City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Detroit, MI
How Detroit regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Short-term rentals here are subject to registration, a lodging tax, or a small number of operating rules.
- General rental property registration and Certificate of Compliance applies to all non-owner-occupied rentals
- No STR-specific ordinance, permit, cap or residency rule in the city code
- No short-term rental use classification in the zoning ordinance
- No city-levied lodging tax on stays
Based on: 2019 Detroit City Code Ch. 8, Art. XV, Div. 3 (Sec. 8-15-81 registration; Sec. 8-15-82 Certificate of Compliance)
Summary of the rule
The owners or agents of rental property shall register all such dwellings with the Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department and obtain a Certificate of Registration of Rental Property as provided for in this section.
Last reviewed Oct 22, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Detroit · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
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City Watch tracks changes from public sources — council agendas, state bills, local news — not a complete legal compendium.
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City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.