Rental Investment Guide

Paw Paw

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

Updated May 2026
📞
Village Hall
269-657-3148
📧
Village Manager
b.myrkle@pawpaw.net
🗺
Directions
111 E. Michigan Ave., Paw Paw, MI 49079
🌐
Village Website
www.pawpaw.net

Area Overview

Paw Paw is a village of about 3,362 residents [1] and the county seat of Van Buren County, located on Interstate 94 roughly 20 miles west of Kalamazoo. The northern half of the village wraps around 172-acre Maple Lake [1], a popular boating and fishing impoundment of the South Branch Paw Paw River. The downtown along E. Michigan Avenue is the historic core of Michigan’s wine country, anchored by St. Julian Winery and the annual Wine and Harvest Festival.

Rental investment in the village is overwhelmingly long-term: the village’s small-town residential stock and modest STR demand (a handful of active Airbnb and VRBO listings) means most landlords here run year-round leases rather than weekly vacation rentals. The village does not have a separate short-term rental ordinance [2]. Instead, all rental dwelling units (residential and commercial) must be registered under village Code sections 8-151 through 8-160 and undergo a code compliance inspection once every three years [3]. Operators considering an STR within village limits should verify the use against the underlying zoning district before listing, since the village zoning ordinance does not currently carve out a specific transient lodging classification.

Quick Status Summary

Short-Term Rentals VERIFY PER PARCEL

The Village of Paw Paw does not have a dedicated short-term rental ordinance. Any rental dwelling, including STRs, must be registered with the village under Code Ch. 8, Art. V (Sections 8-151 through 8-160) and inspected every three years [3]. STR use must also comply with the underlying zoning district under Chapter 50 of the village code [4]; the village does not publish a transient-lodging-specific use chart, so investors should verify zoning permissibility with the Community Development Coordinator before listing on Airbnb/VRBO. Note: Paw Paw Township (which surrounds the village) has its own STR ordinance #288 [5] – that ordinance does NOT apply inside village limits.

Long-Term Rentals ALLOWED

Long-term rentals are permitted in residential zoning districts (R-1, R-2, R-M) and within mixed-use districts. All rental dwellings must be registered under Code sections 8-151 through 8-160 and pass a village code inspection once every three years [3]. There is no permit cap. Statewide landlord-tenant law (MCL 554.601 et seq.) governs leases and evictions [6].

Rental Regulations

1 Where STRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

The Village of Paw Paw does not maintain a transient-lodging-specific use category in its zoning ordinance. Any STR use must therefore fit within the dwelling-use permissions of the parcel’s underlying zoning district under Chapter 50 of the Village Code [4]. The village’s twelve zoning districts include R-1 (Single Family Residential), R-2 (1 & 2 Family Residential), R-M (Multi-Family Residential), MH (Mobile Home), VRAPUD (Village Revitalization Area), B-1 (Local Business), B-2 (General Business), C-B-D (Central Business District), R-O (Restricted Office), I-1 (Light Industrial), I-2 (General Industrial), and P (Parking) [7].

For any specific property, verify the parcel’s zoning district on the map below, then confirm whether STR-style transient occupancy is permitted by right (or as a special land use) with Village Community Development Coordinator Leonard Lux. Do not assume that because the dwelling itself is permitted, short-term renting it is also permitted – that is a parcel-by-parcel question.

Village of Paw Paw Zoning Map (9-4-2017)

Click to open the full Village of Paw Paw zoning map (PDF, 09-04-2017).

🗺 Zoning Map (PDF)📜 Full Code of Ordinances📞 Ask Village Hall
2 Registration & Permit Process

Submission: by mail or in person to Village Hall (111 E. Michigan Ave., Paw Paw, MI 49079) using the village’s Business & Rental Property Registration form [8]. There is no online portal for rental registration. The same form is used whether the rental is residential, commercial, or mixed-use – check the appropriate category at the top.

Required information on the registration form [8]:

  • Property address and tax I.D. number
  • Number of units
  • Owner name, mailing address, and phone
  • Applicant name (if different from owner)
  • Local agent charged with collecting rent and/or maintaining the structure (with phone)
  • Whether the structure is new construction less than 3 years old
SubmissionMail or in person to Village Hall
Application formBusiness & Rental Property Registration (PDF)
Inspection cycleEvery 3 years [3]
Local-agent requirementRequired if owner does not manage the property directly [8]
For STR investors: Filing this registration alone does NOT confirm that short-term rental of the property is permitted. Confirm STR/transient occupancy permission with the Community Development Coordinator BEFORE you list, since the village zoning ordinance is the controlling document on use [4].
📄 Registration Form (PDF)📞 Call Village Hall🗺 Directions to Village Hall
3 Fees & Penalties

The village rental registration fee is set by resolution of the village council and is paid at Village Hall before each compliance inspection [3]. The current fee schedule is not posted as a separate downloadable PDF on the village website; investors should call Village Hall at (269) 657-3148 for the current dollar amount before mailing in a registration.

Registration feeSet by village council resolution; verify current amount with Village Hall [3]
Inspection cycleEvery 3 years
Civil infraction (general)Per Village Code Chapter 1 (general penalty schedule) [9]

Operating an unregistered rental, or refusing a scheduled compliance inspection, exposes the owner to civil-infraction enforcement under the village’s general penalty provisions. Verify the current registration fee directly with Village Hall before submitting paperwork.

📞 Call for Current Fees📧 Email Village Manager
4 Inspections & Safety Requirements

Code compliance inspections are required once every three years for every commercial and rental dwelling unit registered with the village [3]. The village’s Community Development and Codes Department (Coordinator: Leonard Lux) handles rental inspections and property maintenance code enforcement directly; building, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical permits are processed through the village’s contract inspection partner SAFEbuilt (107 S Capital Ave, PO Box 190, Athens, MI 49011, athensmi@safebuilt.com) [10].

The inspection focuses on property maintenance code compliance: working smoke detectors, safe electrical (no exposed wiring, all covers in place), no peeling paint, structural integrity, and basic habitability. New construction less than three years old is noted on the registration form and may receive a streamlined first inspection.

🏘 Community Development Page📄 Building Permit App (SAFEbuilt)📞 Schedule Inspection
5 Operating Rules (Occupancy, Quiet Hours, Parking, Trash)

Because there is no village-specific STR ordinance, day-to-day operating rules for any rental in Paw Paw come from the village’s general Code of Ordinances [9]:

  • Noise / nuisance: Village Code Chapter 20 (Offenses) governs disturbances, loud parties, and nuisance behavior. Renters and operators are subject to the same standards as residents [9].
  • Parking: On-street parking restrictions and snow-emergency parking rules apply to all properties; check the parked-vehicles FAQ on the Community Development page [11].
  • Trash: Solid-waste pickup follows the published Village schedule; STR operators are responsible for ensuring containers are not left at the curb outside the published windows [12].
  • Maple Lake / waterfront: If your rental is on Maple Lake, lake-use rules (no-wake zones, dock setbacks) are governed by the village in cooperation with the Maple Lake management plan; contact Village Hall for specifics before advertising lake access amenities.
📜 Code of Ordinances📄 2026 Trash Pickup Schedule📄 Parked-Vehicles FAQ
6 Complaints & After-Hours Contacts

The village does not operate a dedicated STR complaint hotline (no STR-specific ordinance has created one). For rental-property complaints, residents and neighbors can use one of the following:

📄 Ordinance Violation Complaint📞 After-Hours Emergency
7 Recent Changes & Investor Notes

Unlike neighboring Paw Paw Township, the Village of Paw Paw has not enacted a dedicated short-term rental ordinance. Paw Paw Township’s STR Ordinance #288 took effect July 1, 2024 [5] – that ordinance applies only to properties OUTSIDE village limits. Inside the village, the older Code Chapter 8 rental-registration framework (3-year inspection cycle) remains in force [3].

For investors: Confirm three things in writing before underwriting an STR strategy on a village parcel: (1) the parcel’s zoning district allows transient/lodging-style occupancy; (2) the rental is registered under Code Ch. 8; (3) any HOA, deed restriction, or Maple Lake riparian-rights constraint is reviewed. The village’s small ordinance footprint cuts both ways: less STR-specific red tape, but also less written guidance, so direct conversation with Community Development Coordinator Leonard Lux is the safer underwriting path.
📧 Email Village Manager🏘 Community Development Page
1 Where LTRs Are Allowed (Zoning)

Long-term rentals (leases of 31+ days) are permitted in the village’s residential and mixed-use zoning districts. The Village of Paw Paw has twelve zoning districts under Chapter 50 of the Village Code [4]: R-1 (Single Family Residential), R-2 (1 & 2 Family Residential), R-M (Multi-Family Residential), MH (Mobile Home), VRAPUD (Village Revitalization Area), B-1 (Local Business), B-2 (General Business), C-B-D (Central Business District), R-O (Restricted Office), I-1 (Light Industrial), I-2 (General Industrial), and P (Parking) [7]. Single-family rentals are permitted by right in R-1, R-2, and R-M; two-family in R-2 and R-M; multi-family in R-M.

Where verification matters: mixed-use parcels in the C-B-D, B-1, B-2, R-O, and VRAPUD districts may permit residential dwelling units above ground-floor commercial space – confirm the specific allowance and any density requirements with the Community Development Coordinator.

Village of Paw Paw Zoning Map (9-4-2017)

Click to open the full Village of Paw Paw zoning map (PDF, 09-04-2017).

🗺 Zoning Map (PDF)📜 Full Code of Ordinances📞 Ask Village Hall
2 Registration & Permit Process

Submission: by mail or in person to Village Hall (111 E. Michigan Ave., Paw Paw, MI 49079) using the same Business & Rental Property Registration form used for any rental class [8]. There is no online portal.

The form requires owner name and address, applicant name, local-agent name and phone (required if owner does not manage directly), property address, tax I.D., and number of units. Code sections 8-151 through 8-160 of the Village Code require all rental dwelling units to be registered with the village; sections also establish the inspection schedule and the obligation to pay the registration fee before the initial compliance inspection [3].

SubmissionMail or in person to Village Hall
Application formBusiness & Rental Property Registration (PDF)
Inspection cycleEvery 3 years [3]
Local-agent requirementRequired if owner does not manage the property directly [8]
📄 Registration Form (PDF)📞 Call Village Hall🗺 Directions to Village Hall
3 Fees & Penalties

The rental registration fee is set by village council resolution and is payable at Village Hall before each initial compliance inspection [3]. The village does not currently publish a separate fee-schedule PDF; call Village Hall at (269) 657-3148 for the current dollar amount before submitting a registration.

Registration feeSet by village council resolution; verify with Village Hall [3]
Re-inspection / no-showVerify with Village Hall
Operating without registrationCivil infraction under Village Code Chapter 1 [9]

The village does not maintain an online fine-payment portal. Fees and any infraction settlements are paid in person or by mail to Village Hall.

📞 Call for Current Fees📧 Email Village Manager
4 Inspections & Safety Requirements

All registered LTRs are inspected once every three years by the village’s Community Development and Codes Department [3]. The inspection covers basic property-maintenance-code items: smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors, safe electrical (no exposed wiring, all panel covers in place), no peeling paint, structural integrity, working plumbing, working heat, and basic habitability.

If a rental property requires a building, plumbing, electrical, or mechanical permit (for example to convert a basement into a legal bedroom or to replace a furnace), those permits go through SAFEbuilt – the village’s contract inspection partner – using the dedicated permit applications [10].

📄 Building Permit App📄 Electrical Permit App📄 Plumbing Permit App📄 Mechanical Permit App
5 Tenant Rights & Eviction Resources

Michigan landlord-tenant relationships are governed by state law (MCL 554.601 et seq. – the Truth in Renting Act and related statutes) and the summary proceedings act for evictions. The State Bar of Michigan and the Michigan Legislature jointly publish a free Practical Guide for Tenants and Landlords covering leases, security deposits, repairs, and the eviction process [6]. These rules apply equally in the Village of Paw Paw and are not modified by local ordinance.

Tenants who suspect their unit is unsafe (no heat, sewage backup, electrical hazard) can also file a housing complaint with the Van Buren / Cass District Health Department’s Environmental Health division [15] in addition to contacting the village.

📚 MI Tenant-Landlord Guide🏠 Housing Complaint (Health Dept)📞 VBC Health Department

Official Resources

Ordinances
📜
Village Code of Ordinances
Full Municode library – all chapters
📜
Code Chapter 8 – Buildings & Building Regulations
Includes rental-registration sections 8-151 to 8-160
📜
Code Chapter 20 – Offenses
Noise, nuisance, and disturbance enforcement
Forms & Applications
📋
Business & Rental Property Registration
PDF – submit to Village Hall
📋
Zoning Permit Application
PDF – for any zoning-related permit
📋
Special Land Use Application
PDF – for non-by-right uses
📋
Building Permit & Plans Examination
PDF – via SAFEbuilt
📋
Electrical Permit Application
PDF – via SAFEbuilt
📋
Plumbing Permit Application
PDF – via SAFEbuilt
📋
Mechanical Permit Application
PDF – via SAFEbuilt
📋
Ordinance Violation Complaint Form
PDF – report a code violation
Maps
🗺
Village of Paw Paw Zoning Map
PDF – 09-04-2017 edition
🗺
DDA District Map
Downtown Development Authority boundaries
🗺
Van Buren County Interactive Maps (GIS)
Parcels, taxes, ownership, aerial imagery, drains
Portals & Lookups
🔎
Village of Paw Paw Forms Library
All village applications and registrations
🔎
Community Development & Codes Page
Rental inspections and zoning inquiries
Contact & Directions
📞
Village Hall (Main Line)
(269) 657-3148 – Mon-Fri 7am-4pm
📞
After-Hours Emergency Dispatch
Van Buren County Central Dispatch
📧
Village Manager Email
Bryan Myrkle – b.myrkle@pawpaw.net
📧
Village Clerk Email
Karla Tacy – k.tacy@pawpaw.net
🗺
Directions to Village Hall
111 E. Michigan Ave., Paw Paw
🌐
Village of Paw Paw Website
Main municipal site
🏥
Van Buren / Cass District Health Department
Septic, well, and housing complaints

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.
📊
Michigan Property Tax Guide
PRE, millage, transfer rules
🏛
Michigan Treasury
State tax info

Explore Rental Guides — Van Buren County

Every municipality in Van Buren County. Click any to view its rental guide — or request one if it’s not yet live. View the Van Buren County hub →

STRs Allowed
STRs Capped/Limited
STRs Heavily Restricted
STRs Not Allowed
Unverified
Guide Coming Soon

Looking at a property in a different county? View all Southwest Michigan rental guides →

Buying, selling, or investing in Paw Paw Village?

Whether you're underwriting a downtown duplex, a Maple Lake cottage, or a long-term hold near St. Julian Winery, I help investors and homeowners navigate the village-specific zoning and rental-registration rules across Van Buren County and the rest of southwest Michigan.

Schedule a Consultation Call (269) 235-9910

Sources & Downloads

  1. 1
    Wikipedia – Paw Paw, Michigan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paw_Paw,_Michigan
    Population (3,362 per 2020 census), county-seat status, geography (Maple Lake, I-94 location), housing-unit count.
    Verified: 2026-05-10
  2. 2
    Paw Paw Township – New Short Term Rental Ordinance #288 In Effect https://pawpawtownshipmi.gov/2024/07/01/new-short-term-rental-ordinance-288-goes-into-effect/
    Township ordinance only – confirms Paw Paw Township (not the Village) enacted a separate STR ordinance effective 2024-07-01.
    Verified: 2026-05-10
  3. 3
    Village of Paw Paw – Business & Rental Property Registration form https://www.pawpaw.net/wp-content/uploads/Business-Rental-Property-Registration.pdf
    Identifies Code sections 8-151 through 8-160 as the rental-registration framework; confirms 3-year inspection cycle, fee set by council resolution, and local-agent requirement.
    Verified: 2026-05-10
  4. 4
    Village of Paw Paw Code of Ordinances – Municode Library https://library.municode.com/mi/paw_paw/codes/code_of_ordinances
    Full text of Village Code, including Chapter 8 (Buildings & Building Regulations) and Chapter 50 (Zoning).
    Verified: 2026-05-10
  5. 5
    Paw Paw Township STR Ordinance #288 announcement https://pawpawtownshipmi.gov/2024/07/01/new-short-term-rental-ordinance-288-goes-into-effect/
    Confirms STR Ordinance #288 applies in Paw Paw Township, not the Village.
    Verified: 2026-05-10
  6. 6
    Michigan Legislature – A Practical Guide for Tenants & Landlords https://www.legislature.mi.gov/publications/tenantlandlord.pdf
    Statewide landlord-tenant law, leases, eviction process.
    Verified: 2026-05-10
  7. 7
    Village of Paw Paw Zoning Map (09-04-2017) https://www.pawpaw.net/wp-content/uploads/Zoning-Map-9-4-2017-3.pdf
    Lists the twelve zoning districts in force in the village (R-1, R-2, R-M, MH, VRAPUD, B-1, B-2, C-B-D, R-O, I-1, I-2, P).
    Verified: 2026-05-10
  8. 8
    Village of Paw Paw – Business & Rental Property Registration form (form fields) https://www.pawpaw.net/wp-content/uploads/Business-Rental-Property-Registration.pdf
    Form fields confirm the local-agent requirement and the categories (residential, commercial, mixed).
    Verified: 2026-05-10
  9. 9
    Village of Paw Paw Code Chapter 20 – Offenses https://library.municode.com/mi/paw_paw/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH20OF
    Noise, nuisance, and general-penalty provisions applicable to all rentals.
    Verified: 2026-05-10
  10. 10
    Village of Paw Paw – Community Development and Codes https://www.pawpaw.net/village-departments/community-development-and-codes
    Identifies Leonard Lux as Community Development Coordinator/Zoning Administrator and confirms SAFEbuilt as the contract building department.
    Verified: 2026-05-10
  11. 11
    Village of Paw Paw – Parked Vehicles FAQ https://www.pawpaw.net/wp-content/uploads/Parked-Vehicles.pdf
    Parking-restriction guidance referenced in the operating-rules accordion.
    Verified: 2026-05-10
  12. 12
    Village of Paw Paw – 2026 Brush and Leaf Pickup Schedule https://www.pawpaw.net/wp-content/uploads/Solid-waste-Pickup.pdf
    Solid-waste pickup schedule referenced in the operating-rules accordion.
    Verified: 2026-05-10
  13. 13
    Village of Paw Paw – Contact page https://www.pawpaw.net/contact
    Office hours, main phone (269-657-3148), after-hours non-emergency and emergency lines.
    Verified: 2026-05-10
  14. 14
    Village of Paw Paw – Ordinance Violation Complaint Form https://www.pawpaw.net/wp-content/uploads/ordinance-violation-complaint-form.pdf
    PDF complaint form for any village code violation.
    Verified: 2026-05-10
  15. 15
    Van Buren / Cass District Health Department – Environmental Health https://vbcassdhd.org/environmental-health/
    Housing, septic, well, and rental-housing complaint resources for the village.
    Verified: 2026-05-10
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.