Short-term rentals in Grand Haven: allowed, but only in certain spots

Grand Haven is a beach town, so short-term rentals (Airbnb, Vrbo) are a common question — and the city’s approach is “yes, but only in the right places, and you have to register.” Unlike some lakeshore communities that ban vacation rentals in neighborhoods outright, the city of Grand Haven allows short-term rentals only in specific zoning districts (mostly downtown, the waterfront, and a few defined areas), and every rental has to be registered with the city each year and pass an inspection. Rentals that were already certified can keep operating and can transfer to a new owner — but if you’re buying a home in a regular residential neighborhood hoping to rent it short-term, that generally won’t be allowed. The neighboring Grand Haven Charter Township has its own separate rules, and limits where short-term rentals can go, too.

The practical advice is the same one that applies all along this coast: before you count on rental income, confirm in writing that short-term renting is allowed for that exact property — check whether it’s in an approved zone, whether it already holds a rental certificate, and, in a condo or neighborhood association, whether the association’s own rules allow it.