Vandalia

Vandalia’s Zoning Ordinance (Ord. 2016-1) does not separately classify or regulate short-term rentals. Whole-house short-term residential lets default to standard residential dwelling use and are permitted by right in the same districts that permit single-family dwellings: AR (Agricultural-Rural Residential), R-1 (Low Density Residential), and R-2 (Medium Density Residential), per the Permitted Uses table in Article 3 ^[2].

Bed-and-breakfast operations are a separate, explicitly named special land use, allowed only with Planning Commission approval in the AR, R-1, and R-3 districts ^[2]. If a property hosts paying overnight guests with on-site owner/operator (the classic B&B model) rather than renting the entire dwelling, the B&B special-use track applies.

For any specific property: verify the parcel’s zoning district on the Official Zoning Map, then confirm the intended use with the Village Zoning Administrator before listing.

There is no Vandalia STR-specific registration or license process. The village does not operate a short-term-rental portal, does not issue STR permits, does not maintain a rental hotline, and does not collect a village-level STR fee ^[1][2]. The compliance steps are:

• Zoning Permit (Ord. 2016-1, Section 2.2): required before any new use, building, or structural change ^[2]. Use the Zoning Permit Application below; no zoning permit is required just to begin offering an existing single-family dwelling for short-term rental, but any structural change (adding bedrooms, decks, accessory buildings, signage) does require one.
• Building Permit: required for new construction, additions, electrical, and most renovations. Vandalia uses the residential building permit fee schedule below.
• State use tax / Michigan room tax: separately required from the State of Michigan for short-term lodging revenue. Confirm with your accountant.
• Well/Septic inspection (recommended): if the property is on a private well or septic system, the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department offers a dedicated short-term-rental inspection application ^[3].

The village does not assess a short-term-rental license fee. The fees that do apply to STR operators are the same fees any property owner pays:

Each day a zoning violation continues counts as a separate offense, and prosecution costs are added on top of the civil fine ^[2].

Vandalia does not run a village rental inspection program. There is no recurring village-level safety inspection of long- or short-term rentals. Required inspections come from two other sources:

• Building inspections tied to permits issued under the State of Michigan building code — triggered when you pull a building, electrical, or fence permit (e.g., adding a deck, finishing a basement, replacing a service panel). Inspections are performed by the village’s contracted code-enforcement provider, Zoning Solutions ^[1].
• Well/septic inspections for properties on private systems — the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department offers a Short-Term Rental Inspection Application specifically aimed at STR owners, plus the standard Home Loan (point-of-sale) inspection used during real estate transactions ^[3].

Smoke alarms, carbon-monoxide detectors, GFCI outlets, and egress windows in sleeping rooms are required by state code and should be installed and maintained regardless of the absence of a village rental inspection.

Without a STR-specific operating ordinance, the rules that bind a Vandalia short-term-rental host are the village’s general nuisance, signs, parking, and supplemental zoning provisions:

• Sign limits. The Zoning Ordinance limits residential property advertising signs and prohibits placement in the public right-of-way ^[2].
• Parking. The village has a posted no-parking-on-streets period from November through May to allow snowplowing ^[1] — STR guests must use private driveway/lot space during the winter prohibition.
• Outdoor pools. Section 20.17 of the Zoning Ordinance requires fenced pools on residential property ^[2].
• Outdoor furnaces, lighting, accessory buildings. Sections 20.9, 20.18, and 20.21 govern these supplemental provisions, all of which apply equally to a hosted property ^[2].
• Nuisance per se. Any continuing zoning violation is a municipal civil infraction subject to escalating fines and may be abated under MCL 125.3407 ^[2].

If you intend to operate a hosted bed-and-breakfast (owner-occupied with served breakfast) rather than a whole-house STR, Vandalia’s Zoning Ordinance treats that as a Special Land Use under Section 18.2. B&Bs are allowed by Special Use approval in three districts: AR (Agricultural-Rural Residential), R-1 (Low Density Residential), and R-3 (High Density Residential) ^[2].

The special-use process requires a Planning Commission application, public notice, and a public hearing under the procedures in Article 7 of the Zoning Ordinance ^[2]. Site plan review under Article 6 also applies. Plan for at least one application cycle (4–8 weeks) before approval.