Wayland

The City of Wayland has not adopted a dedicated short-term rental ordinance. Whether a given parcel can be operated as an STR depends entirely on the underlying zoning district and how the Zoning Ordinance defines permitted dwelling and lodging uses ^[5]. The city’s Code of Ordinances on Municode does not contain an STR-specific chapter, and the Fee Schedule (effective December 1, 2025) lists no STR registration, license, or inspection fee ^[2].

Because the Zoning Ordinance Schedule of Uses must be read directly, verify the parcel’s district on the official Zoning Map below, then confirm with the Zoning Administrator whether transient (under-30-day) rental is treated as a permitted residential use, a home occupation, a special-use permit, or a prohibited commercial-lodging use in that district.

Click the map to open the full Zoning Map PDF. The interactive Allegan County GIS parcel viewer is also useful for confirming the district and lot dimensions of a specific address.

There is no City of Wayland STR registration, license, or permit program. The Fee Schedule for FY 2025-2026 (effective December 1, 2025) does not list any short-term rental registration fee, inspection fee, or vacation-rental license ^[2]. Owners are not required to file an STR-specific application with the city before listing on Airbnb, Vrbo, or other platforms.

What you still need to handle independent of the city:

• Michigan Use Tax registration. Stays under 30 days are subject to Michigan’s 6% Use Tax (functioning as a state lodging tax). Register through Michigan Treasury Online before your first paid booking ^[9].
• Zoning confirmation. If the Zoning Administrator determines that transient lodging requires a Special-Use Permit in your district, the city’s special-use permit application is a $300 application fee plus the cost of any outside consultants ^[2]. Special-Use Permit Application (PDF).
• Building, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical permits are administered by Professional Code Inspections of Michigan (PCI), the city’s appointed inspector, if you do any rehab work to prepare the property ^[4].

$0 STR registration. $0 STR license. $0 STR inspection. The City of Wayland Fee Schedule for FY 2025-2026 contains no short-term-rental-specific fee ^[2].

Fees that may still apply when standing up a rental property:

General ordinance violation penalties (e.g., noise, nuisance, sign, code-enforcement complaints) are tiered ^[2]:

State 6% Use Tax on stays under 30 days is collected separately by Michigan Treasury ^[9]. There is no Allegan County excise lodging tax.

No city-run rental inspection cycle. Wayland does not perform periodic inspections of short-term or long-term rental dwellings ^[2]. Inspections only occur in two circumstances:

• Construction or renovation work that requires a building, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical permit, conducted by Professional Code Inspections of Michigan (PCI), the city’s appointed inspector in Dorr, MI ^[4].
• Complaint-based code enforcement triggered by neighbors or guests reporting issues such as overcrowding, exterior nuisance, or building-code violations.

STR operators should still self-verify the basics that complaint inspections catch: working smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms in every sleeping area, a clear path of egress from every bedroom, GFCI outlets in kitchens and baths, a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, no exposed wiring, and accurate occupancy listings on the platform that match the dwelling’s actual bedroom count.

STR operators are bound by Wayland’s general nuisance, noise, and parking ordinances as published in the city’s Code of Ordinances on Municode ^[3]. Key items to brief guests on:

• Noise. The general nuisance chapter restricts loud or disturbing noise audible at a property line, particularly between 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM. Repeated complaints can escalate to the tiered ordinance-violation fines (1st offense $50, 2nd $150, 3rd+ $500) ^[2].
• Parking. On-street parking restrictions follow the city traffic schedule; overnight parking and parking on lawns or in unpaved areas may trigger ticketing. Confirm any winter overnight on-street parking ban with the city before high-season operation.
• Trash. Residential trash and recycling are picked up by Republic Services. Containers are to be placed at the curb the day of pickup and pulled back the same day. Overflow trash from oversize rental parties is a common complaint trigger.
• Signs. Temporary signs require a permit and have time limits; on-premises STR advertising signs in the public right-of-way are not permitted ^[2].

Michigan applies a 6% Use Tax to lodging stays of less than 30 days, which functions as the de facto state lodging tax for short-term rentals ^[9]. Wayland City does not levy an additional local lodging tax, and Allegan County has no excise lodging tax.

• Register with Michigan Treasury Online (MTO) before your first paid booking. mto.treasury.michigan.gov
• File and remit 6% Use Tax monthly, quarterly, or annually depending on revenue.
• Marketplace platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo) collect and remit Michigan’s 6% Use Tax on the host’s behalf for bookings made through their platform. Direct bookings remain the host’s responsibility ^[9].
• Federal income tax applies to net rental income; consult your CPA on Schedule E vs. Schedule C treatment depending on average stay length and services provided.