Rental Investment Guide

Bertrand Township

Short-term & long-term rental regulations, fees, and investor resources for Berrien County, Michigan.

Updated April 2026
📞
Township Office
269-695-5001
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Township Office
info@bertrandtwpmi.gov
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Directions
3835 Buffalo Road, Buchanan, MI 49107
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Township Website
bertrandtwpmi.gov

Area Overview

Bertrand Township sits in the southern tier of Berrien County, bordering the state of Indiana and wrapping around the south side of the City of Niles. The township is a rural-to-suburban bedroom community — roughly 95% of its land is zoned residential with a small industrial corridor adjacent to the U.S. 31 Bypass [1]. Housing stock is predominantly owner-occupied single-family residences on large lots and working farmland. There is no Lake Michigan shoreline and no village commercial core.

Because the market here is inland and residential rather than resort/tourism, Bertrand Township does not appear on the short list of Berrien County municipalities that have adopted a stand-alone short-term rental ordinance. Rental activity is regulated by zoning (Chapter 24 of the Code of Ordinances [2]) and the Michigan Housing Law baseline that applies to all residential rentals in the state [3]. Investors should still verify any specific parcel's zoning district and permitted use with the Township before underwriting, because the use tables in Chapter 24 are where the dwelling/rental permission actually lives.

Quick Status Summary

Short-Term Rentals UNVERIFIED

No stand-alone short-term rental ordinance has been located in Bertrand Township's publicly posted code of ordinances. Whether an STR use is permitted on any specific parcel is governed by the zoning district's use chart in Chapter 24 of the Code of Ordinances — verify with the Township before listing.

Long-Term Rentals ALLOWED

Long-term residential rentals (30+ days) are allowed wherever the zoning district permits residential dwelling use under Chapter 24 of the Code of Ordinances. No dedicated township LTR registration has been identified; standard Michigan Housing Law obligations apply.

Rental Regulations

1 Where STRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

Bertrand Township regulates rental activity through its zoning use tables in Chapter 24 of the Code of Ordinances [2] — not through a separate STR ordinance. That means whether a short-term rental is permitted on any specific parcel depends entirely on the zoning district the parcel sits in, and whether the district’s use chart allows residential dwelling use (for an entire-home rental) or a related accessory/commercial lodging use.

Roughly 95% of the township is mapped as suburban residential [1], with smaller Agricultural (Chapter 5), Commercial (Chapter 7), and Special Land Use (Chapter 11) pockets. The by-district use chart is codified inside Chapter 24 — read the residential (Chapter 6: RR, R-1, R-2), agricultural (Chapter 5), and special-land-use (Chapter 11) sections to confirm permitted uses for a given parcel.

Investor takeaway: Do not assume STR use is permitted on a residentially zoned parcel. Confirm the specific district and its use chart with the Township before making an offer that depends on nightly-rental income.
📄 Chapter 24 — Zoning📄 Ch. 6 — Residential Districts📧 Ask Township Office
2 Registration & Permit Process

No dedicated STR registration program has been identified for Bertrand Township. A specific STR permit fee or application form is not posted on the township’s publicly available pages, and no stand-alone short-term rental chapter appears in the codified ordinances [2].

That does not mean a rental is automatically permitted — it means the path is through the zoning framework. Before operating any rental, contact the Township Office to confirm:

  • Whether the parcel’s zoning district permits the intended use (long-term residential, short-term transient lodging, etc.).
  • Whether a zoning compliance permit or special-land-use permit is required for the specific use.
  • Whether any township-wide business-registration or rental-registration requirement applies.
📋 Forms & Permits📧 Email Township📞 (269) 695-5001
3 Fees & Penalties

No STR-specific fee schedule has been located on Bertrand Township’s publicly posted pages. Zoning compliance and special-land-use application fees, when required, are set by resolution of the Township Board. Confirm the current fee with the Township Office at the time of application.

STR-specific feeNot published — confirm with Township
Zoning / special-land-use applicationSet by Township Board resolution — confirm with Township
Zoning violation penaltyCivil infraction under Chapter 24 — see the ordinance for daily amounts
📄 Chapter 24 — Zoning📞 Confirm current fees
4 Operating Rules & General Ordinances

Even without an STR-specific chapter, standard township ordinances still apply to any rental use. Relevant sections inside the codified ordinances [2]:

  • Chapter 24 (Zoning) — district-by-district permitted uses and special-land-use standards [2].
  • Chapter 20 (Streets, Sidewalks & Other Public Places) — public-place use, right-of-way obstructions, and related provisions [2].
  • General nuisance, noise, and property-maintenance provisions codified in the township’s code.

State-level obligations layered on top of any residential rental:

  • Michigan Housing Law of 1966 — statewide minimum habitability standards for all residential rentals [3].
  • Michigan Use Tax (STR) — short-term rentals of less than 30 days are subject to the Michigan 6% use tax collected by the operator on the accommodation charge.
📄 Full Code of Ordinances📄 MI Housing Law (MCL Act 167)
1 Where LTRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

Long-term rentals (30+ days) are permitted wherever the zoning district allows residential dwelling use under Chapter 24 of the Code of Ordinances [2]. That covers the RR, R-1, and R-2 residential districts (Chapter 6) and the AG agricultural district (Chapter 5) for dwellings meeting the district’s use and dimensional standards.

Bertrand Township does not operate a separate long-term-rental licensing program, so the path for an LTR is: comply with the zoning use and dimensional standards, and with the Michigan Housing Law baseline that governs all residential rentals statewide [3].

📄 Chapter 24 — Zoning📄 Ch. 6 — Residential Districts📧 Ask Township Office
2 Registration & Permit Process (LTR)

Bertrand Township does not appear to operate a dedicated long-term-rental registration or inspection program. That means LTR landlords are primarily regulated through:

  • Michigan Housing Law of 1966 — statewide habitability baseline for all residential rentals [3].
  • Chapter 24 (Zoning) — parcel-level use, setbacks, accessory dwellings, and special-land-use rules [2].
  • Michigan landlord-tenant law — leases, security deposits, notices, and evictions under MCL 554.601 et seq. and the Summary Proceedings Act [4].

Because there is no dedicated LTR application or inspection cycle, the operational starting point is the Township Office for zoning-use verification. Tenant-facing rights, lease requirements, and evictions follow Michigan state law.

📧 Email Township📞 (269) 695-5001
3 Inspections & Safety Standards

There is no routine township-run LTR inspection cycle. Enforcement authority is complaint-driven and flows from the Michigan Housing Law [3] and the township’s general ordinance enforcement powers. Common LTR baseline obligations that still apply to every rental unit:

  • Working smoke alarms in every sleeping area, outside each sleeping area, and on every floor.
  • At least one carbon monoxide detector on each floor with fuel-fired appliances or attached garage.
  • No peeling paint (lead-paint disclosure for pre-1978 dwellings), no exposed electrical wiring, no missing outlet/fixture covers.
  • Safe egress from every bedroom per the Michigan Residential Code.
  • Potable water and a working sewage system — on-site septic permits are handled by Berrien County Health Department [5].
🏥 Berrien County — On-Site Septic📄 MI Housing Law (MCL Act 167)
4 Tenant Rights & Eviction Resources

Michigan landlord-tenant relationships are governed by state law (MCL 554.601 et seq.) and the Summary Proceedings Act for evictions. The Michigan Legislature publishes a free Practical Guide for Tenants & Landlords covering leases, security deposits, repairs, and the eviction process [4]. Bertrand Township does not modify these rights by local ordinance; local ordinance-enforcement actions (blight, nuisance, zoning) can run in parallel with civil landlord-tenant proceedings.

📄 MI Tenant & Landlord Guide (PDF)⚖️ Michigan Legal Help — Housing

Official Resources

Ordinances
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Code of Ordinances (full)
Municode — all chapters
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Chapter 24 — Zoning
District use charts & standards
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Chapter 5 — AG Agricultural District
Permitted uses in agricultural zoning
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Chapter 6 — RR, R-1, R-2 Residential Districts
Residential zoning standards
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Chapter 7 — Commercial District
Commercial use standards
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Chapter 11 — Special Land Uses
Conditional / special-use review
Forms & Applications
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Forms & Permits (township page)
Township-hosted forms & applications
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Building Department
Building permits & inspections
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Planning Department
Zoning, planning, land use
Maps
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Berrien County Municipality Maps
Bertrand Township boundary & base map
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Berrien County GIS
Parcels, utilities, sewer, tax info
Portals & Lookups
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BS&A Online — Bertrand Township
Parcel, tax, and assessing records
Contact & Directions
📞
Township Office
(269) 695-5001
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Township Fax
(269) 695-4205
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Township Office Email
info@bertrandtwpmi.gov
🗺
Directions to Township Hall
3835 Buffalo Rd, Buchanan, MI 49107
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Main Municipal Site
bertrandtwpmi.gov
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Berrien County Health — On-Site Septic
Septic & well permits

Property Tax Treatment

i
Important for investors: A property used as a rental in Michigan is generally classified as non-homestead, which is taxed at the full local millage rate (no Principal Residence Exemption). Short-term rental income may also be subject to the Michigan Use Tax on transient accommodations. Consult a CPA before underwriting any deal — these are not opinions, they are starting points for your own tax research.
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Michigan Property Tax Guide
PRE, millage, transfer rules
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Michigan Treasury
State tax info

Explore Rental Guides — Berrien County

All 39 municipalities in Berrien County. Click any to view its rental guide — or request one if it’s not yet live.

STRs Allowed
STRs Capped/Limited
STRs Restricted
Guide Coming Soon

Considering an investment property in Bertrand Township?

I help investors and owners evaluate rental rules, zoning, and the specific cost of compliance before making an offer — inland Berrien County included.

Schedule a Consultation Call (269) 235-9910

Sources & Downloads

  1. 1
    Berrien County — Bertrand Township Community Profile (PDF)
    https://www.berriencounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/263/Bertrand-Township-PDF
    Township history, demographics, ~95% suburban-residential zoning, officials, meeting schedule.
    Verified: 2026-04-21
  2. 2
    Bertrand Township — Code of Ordinances (Municode)
    https://library.municode.com/mi/bertrand_township,_(berrien_co.)/codes/code_of_ordinances
    Codified ordinances including Chapter 24 Zoning (Ch. 5 AG, Ch. 6 Residential, Ch. 7 Commercial, Ch. 11 Special Land Uses).
    Verified: 2026-04-21
  3. 3
    Michigan Legislature — Michigan Housing Law of 1966 (MCL Act 167 of 1917, as amended)
    https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-act-167-of-1917.pdf
    Statewide baseline habitability standards for residential rental housing in Michigan.
    Verified: 2026-04-21
  4. 4
    Michigan Legislature — A Practical Guide for Tenants & Landlords
    https://www.legislature.mi.gov/publications/tenantlandlord.pdf
    State landlord-tenant law, leases, security deposits, eviction process.
    Verified: 2026-04-21
  5. 5
    Berrien County Health Department — On-Site Septic
    https://www.berriencounty.org/760/On-Site-Septic
    Septic system permitting authority for parcels outside municipal sewer.
    Verified: 2026-04-21
How this guide is produced. This rental guide is researched and drafted with assistance from Claude, an AI model made by Anthropic, working from the official municipal sources linked in this page. AI can make mistakes — any fact that would materially affect a purchase or rental decision should be verified against the official source cited above and confirmed directly with the municipality. See an error? Email a correction.