City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Mackinac Island, MI
How Mackinac Island regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Rules here limit which homes may operate as short-term rentals, how many, where, or for how many nights a year.
- Zoning defines any transient lodging for a rental period of less than 30 continuous days as a 'hotel usage'
- Hotels are NOT a permitted use (by-right or special) in any residential district (R-1, R-3, R-4, RS) — permitted only in HB, C, and MD districts
- Effect: whole-home short-term rental (<30 days) is foreclosed across all residential zones island-wide; long-term (30+ day) rental of a dwelling remains permitted
- Car-free island with ~500 year-round residents; most developed land is residential or State Park
- Separate general rental-housing license (Ch. 10, Art. III) applies to ALL rentals for life-safety inspection; not the supply driver
- Draft zoning amendments (not yet enacted) would add parallel language to the dwelling-unit definition making the STR-as-hotel bar even more explicit
Based on: Zoning Ordinance, Ord. No. 479 (eff. Nov. 12, 2013), amended through Ord. No. 589 (eff. Mar. 10, 2021); Art. 2 §2.45
Summary of the rule
Art. 3 District Use Table: 'Hotels' are Permitted (P) only in the HB, C, and MD districts; no entry (neither P nor SLU) for the R-1, R-3, R-4, or RS residential districts. Bed and breakfasts are the only transient-lodging use allowed in residential districts (SLU in R-3/R-4/MD, P in HB/C).
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 15, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Mackinac Island · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
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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.