South Haven puts short-term rentals through zoning and licensing

Buy a cottage inside the South Haven city limits and do not assume weekend rentals come with the deed. The city now puts every short-term rental through two gates: zoning first, then licensing.

The current system comes from Ordinance 1097. Registrations under the old Article X program expired no later than May 1, 2026. Under Article V, an owner needs a zoning-compliance determination, a city license, and a passing inspection before renting a home for 28 days or less. The license lasts two years and belongs to that owner and that dwelling; it does not simply transfer with a sale.

Zoning is the part a buyer can miss. A new rental in the city’s short-term-rental overlay district needs special land-use approval from the Planning Commission. The city also separates more intensive commercial rentals from homes rented only occasionally, and each class has its own operating limits. That makes the property address and the planned rental pattern just as important as the application form.

Before counting on rental income, check the address on the city’s overlay map and ask the short-term-rental program staff whether the proposed use qualifies. A listing, an old registration, or the previous owner’s rental history is not the same thing as city approval. Treat this page as a starting point, not legal clearance for a particular property.