separately certified non-owner-occupied STR carries no such residency requirement.
(6) For owner-occupied STRs (homestay or off-site), the owner shall submit a sworn statement affirming that the dwelling or dwelling unit being used as an STR is and will remain the applicant's principal residence for the duration of the certificate. ... Principal residence (owner-occupied) means the one dwelling or dwelling unit where an owner of the property, has their true, fixed, and permanent home to which, whenever absent, they intend to return and that shall continue as a principal residence until another principal residence is established.
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 short-term rental division, adopted by Ord. No. 25-1847 and effective January 1, 2026, defines three permitted STR types in § 11-313: non-owner-occupied, owner-occupied homestay (an owner lives on-site throughout the guest's stay), and owner-occupied off-site (the owner holds the unit as a principal residence but is absent during the stay). " Section 11-313 defines that standard as the one dwelling where the owner has their "true, fixed, and permanent home" and intends to return whenever absent. A non-owner-occupied STR skips this sworn statement but still needs its own certificate from the Department of Economic Development, which reviews all 16 application items, inspects the property, and issues a certificate valid for three years under § 11-315; the certificate ends automatically if the property is sold.
Owners must report any change to the information on file, including a change of local agent, within 14 calendar days under § 11-314(f). Falsifying the principal-residence statement or letting a homestay/off-site unit stop functioning as the owner's actual home exposes the certificate to revocation once three separate violation incidents occur within a 12-month period under § 11-324, with an appeal available to the building board of appeals under § 11-325.
Violations & Fines
A false principal-residence statement, or any other violation of Division 1, is a civil infraction under § 11-322: a fine of at least $500 for a first offense, at least $750 for a first repeat within 12 months, and at least $1,000 for a second or later repeat, all plus costs. Three proven incidents in 12 months can trigger certificate revocation under § 11-324.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Dearborn require every short-term rental to be the owner's primary residence?
What counts as a "principal residence" under Dearborn's STR ordinance?
What happens if an owner falsely claims a Dearborn STR as a principal residence?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dearborn
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