Grand Rapids restricts most short-term rentals to a host's primary residence inside residential zones, with stricter limits in single-family districts. Michigan PA 2024-12 partially preempts local STR rules but preserves city authority over zoning, residency, and rental registration in most cases.
Under the Grand Rapids zoning ordinance, whole-home short-term rentals in low-density residential zones generally must be the operator's primary residence, defined as where the host lives most of the year. Non-primary STRs are typically limited to mixed-use, commercial, or specific overlay districts. Michigan Public Act 2024-12 partially preempted local STR regulation but expressly preserved municipal authority over zoning classifications, residency requirements, and registration where consistently applied. Operators must hold an active rental certificate before listing.
Operating a non-primary whole-home STR in a single-family zone can trigger zoning citations starting around 200 dollars per day, plus orders to cease listings on Airbnb or Vrbo until compliance is restored.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids is not a designated wildland-urban interface community, but Michigan DNR burn permits and city outdoor burning rules still control vegetation fi...
Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids follows the International Fire Code as adopted by Michigan, capping residential propane storage and requiring outdoor placement away from igniti...
Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids has no municipal ordinance regulating residential lawn ornaments (statues, garden gnomes, pink flamingos, religious displays, flagpoles, decorat...
Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids has no ordinance specifically regulating residential inflatable holiday decorations (lawn inflatables, blow-up Santas, animated displays). Const...
Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids has no municipal ordinance setting a calendar window for displaying holiday lights, no rule prohibiting year-round residential lighting, and no ...
Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids does not have a dedicated 'outdoor kitchen' permit category. Permanent outdoor kitchens with structural elements (built-in grill enclosures, mas...
See how Grand Rapids's primary-residence-only rule rules stack up against other locations.
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