South Haven, MI short-term rental license
South Haven set May 1, 2026 as the latest expiry date for registrations under its former Article X. Every short-term rental in the city now needs a license under Article V of Chapter 14.[5]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 2, 2026.
Can you rent short term in South Haven?
Get a license first
What you apply for: Short-term rental license, Class I or Class II
- Seasonal homes
- 1,136
- Housing units
- 3,562
- Residents
- 3,998
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates
- City ruleLicense required
- City feeNone published
- Tax on each stay6%
- Seasonal homes319 per 1,000
South Haven short-term rental license
South Haven sorts short-term rentals into two license classes. A Class I license allows unlimited renting, with no more than 2 rental stays in any 7-day period. It requires proof of $1,000,000 in liability insurance with the application. A Class II license allows 6 rental terms or 28 days of rental per calendar year. Class II hosts send their rental dates to the program coordinator before guests arrive.[5]
What South Haven asks of you
Short-term rental licenses fall under Article V of Chapter 14 of the city code. The city set May 1, 2026 as the latest expiry date for units registered under the former Article X.[5]
An owner submits a zoning compliance application and a licensing application, each with its own fee.[5]
Class I, formerly called Business, allows unlimited renting, with no more than 2 rental stays per 7-day period.[5]
A Class I applicant proves $1,000,000 in liability insurance at the time of application.[5]
Class II, formerly called Personal, allows 6 rental terms or 28 days of rental per calendar year.[5]
A Class II host gives the rental dates to the short-term rental program coordinator before guests arrive.[5]
For the 2026 season, City Council let staff issue conditional licenses starting March 27, 2026, to clear a backlog of zoning reviews.[5]
The city's short-term rental complaint hotline, (269) 743-1574, is answered 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.[5]
What Michigan asks wherever you host
These rules apply at this address whatever the city decides.
Michigan levies a 6% use tax on rooms or lodging offered to the public. A stay of more than one month by the same tenant owes none.[1]
Treasury's guidance puts private homeowners renting a house or a room under that tax, like hotels. A host who owes it registers with the Department of Treasury.[2]
Lodging furnished by a host already registered for use tax falls outside Michigan's definition of a marketplace facilitator sale.[3]
Renting the whole home for most of the year ends its principal residence status for property tax. Renting bedrooms while living in over half the home does not.[4]
What a guest pays on top of your nightly rate in South Haven
Each layer is set by a different authority, and not all of them are collected by the platform.
| Layer | Rate | Remitted to |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan state use tax[1] | 6% | The state revenue department |
| Total on a taxable stay | 6% |
What the census counts
How much of South Haven is already a second home
The Census Bureau counts 1,136 of South Haven's 3,562 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 319 out of every 1,000. It ranks South Haven 3rd of the 5 Michigan cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.
- Rank in the state
- 3rd of 5
- Share of housing
- 319 per 1,000
- Median home value
- $454,100
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.
Nearby and comparable
Where South Haven sits among its neighbors
Douglas, MI
Registration required
558 seasonal homes, 432 per 1,000 housing units.
Douglas short-term rental rulesAnn Arbor, MI
License required
425 seasonal homes, 8 per 1,000 housing units.
Ann Arbor short-term rental rulesTraverse City, MI
Allowed by zone
604 seasonal homes, 71 per 1,000 housing units.
Traverse City short-term rental rulesNew Buffalo, MI
Allowed by zone
747 seasonal homes, 446 per 1,000 housing units.
New Buffalo short-term rental rulesFAQ
South Haven short-term rental questions
What is the difference between South Haven's Class I and Class II licenses?
Is my old South Haven rental registration still valid?
What insurance does a South Haven short-term rental need?
Sources
- Use Tax, Michigan Department of Treasury, read on October 2, 2026
- Treasury Update, Volume 1, Issue 2, February 2016, sharing economy and use tax on accommodations, Michigan Department of Treasury, read on October 2, 2026
- Marketplace Facilitator & Marketplace Seller FAQs, Michigan Department of Treasury, read on October 2, 2026
- Partial Principal Residence Exemption, Michigan Department of Treasury, read on October 2, 2026
- Short-Term Rental Registration, City of South Haven, Building Services, read on October 2, 2026
This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on October 2, 2026. Rules can change after that date, so check with the issuing office before you apply or publish a listing.
Before you list
Free tools for new hosts
Short-term rental agreement generator
Parties, dates, rent, deposit checked against your state's cap, and the house rules clauses you enforce. A signed-ready PDF for direct and Vrbo bookings.
Airbnb host fee calculator
What Airbnb takes on a booking under the 15.5% host-only fee or the old split fee, what the guest pays on top, and the payout that reaches you.
Airbnb house rules
Generate a complete PDF house rules document for your property: rules, schedule, amenities, emergency contacts.
Check-in instructions
The message a guest reads before getting in: access, keys, WiFi, parking, contact. English or bilingual output.