Michigan rules, A to Z
Every rule on the site in one list — 335 entries, one line each. Skim the letter, open the page, get the explanation and the official source.
A
- A city income tax in Muskegon and Muskegon Heights — Muskegon and Muskegon Heights both have a local city income tax, unlike the rest of Muskegon County's cities and townships.
- A whole town planned by one woman in the 1920s — Lathrup Village grew out of 1,000 acres that Louise Lathrup Kelley bought in 1923 and laid out as her own planned community — masonry houses, attached garages, and a shuttle to the shops.
- Assessment appeals — The March Board of Review, the Tax Tribunal, and the deadlines between them.
B
- Beach & dune rules — Public beach access, dune driving, and the freshwater coast.
- Benton Harbor has a city income tax — Benton Harbor is one of Michigan's local-income-tax cities, with a 1% resident rate and 0.5% nonresident work-in-city rate.
- Benton Harbor's water and the lead-line replacement — Benton Harbor's lead-in-water crisis triggered a full lead-service-line replacement program, and the city's water has since met lead standards.
- Big rivers meet here, so check the flood maps — Saginaw County's low river corridors can put homes in mapped flood zones, so buyers should check FEMA and county flood maps.
- Biking and hiking in Michigan: the (refreshingly short) rulebook — Everything the law actually requires on Michigan's trails and roads — no helmet law, the 3-foot passing rule, the e-bike class table, and the etiquette that keeps trails working.
- Bluffs, Dunes, and Erosion on Leelanau's Lake Michigan Shore — Leelanau's Lake Michigan bluffs and dunes are ancient glacial features still actively eroding — landslides, moving sand, and high-water years all matter if you're eyeing shoreline property.
- Boating & paddling rules — Registration, life jackets, and who can drive the boat.
- Boating and paddling in Michigan, explained — Your guide to Michigan's water: the one question that decides every rule, the two-birthday certificate law, registration, life jackets, and the beach knowledge every family needs. 2026 season.
- Building near the Lake Michigan shoreline and on the dunes — Lake Michigan shoreline and dune properties can be affected by Michigan critical-dune and high-risk-erosion-area permits.
- Burning, dumping, and the everyday land rules — Burn permits north and south, what you can never burn, the dumping and blight rules, the neighbor-law lightning round, and why your seasonal road doesn't get plowed — the small rules of rural life, collected.
- Buying a historic Grand Rapids home? You may need the city's OK to change the outside — Grand Rapids historic districts require city approval for many exterior changes before a building permit can be issued.
- Buying along the Lake Huron shore — Lake Huron shoreline property in Sanilac County can mean erosion history, public-trust beach access, and state permits for work near the water.
- Buying in a township? Watch for special assessments on top of your taxes — Michigan township buyers should check for special assessments that can add separate road, sewer, water, lighting, sidewalk, or drain charges.
- Buying in Ann Arbor's Old West Side? It's a binding historic district — Ann Arbor's Old West Side is a binding local historic district, so exterior changes usually need city Historic District Commission approval.
- Buying in Canadian Lakes: it's a private community — Canadian Lakes buyers should budget for property-owner membership, dues, and community rules.
- Buying in Flint? An honest, up-to-date look at the water — Flint's water crisis caused lasting harm, but the city's water meets standards today; buyers should still check service-line history and current reports.
- Buying in Sugar Springs: it's a private community — Sugar Springs is a private lake community in Butman Township, Gladwin County, with POA dues and rules.
- Buying in the city of Ypsilanti? No income tax — but the city's still paying off a big debt — Ypsilanti has no city income tax, but its Water Street redevelopment debt still shapes the city's budget and tax picture.
- Buying near the water — Great Lakes shoreline property in Huron County can mean erosion history, public-trust beach access, and state permits for work near the water.
- Buying on (or near) a Barry County lake? — Barry County lake homes can come with legal lake levels, lake special assessments, lake associations, and lake-specific boating rules.
- Buying on (or near) a Branch County lake? — Branch County lake homes can come with legal lake levels, lake special assessments, lake associations, and lake-specific boating rules.
- Buying on (or near) a Calhoun County lake? — Calhoun County lake homes can come with legal lake levels, lake special assessments, lake associations, and lake-specific boating rules.
- Buying on (or near) a Cass County lake? A few things to know — Cass County lake homes can come with managed lake levels, special assessments, lake associations, and lake-specific boating rules.
- Buying on (or near) a Hillsdale County lake? — Hillsdale County lake homes can come with legal lake levels, lake special assessments, lake associations, and lake-specific boating rules.
- Buying on (or near) a Jackson County lake? — Jackson County lake homes can come with legal lake levels, special assessments, lake boards or associations, and lake-specific boating rules.
- Buying on (or near) a Lenawee County lake? — Lakefront homes in Lenawee County's Irish Hills can come with legal lake levels, special assessments, and lake-specific boating rules.
- Buying on (or near) a Livingston County lake? A few things to know — Livingston County lake homes can come with managed lake levels, special assessments, lake associations, and lake-specific boating rules.
- Buying on (or near) a St. Joseph County lake? A few things to know — St. Joseph County lake homes can come with managed lake levels, special assessments, lake boards or associations, and lake-specific boating rules.
- Buying on a lake in Ionia County — Lakefront buyers in southwest Ionia County should ask about lake boards, special assessments, lake rules, and septic systems near the water.
- Buying on a lake in Isabella County — Lakefront buyers in Isabella County should ask about lake boards, special assessments, lake levels, boat rules, and septic systems near the water.
- Buying on Ann Arbor's west side or in Scio Township? Know about the groundwater plume — A known 1,4-dioxane groundwater plume under parts of western Ann Arbor and Scio Township is worth checking by exact address.
- Buying on Hamburg's chain of lakes? You may help pay for the weeds — Many Hamburg Township lake homes sit on the Huron River chain of lakes, where a township special assessment district bills waterfront owners for invasive-weed and algae control each year.
- Buying on Lake Diane? It's a lake somebody built in the 1960s — Lake Diane in Amboy Township is a private developer-built reservoir from the mid-1960s, held back by a dam and ringed with small platted lots — facts worth knowing before you buy on it.
- Buying on one of the county's lakes — Lapeer County lakefront buyers should ask about legal lake levels, assessments, dock rules, associations, and septic systems.
- Buying on Secord, Smallwood, or Wixom Lake? Know the dam story — Several Gladwin County townships are in the Four Lakes dam-rebuild special-assessment district.
- Buying, splitting, and passing down Michigan land — How many splits does the parcel have left, will the taxes pop up at transfer, does the PRE reach the back forty — the questions that decide what rural land really costs, plus the estate-planning words to know before the attorney visit.
C
- Campground rules, fires, and the firewood rule that matters — Michigan's campground rules — quiet hours, pets, alcohol by park — and the rule rangers most want you to follow: don't move firewood.
- Camping in Michigan, explained — Your guide to Michigan camping: the Recreation Passport, how the reservation race really works, and the quieter, cheaper camping most people never find. 2026 season.
- Camping rules & reservations — State parks, forest campgrounds, and the six-month booking window.
- Can you park on the street overnight? Often not — Many metro Detroit suburbs restrict overnight street parking, and snow emergencies can bring stricter temporary bans.
- Can you run an Airbnb here? Your city or township decides — Michigan leaves short-term rental rules to each city or township, so Airbnb and Vrbo rules can change from one community to the next.
- Car insurance (no-fault) — PIP choices, the MCCA fee, and what actually moves your bill.
- Checker Motors: the Kalamazoo plant that built America's taxicab — For nearly 60 years, the boxy yellow cab that came to mean 'taxi' was built on Pitcher Street in Kalamazoo.
- City income tax — The two dozen cities that tax paychecks, and the commuter rule.
- City income tax in St. Clair County — Port Huron levies a city income tax, while St. Clair County's other St.-Clair-only cities do not.
- Closing costs — Transfer tax, recording fees, and who customarily pays what.
- Concealed pistol license (CPL) — Training, the county clerk application, renewals, and pistol-free zones.
- Cutting a Neighbor's Trees Can Cost You Triple in Michigan — Clearing trees over an unsurveyed property line exposes you to three times the actual damages under MCL 600.2919 — a defense only drops it to single damages, never double.
D
- Detroit's Income Tax: The Only One Michigan Collects for You — Detroit's is the state's steepest city income tax and the sole one the Michigan Treasury administers, so you file the Detroit return with Lansing.
- Dexter used to be a village in two townships — becoming a city in 2014 simplified the taxes — Dexter became a city in 2014, ending its old village-plus-township tax setup and unifying local government.
- Do any Macomb County cities have a local income tax? — Macomb County has no city income tax in any of its cities or townships, so property tax is the main local tax to watch.
- Do Cadillac or Manton have a city income tax? — Neither Cadillac nor Manton levies a city income tax; the nearest city that does is Big Rapids, about 40 miles down US-131, at 0.5% for nonresidents.
- Do Lake City or McBain have a city income tax? — Lake City and McBain levy no city income tax, and neither does Cadillac; the closest cities that do are Grayling and Big Rapids, about an hour away.
- Do you pay the Big Rapids income tax out here? Only if you work in the city — Big Rapids Township and Green Township residents do not owe Big Rapids resident income tax unless they live in the city.
- Does Ann Arbor have a city income tax? No — but the question keeps coming back — Ann Arbor has no city income tax, but voters and city leaders have revisited the idea several times over the years.
- Does Frankfort have a city income tax? — Frankfort, Benzie County's only city, levies no city income tax — and neither does Traverse City, where many Benzie commuters work.
- Does Montmorency County have a city income tax? — Montmorency County has no incorporated city, so there is no local city income tax anywhere in the county.
- Does Newberry have a city income tax? — Luce County has no local income tax -- Newberry is a village, not a city, and only Michigan cities can levy one.
- Does St. Ignace have a city income tax? — St. Ignace and the rest of Mackinac County do not levy a local city income tax.
E
- East Lansing's Income Tax Is Michigan's Newest, and a College Town Talked Itself Into It — East Lansing's income tax, live since 2019, is Michigan's most recently adopted, a college town's swap of higher property taxes for a broader levy on paychecks.
F
- Farmland and forest tax programs: the money page — Michigan runs four voluntary programs that trade real tax savings for keeping land in farms and forests — the Qualified Ag exemption, PA 116, the Qualified Forest Program, and Commercial Forest. How to choose, and the trap each one carries.
- Feeding wildlife in Michigan: what's legal, what's wise — Birds: legal, with real fine print. Deer and elk in the Lower Peninsula: illegal. The honest map of Michigan's feeding rules, bread-at-the-duck-pond included.
- Firewood, maple, and taking from the forest — Dead-and-down firewood from mapped state forest with an inexpensive permit, the sugaring tradition (private land only), and the kindly stated never-list.
- Fishing in Michigan, explained — The starting point for Michigan fishing: licenses, the openers, statewide limits, and the one pattern that makes you legal — learn the default, check your water. 2026 rules.
- Fishing licenses & seasons — Who needs a license, the April 1 regulations year, and the rules of the water.
- Flint has a city income tax (and it's moving to state processing) — Flint charges a 1% resident and 0.5% nonresident city income tax, with state processing scheduled for the 2026 tax year.
- Flint's airport sits on a banker's donated farm — Bishop International Airport began in 1928 when banker Arthur Giles Bishop gave 220 acres of Genesee County farmland to Flint for flying; it now carries the airline traffic for mid-Michigan.
- Flint's land bank: cheap lots and fixer-uppers, with a catch — The Genesee County Land Bank sells Flint side lots and fixer-upper houses cheaply, but buyers need to budget for real rehab work.
- Foraging rules — Morels, berries, and what you may keep from public land.
- Free treasure: Michigan's foraging and collecting rules, explained — Morels, Petoskey stones, berries, beach glass, firewood — what you may legally take home from Michigan's public land, in four porch-sign rules.
G
- Garden City: a suburb laid out so every family could grow its own food — Garden City was platted in the 1920s on the English garden-city idea — home lots sized near an acre so each household could raise fruit and vegetables to feed itself.
- Gaylord has no city income tax — Gaylord levies no city income tax — no Otsego County government does. Commuters to Grayling pay that city's 0.5% nonresident rate; at home the bill is property tax, about 35 mills in town.
- Genesee County pays a small tax that keeps the art museum free-ish — In August 2018 Genesee County voters approved a countywide arts and culture millage that funds the Flint Cultural Center's institutions and grants to other arts groups — a property tax most Michigan counties don't levy.
- Good news on car insurance: west Michigan is the cheap end of an expensive state — Michigan car insurance is expensive, but Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo-area drivers are usually on the lower-cost end of the state.
- Good news on city income tax in Mason County — Ludington and Scottville do not levy a city income tax, so Mason County has no local income tax on paychecks.
- Good news on city income tax in Newaygo County — Fremont, Grant, Newaygo, and White Cloud do not levy a city income tax, so Newaygo County has no local income tax on paychecks.
- Good news on city income tax in West Branch and Rose City — West Branch and Rose City charge no city income tax; the nearest city that does is Grayling, about 45 miles up I-75.
- Good news on local income tax in Roscommon — Roscommon County has no cities, so no local government here can tax wages — but Grayling, 15 miles up I-75, takes 0.5% from nonresidents who work inside its limits.
- Grayling: Michigan's Smallest City With an Income Tax — Grayling, a river town of under 2,000 people, levies the same 1% income tax as Lansing — the smallest Michigan city to collect one.
- Grosse Ile's two bridges: pay on the north end, free on the south — The island of Grosse Ile reaches the mainland by two very different spans — a private toll swing bridge from 1913 and a free former railroad bridge the county opened in 1931.
H
- Hamtramck Taxes Its Own Income, Wrapped Inside Detroit — Hamtramck is an enclave surrounded by Detroit, yet it runs its own 1% income tax; a state credit keeps residents who work in Detroit from paying twice.
- Hart has no city income tax — Hart is the only city in Oceana County, and it does not levy a local city income tax.
- Highland Park's 2% city income tax — and why it's only a handful of Michigan cities — Highland Park levies its own city income tax on top of state and federal: 2% on residents and 1% on nonresidents who work there — one of about two dozen Michigan cities that do.
- Homebuyer deadlines — Every date that matters after a Michigan closing, in order.
- Homestead property tax credit — The income-based credit on the MI-1040CR — renters included.
- How Michigan State University shapes East Lansing — including your taxes — Michigan State University defines East Lansing's economy, housing market, taxable land base, and city-income-tax story.
- How the University of Michigan shapes Ann Arbor — including your tax bill — The University of Michigan drives Ann Arbor's economy, housing demand, culture, and a long-running property-tax-base debate.
- How to actually get a Michigan campsite: the reservation playbook — The six-month window, the 8 a.m. release, the auto-cancel trap, and the honest strategies that work — how Michigan's campsite reservation machine really operates.
- Hudson has a city income tax — Hudson is one of Michigan's cities with a local income tax for residents and nonresidents who work inside the city.
- Hunting in Michigan, explained — Your orientation to Michigan hunting: who sets the rules, what licenses you need, the calendar at a glance, and the five laws every hunter must know. 2026 rules.
- Hunting licenses & seasons — Deer to waterfowl: seasons, licenses, and the rules of the woods.
I
- In East Grand Rapids, the cop and the firefighter are the same person — East Grand Rapids merged its police and fire departments in the mid-1980s; every sworn officer is cross-trained to do police work, fight fires, and run medical calls.
- In Escanaba, your power bill comes from the city — Escanaba runs its own electric utility instead of buying from Consumers or DTE — the city owns the wires and serves about 6,000 customers, and its residential rate has run well below the state average.
- In Grand Haven, the city runs your electricity (and melts the downtown snow) — Grand Haven has its own municipal electric utility, and its downtown snowmelt system helps keep streets and sidewalks clear in winter.
- In Holland, the city runs the power — and uses it to melt the snow downtown — Holland runs its own municipal utility, and waste heat from its power plant helps melt snow from downtown streets and sidewalks.
- In Leelanau County, Your Township Handles More Than You'd Think — In Leelanau County, your township — not the county — handles zoning, property assessment, STR permits, and private road rules, and each township sets its own policies.
- In Michigan, you get two property-tax bills a year — not one — Most Michigan property owners get separate summer and winter tax bills, with local rules deciding what lands on each bill.
- Inland Lake Levels and Special Assessments in Leelanau County — Michigan law can set a lake's water level by court order, and both waterfront and lake-access parcels may owe annual special assessments to maintain it.
- Ionia takes a 1% city income tax — Belding doesn't — Ionia levies a city income tax of 1% on residents and 0.5% on non-residents who work in town — one of about two dozen Michigan cities that do, while neighboring Belding has none.
- Is my catch safe to eat? Michigan's Eat Safe Fish guide, explained — Yes, you can eat Michigan fish — most of them, regularly. The state health department's Eat Safe Fish guides tell you how much, water by water, and a few smart habits do the rest.
- Is there a city income tax in Alpena County? — Alpena County has no local income tax: Alpena is the county's only city, and it does not levy one.
- Is there a city income tax in Baraga County? — There's no city income tax in Baraga County -- and there couldn't be one, since the county has no cities at all, just the villages of L'Anse and Baraga. The nearest is Grayling, well over a hundred miles away.
- Is there a city income tax in Cheboygan County? — Cheboygan County has no local income tax: Cheboygan is the county's only city, and it does not levy one.
- Is there a city income tax in Crystal Falls? — Crystal Falls charges no city income tax -- neither do Iron River, Caspian, or Gaastra, and neither does anywhere else in the Upper Peninsula. The nearest one is Grayling, well over a hundred miles away.
- Is there a city income tax in Escanaba? — Escanaba charges no city income tax -- neither does Gladstone, and neither does anywhere else in the Upper Peninsula. The nearest one is Grayling, well over a hundred miles away.
- Is there a city income tax in Houghton or Hancock? — Neither Houghton nor Hancock charges a city income tax -- and neither does anywhere else in the Upper Peninsula. The nearest one is Grayling, well over a hundred miles away.
- Is there a city income tax in Iron Mountain? — Iron Mountain charges no city income tax -- neither do Kingsford or Norway, and neither does anywhere else in the Upper Peninsula. The nearest one is Grayling, well over a hundred miles away.
- Is there a city income tax in Ironwood or Bessemer? — Neither Ironwood, Bessemer, nor Wakefield charges a city income tax -- and neither does anywhere else in the Upper Peninsula. The nearest one is Grayling, well over two hundred miles away.
- Is there a city income tax in Keweenaw County? — There's no city income tax in Keweenaw County -- and there couldn't be one, since the county has no cities at all. The nearest is Grayling, well over two hundred miles away.
- Is there a city income tax in Manistique? — Manistique charges no city income tax -- and no community in the entire Upper Peninsula does. The nearest one is Grayling, well over a hundred miles away.
- Is there a city income tax in Marquette? — Neither Marquette nor any other city in Marquette County charges a city income tax -- and neither does anywhere else in the Upper Peninsula. The nearest one is Grayling, well over a hundred miles away.
- Is there a city income tax in Menominee? — Menominee charges no city income tax -- neither does Stephenson, and neither does anywhere else in the Upper Peninsula. The nearest one is Grayling, well over a hundred miles away.
- Is there a city income tax in Munising? — Munising charges no city income tax -- and no community in the entire Upper Peninsula does. The nearest one is Grayling, well over a hundred miles south.
- Is there a city income tax in Ontonagon? — There's no city income tax in Ontonagon County -- and there couldn't easily be one, since the county's only incorporated community is the Village of Ontonagon. The nearest income tax is Grayling, well over two hundred miles away.
- Is there a city income tax in Sault Ste. Marie? — Sault Ste. Marie -- the only city in Chippewa County -- does not charge a city income tax, and neither does anywhere else in the Upper Peninsula. The nearest one is Grayling, well over a hundred miles away.
J
- Jackson has a city income tax — Jackson is one of Michigan's cities with a local income tax for residents and nonresidents who work inside the city.
K
- Keeping and collecting: pets, turtles, feathers, and sheds — Can you keep it? Almost always no — with the narrow legal lanes mapped: the exotic-animal bans, the herp rules on a fishing license, the feather surprise, and the one found treasure that's yours.
- Kids on ORVs: Michigan's age rules and the safety certificate — Michigan's youth ORV rules in one table — who can ride what, where, at what age, and why 'direct visual supervision' means exactly what it says.
L
- Lake country: "Twenty lakes in twenty minutes" — Clare County lakefront buyers should ask about lake boards, special assessments, lake rules, and septic systems near the water.
- Lake country: buying on the water in Montcalm — Lakefront buyers in Montcalm County should ask about lake boards, special assessments, lake levels, boat rules, and septic systems near the water.
- Lake levels and building near the water — Tuscola County's level-controlled lakes and county drains make lake-level assessments and Drain Commissioner checks worth asking about before buying or building near water.
- Land, wells & mineral rights — Rural property homework: wells, septic, zoning, and who owns what's underground.
- Lansing and East Lansing both have a city income tax — Lansing and East Lansing both charge a local income tax, with 1% resident and 0.5% nonresident rates under Michigan's city-income-tax system.
- Lapeer is one of the few Michigan cities with its own income tax — The City of Lapeer levies a local income tax — 1% on residents and 0.5% on nonresidents who work in the city — making it one of only about two dozen Michigan cities to charge one, and the only one in its county.
- Leelanau Township's Private Road Ordinance — Leelanau Township has a formal ordinance governing private roads — a useful first stop for anyone buying property on a private road there.
- Life jackets and required equipment: the rules of the boat — Michigan's life jacket law — who carries, who wears, what the types mean — plus the equipment checklist and the alcohol rules afloat.
- Live in a Michigan village? You pay an extra layer of property tax — Michigan village residents usually pay village property taxes on top of township taxes, so the village boundary can change a buyer's total rate.
- Living near the Cook nuclear plant — Homes around Bridgman and Lake Township may sit inside the Cook Nuclear Plant emergency planning zone, with B-WARN alerts, KI pills, and a Know Your Zone map.
- Living near the Palisades nuclear plant — Homes around Covert and South Haven may sit inside the Palisades Nuclear Plant emergency planning zone while the plant is being brought back into service.
- Low, flat country where the river meets the bay — Bay County's low Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay setting makes flood maps and shoreline risk important for buyers.
M
- Mackinac Island, the island with no cars — Mackinac Island has banned cars since 1898, so residents and visitors get around by foot, bicycle, horse, and winter snowmobile.
- Manchester became a city in 2023 — what that changed — Manchester became a city in late 2023, leaving Manchester Township and moving tax collection, assessing, and elections into one city government.
- Michigan Built the Car — but It Also Built the Road, the Rules, and the First Freeway — Michigan didn't just build the car — it laid the first mile of concrete highway (Woodward, 1909), pioneered the painted center line, and built the first urban depressed freeway (Davison, 1942).
- Michigan County Roads Are Closed to ORVs Until a Township Votes Them Open — Michigan county roads are closed to ORVs until a county board or a township passes an ordinance opening them, which is why access changes as you cross a line on the map.
- Michigan hunting licenses and your first hunt, explained — How Michigan's base-license system works, hunter safety, the apprentice and mentored-youth on-ramps, discounts, and the new digital tags.
- Michigan Wants Your Dog Licensed at Four Months, and the Fee Rewards Fixing Him — Michigan dogs 4 months and older must be licensed through the county treasurer with proof of a current rabies shot, and spayed or neutered dogs pay a lower fee by law.
- Michigan's Left Lane Is for Passing, Not Cruising — On a Michigan road with two lanes each way, you're supposed to ride in the right lane and use the left only to pass — camping there is a civil infraction.
- Michigan's Move Over Law: Slow Down 10 and Give the Cruiser a Lane — Passing a stopped patrol car, ambulance, or tow truck with lights going, you must both slow at least 10 mph under the limit and move over a lane — a $400 ticket if you don't.
- Midland's three rivers, and when to check the flood maps — Midland sits at a river confluence where flood maps and flood insurance can matter for buyers near low ground.
- Monroe's tap water comes from Lake Erie — and what that means in summer — Monroe draws drinking water from western Lake Erie, where summer algae blooms are watched closely and treated by the city water department.
- Most of Reese is in Tuscola County — but not quite all of it — The village of Reese sits almost entirely in Tuscola County's Denmark Township, with a small sliver crossing into Saginaw County — a county line that can matter for where official paperwork goes.
- Moving to Michigan — The first-90-days checklist for new residents.
- Muskegon Heights and Its Foundry-Town Income Tax — Muskegon Heights was built as a factory town, and it is one of only two Muskegon County cities that levy a local income tax — 1% for residents, 0.5% for nonresidents who work there.
N
- No city income tax — Sandusky, Croswell, Marlette, and Brown City levy no city income tax; the nearest cities that do are Port Huron and Lapeer, each taking 0.5% from nonresident workers.
- No city income tax here — Alma, Ithaca, and St. Louis charge no city income tax; the nearest cities that do are Saginaw and Lansing, which tax commuters' wages at nonresident rates.
- No city income tax here — Bad Axe, Harbor Beach, and Caseville levy no city income tax, and the nearest cities that do charge one are more than an hour from the Thumb's tip.
- No city income tax in Belding — Belding levies no city income tax, unlike Ionia and Portland (1% resident, 0.5% commuter); Belding commuters into Grand Rapids pay that city's 0.75% nonresident rate.
- No city income tax in Charlevoix County — Charlevoix County's three cities do not levy a local city income tax.
- No city income tax in Clare County — Neither Clare nor Harrison levies a city income tax, and neither do Mt. Pleasant or Midland; the nearest paycheck tax is Saginaw's 0.75% nonresident rate.
- No city income tax in Clinton County's cities — St. Johns, DeWitt, and Ovid do not charge city income tax, though Lansing and East Lansing slivers in Clinton County do.
- No city income tax in Emmet County — Petoskey and Harbor Springs do not levy a local city income tax.
- No city income tax in Gladwin or Beaverton — Gladwin and Beaverton levy no city income tax, and neither does Midland, where many commute; Saginaw's 0.75% nonresident rate is the nearest exception.
- No city income tax in Grand Traverse County — Traverse City levies no city income tax — none of the 24 Michigan cities that do is near Grand Traverse Bay; tiny Grayling, an hour east, is the closest.
- No city income tax in Harrisville — Harrisville, Alcona County's only city, levies no city income tax; the nearest Michigan city that does is Grayling, roughly 70 miles west on M-72.
- No city income tax in Imlay City — Imlay City has no city income tax; Lapeer, the county's one taxing city, takes 0.5% from Imlay City residents who commute there for work.
- No city income tax in Montcalm County — Greenville, Stanton, and Carson City levy no city income tax, but commuters to Grand Rapids or Ionia pay those cities' nonresident rates.
- No city income tax in Mount Pleasant — Mount Pleasant has no city income tax — unlike East Lansing, which adopted one in 2019 — so wages earned in the CMU town see no city deduction at all.
- No city income tax in Onaway — Onaway levies no city income tax — the nearest city that does is Grayling, some 60 miles off — leaving property taxes as the local bill.
- No city income tax in Reed City or Evart — Neither Reed City nor Evart charges a city income tax, though Reed City commuters working in Big Rapids pay that city's 0.5% nonresident rate.
- No city income tax in Rogers City — Rogers City charges no city income tax, and neither does Onaway; the nearest of Michigan's 24 taxing cities is Grayling, about 85 miles southwest.
- No city income tax in Shiawassee County — No Shiawassee County city taxes wages, but Flint, Lansing, and East Lansing all do — commuting out means paying that city's 0.5% nonresident rate.
- No city income tax in Standish, Au Gres, or Omer — Standish, Au Gres, and Omer all skip the city income tax; the nearest city that levies one is Saginaw, whose 0.75% nonresident rate hits commuters.
- No city income tax in Tawas City, East Tawas, or Whittemore — Tawas City, East Tawas, and 414-person Whittemore charge no city income tax; the nearest city that does is Saginaw, over an hour south.
O
- On a well and septic? Isabella requires an inspection before you buy — Isabella County uses a mandatory time-of-transfer well and septic inspection for township properties with onsite systems.
- One of Michigan's biggest solar farms is here — The Assembly Solar Project in Hazelton and Venice townships is one of Michigan's biggest solar farms, with long-term land leases and local siting context.
- ORV & snowmobile rules — Licenses, trail permits, and where to ride.
- ORV riding in Michigan, explained — Your guide to Michigan off-roading: the two stickers, the five kinds of land, the rules for kids, and how not to get a ticket. 2026-27 season.
- Out here, it's wells and septic — Outside Huron County's cities and villages, most homes rely on private wells and septic systems, so inspections, water tests, and perc tests matter before buying.
- Out in the county, you're on a well and septic — Rural Midland County homes often use private wells and septic systems, with county permits, soil checks, and buyer-requested inspections.
- Out in the county, you're on a well and septic — Many rural Saginaw County township homes use private wells and septic systems, so buyers should ask for records and inspections.
- Out in the county, you're on a well and septic — under local rules — Rural Tuscola County homes usually rely on private wells and septic systems under local county rules, with buyer-requested checks before closing.
- Out in the township, you're on a well and septic — Clare County township homes commonly use private wells and septic systems, and resale inspection is buyer-beware.
- Out in the township, you're on a well and septic — Outside Clinton County's cities and village centers, many township homes use private wells and septic systems, and resale inspection is buyer-beware.
- Out in the township, you're on a well and septic — Outside Gratiot County's cities and villages, most township homes rely on private wells and septic systems.
- Out in the township, you're on a well and septic — Outside Ionia County's cities and village centers, township homes often use private wells and septic systems, and resale inspection is buyer-beware.
- Out in the township, you're on a well and septic — Most Lapeer County township homes outside the cities and villages use private wells and septic systems.
- Out in the township, you're on a well and septic — Outside Montcalm County's cities and village centers, township homes often use private wells and septic systems, and resale inspection is buyer-beware.
- Out in the township, you're on a well and septic — and the county checks it when you sell — Shiawassee County township homes often use private wells and septic systems, and the county requires septic inspection at sale or transfer.
- Out in the township? Plan on a well and septic -- and check them before you buy — Arenac County townships are buyer-beware for private wells and septic systems at sale.
- Out in the township? Plan on a well and septic — and check them before you buy — Osceola County townships are buyer-beware for private wells and septic systems at sale.
- Out in the township? Plan on a well and septic — and check them before you buy — Roscommon County townships are buyer-beware for private wells and septic systems at sale.
- Out past the suburbs, you're on a well and septic — Rural Bay County township homes often use private wells and septic systems, so buyers should ask for records and inspections.
- Outside the cities, most Livingston homes are on a well and septic — inspect before you buy — Most Livingston County township homes use private wells and septic systems, and the county does not require a sale-time inspection.
- Outside town, most Cass County homes are on a well and septic — inspect before you buy — Most Cass County township homes use private wells and septic systems, and the county does not require a sale-time inspection.
- Outside town, most St. Joseph County homes are on a well and septic — inspect before you buy — Most St. Joseph County township homes use private wells and septic systems, and the county does not require a sale-time inspection.
- Outside town, you're probably on a well and septic — Most Barry County township homes use private wells and septic systems, and the county's former sale-time inspection mandate was repealed in 2018.
- Outside town, you're probably on a well and septic — Most Branch County township homes use private wells and septic systems, and the county does not require a sale-time inspection.
- Outside town, you're probably on a well and septic — Most rural Calhoun County township homes use private wells and septic systems, and sale-time inspections are something buyers need to ask for.
- Outside town, you're probably on a well and septic — Most Eaton County township homes use private wells and septic systems, and the county's former sale-time inspection mandate was repealed in 2018.
- Outside town, you're probably on a well and septic — Most Hillsdale County township homes use private wells and septic systems, and the county does not require a sale-time inspection.
- Outside town, you're probably on a well and septic — Most rural Jackson County township homes use private wells and septic systems, and sale-time inspections are something buyers need to ask for.
- Outside town, you're probably on a well and septic — Many rural Lenawee County township homes use private wells and septic systems, so buyers should ask for inspections before closing.
- Own a home in a Detroit historic district? Exterior changes need approval — Detroit local historic districts require Historic District Commission approval for many exterior changes before permits.
- Owning land in Michigan, explained — The rulebook nobody hands you at closing: farming next to neighbors, the tax programs that reward keeping land green, property lines, wetlands and drains, zoning, and the solar-siting fight — and who actually decides each one.
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- Park Township's short-term rental ban that a court took 50 years to confirm — Park Township near Holland treats short-term rentals as not allowed in residential zones; after a multi-year lawsuit, a judge upheld the long-standing ban in November 2025.
- Parking overnight in west Michigan? Watch the winter street rules — Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo handle overnight winter street parking differently, and nearby cities set their own local rules.
- Pontiac is one of the few Oakland County cities with its own income tax — Pontiac levies a city income tax — 1% on residents and 0.5% on nonresidents who work there — one of only about two dozen Michigan cities that tax income at all.
- Port Huron's City Income Tax and Its Cross-Border Commuters — Port Huron levies a local income tax that catches people who work in the city without living there, including some who commute over the Blue Water Bridge.
- Principal Residence Exemption (PRE) — The 18-mill school-tax exemption you have to claim — Form 2368, by June 1.
- Property lines, fences, easements, and the 15-year clock — Boundary law is the one area where no agency will save you — only prevention or a judge. Surveys vs. GIS maps, adverse possession, easements in writing, the 1840s fence law, boundary trees, and who really owns the minerals.
- Property tax basics — SEV, Taxable Value, mills — the vocabulary in one read.
- Property taxes — The pop-up, your real bill, and the calculator.
- Put a Real 1965 Plate on Your 1965 Car — A registered Michigan historic vehicle can wear an authentic plate from its own model year instead of a modern historic plate, for a one-time $35 fee.
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- Registering (or not registering) your boat in Michigan — What registers, what's exempt, the trolling-motor trapdoor, titles, and the 30% fee increase pending in the Legislature — Michigan boat registration decoded.
- Renting in Ann Arbor? It has some of Michigan's strongest tenant protections — Ann Arbor inspects rentals and has city rules around renewals, application fees, and tenant screening.
- Renting out a home? Your city may make you register it and pass an inspection — Many Michigan cities require rental homes to be registered and inspected before a tenant can legally move in.
- Renting out a house in East Lansing? The rules are strict — East Lansing tightly licenses rentals, limits unrelated roommates in single-family neighborhoods, and uses rental overlay districts.
- Renting out your New Buffalo cottage? The city makes you register first — The City of New Buffalo requires a short-term rental to be registered, inspected, and renewed each year before it can be rented; New Buffalo Township runs a separate rental license with its own rules.
- Renting your Onekama cottage by the week? The township has rules now — Onekama Township adopted a short-term rental ordinance in 2023 that requires owners to register vacation rentals with the township and renew that registration every year.
- Renting your Pentwater cottage by the week? You need a license on the door — The Village of Pentwater requires a yearly short-term rental license that must hang by the front door, caps occupancy, bans camping on the lot, and can be pulled after three violations.
- Roadkill, sick, and dead wildlife: the practical page — Hit a deer? You can keep it — free instant permit. Plus the cannot-salvage list, the don't-touch guidance for dead birds, and how reporting helps the DNR see disease moving.
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- Saginaw has a city income tax — and it's on the higher side — The city of Saginaw has a higher-tier Michigan city income tax for residents and nonresidents who work inside the city.
- Saugatuck capped its short-term rentals at one in five homes — In 2024 Saugatuck capped vacation rentals at 20% of the housing in its R1 residential zones; existing rentals are grandfathered until the property changes hands, and the cap drew a lawsuit.
- Seasonal Roads: The County Stops Plowing Your Street in November — Some Michigan roads are legally designated seasonal, meaning the county road commission won't plow or grade them November through April, and a buyer inherits that with the deed.
- Secord Township: a septic inspection is required when you buy — Secord Township is the one Gladwin County township where CMDHD requires a well and septic evaluation at sale.
- Short-Term Rental Permits in Leelanau Township — Leelanau Township requires a permit for any short-term rental, with guest limits tied to bedroom count and septic capacity.
- Short-term rentals in Grand Haven: allowed, but only in certain spots — Grand Haven allows short-term rentals only in specific zones, with annual registration and inspection required.
- Sleeping Bear's Moving Shoreline: Bluff Erosion and Coastal Landslides — The bluffs at Sleeping Bear Dunes are glacial moraines that erode continuously and can slide suddenly — and Lake Michigan's cyclical water levels mean the risk rises and falls over the decades.
- Solar, wind, and your land: PA 233 and the leasing question — Since late 2024, large solar and wind projects can be permitted by the state instead of the township — unless the township adopts a compliant ordinance. The process, the litigation status, and the questions to ask before signing any lease.
- South Haven limits how many homes can be vacation rentals — Unlike its quieter inland neighbors, the beach city of South Haven caps the share of homes that can operate as short-term rentals and requires each one to register and pass safety inspections.
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- Target shooting rules — Where you can legally shoot, public and private.
- That '80s Rock Band? Named After a Michigan Truck — The band REO Speedwagon took its name from a Lansing-built delivery truck — named, in turn, for auto pioneer Ransom Eli Olds.
- The 'Michigan Left' — Why You Turn Right to Go Left — Michigan's oddest turn makes you drive past your street and U-turn back — and it cuts crashes by 30 to 60 percent.
- The $5 Day: How a Michigan Factory Helped Invent the Middle Class — In 1914, Ford's Highland Park plant doubled pay to $5 a day — and helped invent the idea that a factory job could support a middle-class life.
- The 1951 Gerber-family fund that still pays for Newaygo County's trails and scholarships — A Fremont charitable foundation, started in 1951 by local leaders including the Gerber family, whose invested gifts now fund grants and scholarships across all of Newaygo County.
- The 2020 dam break and the lakes that are coming back — The 2020 Edenville and Sanford dam failures reshaped the Four Lakes area, where lake rebuilding and special assessments matter for buyers.
- The animals you meet: Michigan wildlife rules, explained — The fawn in the yard, the raccoon in the attic, the deer at the feeder — the rules for every wildlife encounter, and exactly who to call.
- The Blue Water Bridge — The Blue Water Bridge is Port Huron's landmark international crossing to Canada, with twin spans over the St. Clair River.
- The boat that drives your car across Lake Michigan — The Lake Express high-speed ferry carries cars and passengers across Lake Michigan from Muskegon to Milwaukee in about two and a half hours, skipping the long drive around the lake.
- The boating safety certificate, completely explained — Michigan's two-birthday boater education law, the youth horsepower ladder, the under-14 jet ski bar, and how the lifetime certificate works.
- The Cass River, and Vassar's flood history — The Cass River runs through Caro and Vassar, where flood history makes mapped flood zones and insurance worth checking before buying.
- The First Car Ever Driven in Detroit Wasn't Ford's — and Ford Watched on a Bicycle — The first automobile driven on Detroit's streets wasn't Henry Ford's — it was Charles Brady King's, in 1896, with a young Ford following on a bicycle.
- The Isabella Reservation and your property taxes — Most private fee land inside the Isabella Reservation is taxed normally; federal trust land is the key exception.
- The Jackson factory that put the honk in your car — Jackson's Sparks-Withington Company built the early electric car horn, branded it Sparton, and grew into a 7,000-employee plant whose owner later built the Cascades.
- The Kalamazoo River cleanup, and the fish advisory — Kalamazoo River properties in Allegan County sit along an active PCB/Superfund cleanup corridor with a fish advisory buyers should understand.
- The Lady Bird Deed: How Michigan Passes a House Without Probate — An enhanced life estate deed hands your home to an heir at death outside probate, yet you keep the right to sell it, mortgage it, or tear the deed up tomorrow.
- The lake the county bought for a dollar — Wiggins Lake in Sage Township sits behind Chappel Dam, a 1920s hydropower dam on the Cedar River that Gladwin County bought for one dollar in 1961 and still owns today.
- The Line Down the Middle of the Road Was a Michigan Idea — Every painted center line on Earth traces back to Edward Hines of the Wayne County road board, who put the first one down on a Trenton street in 1911.
- The old chemical plant and the Pine River — St. Louis has a long-running Superfund cleanup tied to the old Michigan Chemical/Velsicol plant, PBB, DDT, and the Pine River.
- The old county landfill: sealed, capped, and monitored — The old Gratiot County Landfill in Bethany Township is a contained and monitored Superfund site tied to Velsicol/PBB waste.
- The Principal Residence Exemption in Leelanau Township — When you buy property in Leelanau Township as your primary home, filing for the Principal Residence Exemption — and a Property Transfer Affidavit — are the first tax steps to take care of.
- The quarter-mile dragstrip in Martin that's been roaring since 1962 — US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin opened in 1962 as Martin Dragway, got a $14 million rebuild in 2002, and still runs cars down a quarter mile of straight asphalt.
- The Recreation Passport, completely explained — Michigan's $15 Recreation Passport rides your license plate and opens every state park, launch, and trailhead — here's how it works, what it funds, and the quirks people trip on.
- The Right to Farm Act: living next to (or running) a Michigan farm — Since 1981, Michigan has shielded commercial farms that follow state-approved practices from nuisance lawsuits — and since 2000, from stricter local ordinances. What that means for farmers, neighbors, and the backyard-chickens question.
- The rules of the woods: Michigan's hunting laws, plain and simple — The laws that apply no matter what you hunt in Michigan: hunting hours, hunter orange, safety zones, trespass, transport, stands, dogs, and Sunday quirks.
- The Saginaw River cleanup, and the fish advisories downstream — Downstream Saginaw River and Saginaw Bay buyers should know about dioxin cleanup history, fish advisories, and floodplain sediment.
- The Tittabawassee floodplain and a long cleanup — Downstream of Dow's Midland plant, buyers near the Tittabawassee River floodplain should know about dioxin cleanup records and advisories.
- There's a nuclear plant on Lake Erie nearby — what that means if you're buying near Monroe — Monroe sits within the Fermi 2 nuclear plant emergency planning zone, with routine siren tests, county planning, and a separate Fermi 1 history worth understanding.
- Thinking about an Airbnb in Ann Arbor? The rules are strict — Ann Arbor has strict short-term rental rules, especially for whole-home rentals in residential neighborhoods.
- Thinking of a short-term rental near the Holland lakeshore? Check the rules first — Park Township's short-term-rental rules near the Holland lakeshore are strict, active, and worth checking by exact property.
- This city has a local income tax — Some Michigan cities charge the standard local income tax: 1% for residents and 0.5% for nonresidents who work in the city.
- Three Calhoun cities have a local income tax — Battle Creek, Albion, and Springfield each levy a local income tax on residents and nonresidents who work in the city.
- Trespass, posting, and letting people onto your land — Michigan's trespass rules favor landowners more than people think — on farmland, recreational users need your consent even without signs — and the law actively rewards letting responsible people on by capping your liability.
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- Uncapping (the pop-up) — Why property taxes jump the year after a sale.
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- Vehicle registration & tabs — Tabs priced off the original sticker — how the fee steps down.
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- Water on your land: wetlands, drains, ponds, and the beach — The soggy back corner may be a state-regulated wetland, the roadside ditch may be a county drain you can be assessed for, and the Great Lakes beach below the high-water mark is walkable by everyone — the water rules, explained.
- Weather & natural hazards — Lake effect, rip currents, tornado season — what to respect and when.
- Well and septic in Antrim County — Antrim County township buyers should expect wells and septic systems, with mandatory time-of-transfer checks in a few lake jurisdictions.
- Well and septic in Benzie County — Benzie County has required well and septic evaluations at property transfer since 1992.
- Well and septic in Charlevoix County — Charlevoix County township buyers should expect wells and septic systems, with buyer-beware septic checks outside municipal utilities.
- Well and septic in Crawford County — Crawford County township buyers should expect private wells and septic systems, with inspections handled by the buyer.
- Well and septic in Emmet County — Emmet County township buyers should expect wells and septic systems, with buyer-beware septic checks outside municipal utilities.
- Well and septic in Grand Traverse County — Grand Traverse County has a 2026 time-of-transfer well and septic rule for homes near surface water, plus township-level record checks.
- Well and septic in Kalkaska County — Kalkaska County requires point-of-sale well and septic evaluations before many rural property transfers.
- Well and septic in Leelanau County — Leelanau County has a countywide time-of-transfer rule requiring well and septic evaluations before most property sales or transfers.
- Well and septic in Oscoda County — Oscoda County buyers should expect private wells and septic systems, with inspections handled by the buyer.
- Well and septic in Otsego County — Otsego County township buyers should expect private wells and septic systems, with time-of-transfer checks depending on the township.
- Well and septic in rural Alcona County — Outside Harrisville, Alcona County buyers should plan on private wells, septic systems, and buyer-paid inspections.
- Well and septic in rural Iosco County — Rural Iosco County homes often use private wells and septic systems, and buyers should inspect them before closing.
- Well and septic in rural Ogemaw County — Most Ogemaw County township homes use private wells and septic systems, and buyers should inspect them before closing.
- Wells and septic in Lake County: what buyers should know — Lake County does not require point-of-sale well and septic inspections, so rural buyers should make their own checks part of the offer.
- Wells and septic in Mason County: what buyers should know — Mason County does not require point-of-sale well and septic inspections, so rural buyers should order their own checks.
- Wells and septic in Missaukee County: what buyers should know — Missaukee County does not require point-of-sale septic inspections, so township buyers should order their own well and septic checks.
- Wells and septic in Newaygo County: what buyers should know — Newaygo County does not require point-of-sale well and septic inspections, so rural buyers should make their own checks part of the offer.
- Wells and septic in the townships — Presque Isle County township buyers should understand private wells, septic systems, DHD#4 permits, and the lack of a sale-time inspection rule.
- Wells and septic in the townships: get your own inspection — Most Gladwin County township buyers should arrange their own well and septic inspection before closing.
- Wells and septic in the townships: get your own inspection — Mecosta County township buyers should arrange their own well and septic inspection before closing.
- Wells and septic in Wexford County: what buyers should know — Wexford County well and septic inspections are voluntary at sale, so rural buyers should order their own inspection and check permits early.
- Wells and septic outside town — Outside Sanilac County's cities and villages, most homes rely on private wells and septic systems, so inspections, water tests, and perc tests matter before buying.
- Wells, septic systems, and what to check before you buy — Most homes in Luce County's townships rely on a private well and septic system, and the county has no point-of-sale inspection rule, so it's buyer beware.
- Wells, septic systems, and what to check before you buy — Mackinac County township buyers should check private wells and septic systems because there is no automatic sale-time inspection rule.
- Wells, septic systems, and what to check before you buy — Montmorency County township buyers should understand private wells, septic systems, DHD#4 permits, and the lack of a sale-time inspection rule.
- Wells, septic, and the rules out here — Oceana County township buyers usually need to check private wells and septic systems themselves because there is no point-of-sale inspection rule here.
- Wells, septic, and what to check before you buy — Alpena County township buyers should check private wells and septic systems themselves because there is no automatic point-of-sale inspection rule.
- Wells, septic, and what to check before you buy — Cheboygan County township buyers should check private wells and septic systems themselves because there is no automatic point-of-sale inspection rule.
- Wells, septic, and what to check before you buy — St. Clair County township buyers should check private wells and septic systems themselves because there is no automatic point-of-sale inspection rule.
- West Branch's smiley-face water tower, grinning at I-75 — A bright yellow smiley face painted on the West Branch water tower has greeted I-75 drivers for decades and earned the town its motto, the City with a Smile.
- What changed in Michigan boating for 2026 — Boating law barely moves year to year — the 2026 story is the pending registration fee bill, the beach-safety buildout, and the seasonal rhythms worth knowing.
- What changed in Michigan camping for 2026 — The 2026 camping season in brief: the Passport ticks up to $15, the renovation closures rotate, and Michigan's newest state park takes shape on the Flint River.
- What changed in Michigan fishing for 2026 — The 2026 fishing rule changes: new lake trout and walleye limits up north, a new Menominee River sturgeon season, expanded spearfishing, and the bead rule.
- What changed in Michigan foraging and collecting for 2026 — The most stable rules on the site — the annual beats are the fuelwood maps, MDARD's spring mushroom-sale reminder, and a calendar that runs on seasons, not statutes.
- What changed in Michigan hunting for 2026 (a lot) — The 2026 rule changes were the biggest in decades: the rifle zone is gone, deer seasons end January 1, digital tags arrived — and the Lower Peninsula's one-buck rule lands in 2027.
- What changed in Michigan land and property rules for 2026 — The PA 116 credit fix is signed and in effect, the Court of Appeals upheld most of the renewable-siting rules in May, the local-control ballot drive is suspended, and the annual tax numbers moved — the landowner's year in review.
- What changed in Michigan ORV and trail riding for 2026 — The 2026 ORV season in brief: more forest road miles, lingering storm closures up north, a statutory snowmobile permit increase, and two free riding weekends.
- What changed in Michigan wildlife rules for 2026 — Wildlife rules barely move — the live items are the feeding-ban bill in the Senate, evolving avian-flu guidance, and the seasonal beats: fawn season every May, feeders down in bear country.
- What stickers does my ORV need? The two-sticker system, decoded — Michigan's ORV license and trail permit are two different things — here's the decision table, the prices, the title rule, and where the money actually goes.
- What to know about well and septic in Alger County — Outside Munising, most of Alger County is on private well and septic. Michigan has no statewide septic code, and the local health department doesn't require an inspection when a property is sold -- so buyers should get their own.
- What to know about well and septic in Baraga County — Outside the villages, most of Baraga County is on private well and septic. Michigan has no statewide septic code, and the local health department doesn't require an inspection when a property is sold -- though it offers one that some home loans and buyers ask for.
- What to know about well and septic in Chippewa County — Outside Sault Ste. Marie, most of Chippewa County is on private well and septic. Michigan has no statewide septic code, and the county doesn't force an inspection just because a property is sold -- so it's on the buyer to check the system before closing.
- What to know about well and septic in Delta County — Outside Escanaba and Gladstone, most of Delta County is on private well and septic. Michigan has no statewide septic code, and the local health department doesn't require an inspection when a property is sold -- though it can evaluate a system if you ask.
- What to know about well and septic in Dickinson County — Outside Iron Mountain, Kingsford, and Norway, most of Dickinson County is on private well and septic. Michigan has no statewide septic code, and the local health department doesn't require an inspection when a property is sold -- though it offers evaluations some home loans require.
- What to know about well and septic in Gogebic County — Outside the cities, most of Gogebic County is on private well and septic. Michigan has no statewide septic code, and the local health department doesn't require an inspection when a property is sold -- though it offers one that some home loans and buyers ask for.
- What to know about well and septic in Houghton County — Outside the cities and villages, most of Houghton County is on private well and septic. Michigan has no statewide septic code, and the local health department doesn't require an inspection when a property is sold -- though it offers one that some home loans and buyers ask for.
- What to know about well and septic in Iron County — Outside the cities and the village of Alpha, most of Iron County is on private well and septic. Michigan has no statewide septic code, and the local health department doesn't require an inspection when a property is sold -- though it offers evaluations some home loans require.
- What to know about well and septic in Keweenaw County — Nearly all of remote Keweenaw County is on private well and septic. Michigan has no statewide septic code, and the local health department doesn't require an inspection when a property is sold -- though it offers one that some home loans and buyers ask for.
- What to know about well and septic in Marquette County — Outside the cities, much of Marquette County is on private well and septic. Michigan has no statewide septic code, and the county health department doesn't require an inspection purely because a property is sold -- though it checks the septic when you apply for a well permit, and some home loans ask for one.
- What to know about well and septic in Menominee County — Outside the cities and villages, most of Menominee County is on private well and septic. Michigan has no statewide septic code, and the local health department doesn't require an inspection when a property is sold -- though it can evaluate a system if you ask.
- What to know about well and septic in Ontonagon County — Almost all of Ontonagon County is on private well and septic. Michigan has no statewide septic code, and the local health department doesn't require an inspection when a property is sold -- though it offers one that some home loans and buyers ask for.
- What to know about well and septic in Schoolcraft County — Outside Manistique, most of Schoolcraft County is on private well and septic. Michigan has no statewide septic code, and the local health department doesn't require an inspection when a property is sold -- so buyers should get their own.
- When a Michigan Golf Cart Can Legally Take the Street — Golf carts aren't street-legal in Michigan by default — a village, city, or township under 30,000 people has to vote a resolution in first, and even then the rules are strict.
- When Michigan Lets You Light Fireworks (and When Your City Can Say No) — Consumer fireworks are legal statewide, but your town can ban them most of the year — except on about a dozen holiday days when it can only limit the hours.
- Where GM has tested its cars since 1924: the Milford Proving Ground — General Motors opened the Milford Proving Ground in 1924 as the auto industry's first dedicated test track — and it still runs today behind miles of fence in Milford.
- Where Michigan Wants Smoke and CO Alarms in a Home — Michigan's code wants a smoke alarm in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every floor — but for existing homes it only kicks in when you pull a permit or add a bedroom.
- Where the Road Meets the Lake: What the Public Can and Can't Do at a Road End — A public road that dead-ends at a Michigan lake is an access point, not a private beach — no boat hoists, no overnight docking, and only one seasonal public dock the township signs off on.
- Where you can legally ride an ORV on Sanilac County roads — Sanilac County's ORV ordinance opens most county roads to ATVs and side-by-sides, but riders must stay far right, single file, and under 25 mph — and individual towns can still say no.
- Which Grand Rapids-area cities charge a local income tax? — In Kent County, Grand Rapids and Walker charge a local income tax, while most nearby suburbs do not.
- Who Plows a Private Road in Michigan — On a Michigan private road, plowing, grading, and repair fall on the owners who use it, not the county road commission — and the plow truck won't turn in.
- Why is car insurance so expensive around here? — Michigan auto insurance is still expensive, and metro Detroit addresses can move rates by hundreds of dollars a month.
- Why You Can't Just Keep Splitting Off Lots From Your Land — Every rural parcel comes with a fixed budget of splits tied to its acreage; run out and the next lot needs a full plat, not a signature from the assessor.
- Wildlife in your house and yard: the landowner's rules — Since 2023, Michigan landowners may remove 13 common species doing damage — year-round, no permit. The list, the fine print, and the playbooks for attic and deck classics.
- Wildlife rules — The fawn in the yard, the raccoon in the attic, and exactly who to call.
- Wind country — turbines, leases, and who decides — In Michigan's Thumb, wind turbines can affect rural land value, leases, views, local zoning, and state siting decisions.
- Wind country: one of Michigan's biggest wind farms — Isabella Wind makes turbines, leases, tax revenue, views, and sound part of the rural home-buying picture in six Isabella County townships.
- Wind country: turbines on the skyline — Gratiot County's wind farms can affect rural land through turbine leases, views, tax base, local rules, and state siting decisions.
- Wind energy: an active local issue — No wind farm operates in Montcalm County today, but recent proposals and state siting rules make wind energy worth asking about when buying rural land.
- Wyandotte makes its own electricity — and has since the 1890s — Wyandotte runs its own electric, water, and cable utilities, a setup that goes back to an 1892 vote and makes the power bill a city department instead of DTE.
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- Yes, Portland, Michigan Has Its Own Income Tax — Tiny Portland in Ionia County levies a 1 percent city income tax on residents and half a percent on the people who commute in to work.
- You Can Drive Underwater Into Another Country — Only in Detroit — The Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, opened in 1930, is the only place in the world where you can drive underwater across an international border.
- You can keep backyard chickens in Grand Rapids — with a permit and no roosters — Grand Rapids legalized backyard hens in 2016 after a two-year pilot; the city allows up to four to six birds on a permit, with hard rules on coops — and no roosters.
- You Can Walk a Great Lakes Beach Below the High Water Mark, Even a Private One — Michigan's public-trust doctrine lets anyone walk the wet-sand strip of a Great Lakes shore past private frontage, up to the ordinary high water mark — but only walk, not sit and stay.
- Your Mail Says Grand Rapids, Your Income Tax Says Walker — A Grand Rapids mailing address doesn't mean you owe Grand Rapids. Much of Walker gets GR mail, but the city taxing your paycheck is Walker.
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- Zoning in Michigan: what you can build, keep, and run on your land — The master plan is the vision, the ordinance is the law: districts, special land uses, variances, the most misused word in local government — and the state laws that trump your township, from Right to Farm to renewable siting.