Short and Long Term Rental Permitting
St. Ignace is committed to addressing its housing challenges. The need to enforce existing housing standards, maintain housing quality, and support the development of diverse, affordable housing options that serve the year-round community is especially important with the current pressure from employee housing, short term rentals and non-locally owned rentals.
Because of this, City Council has recently contracted with UpNorth Planning, Zoning, and Community Development (UNPZCD) to enforce our current ordinances for short term rentals, long-term rentals, employee housing and blight.
The goals of the City include:
1. Support Affordable Housing Initiatives: Assist the City of St. Ignace in encouraging affordable housing development to meet the needs of all household types and income groups.
2. Preserve Existing Housing Stock: Promote maintenance and upkeep of the city’s aging housing inventory to ensure its safety, utility, and visual appeal.
3. Streamline Housing Enforcement: Efficiently enforce zoning ordinances and building maintenance codes to support residential neighborhoods and prevent blight.
4. Address Employee Housing Needs: Manage and guide the appropriate placement of employee housing, mitigating its impact on the city’s residential stock while accommodating workforce requirements.
If you own and operate any type of housing rental or employee housing, you will be receiving communication from UNPZCD in the near future. They will be registering and inspecting your rentals and employee housing. You may contact them with the contact information on this web page.
Registration and Fee Structure
Rental Dwelling: Registration and Inspections:
Non-family dwellings (employee housing): $500 per year registration and $25 per unit inspection fee. Initial inspection, then every year for non-family dwellings,
Long-term multi-family dwellings: $500 registration every 2 years and $25 per unit inspection fee, Initial inspection then every two years or change in tenants.
Long-term single-family dwellings: $250 registration every 3 years and $25 per unit inspection fee. Initial inspection then every three years or change in tenants.
Short-Term Rental: $300 permit fee (Category 1 STR), $500 permit fee (Category 2 STR), $150 inspection fee. Initial inspection, then every three years. $1,000 enhanced fee for non-permitted operations.
Zoning Ordinance sections that regulate rentals include:
Sec. 38-359. Non-family dwellings, one or two units (houses or duplexes), boarding houses, shared houses, group houses.
Sec. 38-360. Non-family dwellings, three or more units (apartments).
Sec. 38-363. Registration, certification, and inspection for rental units
Sec. 38-364. Short-term rental (residential) operations and regulations.
Link to Zoning Ordinance: code_of_ordinances_updated_through_supp_12.pdf
Contact Information:
Jonathan, Scheel - UpNorth Planning, Zoning, and Community Development
Address: 506 North Division Road, Petoskey, MI 49770
Phone: 231-342-9025
Email: jszoning@gmail.com
SHORT TERM RENTALS: If you are in a residential zone, please only use this link if you were previously licensed in 2025-2026. If you would like to be added to the wait list, please contact Jonathan Scheel.
2026-2027 Short Term Rental Annual Registration Portal: https://portal.deckard.com/mi-mackinac-city_of_saint_ignace-str-portal
LONG TERM RENTALS: If you need to register your Long Term Rental in 2026, please review the following information and visit the link below:
Long Term Rental Registration Portal: https://portal.deckard.com/mi-mackinac-city_of_saint_ignace-ltr-portal
CITY OF ST. IGNACE
CODE ENFORCEMENT
396 N. State Street St. Ignace, MI 49781
Rental Inspector
Jonathan Scheel
231-342-9025
In 2016, rental regulations Section 38-359 through 38-364 in the City of St. Ignace Zoning Ordinance were adopted by the City of St. Ignace. This ordinance is designed to promote the maintenance of sanitary and safe rental structures, as well as enhance and maintain property values. City Code, Section 38-363 of the City of St. Ignace Zoning Code requires all rental dwelling units to be registered, inspected and certified with the City of St. Ignace. Any structure or dwelling unit that is occupied by persons other than the property owner pursuant to an oral or written rental or lease agreement or other valuable compensation. is considered a rental dwelling unit.
Registration and compliance certificates are not transferable.
Long-term rentals (30 days or more) must be registered prior to any occupancy.
Currently rented long-term rentals that change ownership, must be registered by the new owner within 30 days of purchase.
Registration fees and inspections for long term rentals are required every two years. If ownership of the property changes, or a change of rental category occurs (from long-term rental to short-term. or vice versa) a new rental application and applicable registration fee is required. Fees for compliance inspections for single family homes are included in the license fee. Multifamily inspection fees are $25.00 per unit. Registration/license and inspection fees are not refundable.
Be advised that failure to register or pay fees may result in civil infraction citation and possible eviction of tenants. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jonathan Scheel- UpNorth Planning, Zoning and Community Development at 231) 342-9025, jszoning@gmail.com or at 506 N Division Rd Petoskey, MI 49770.
KEY POINTS
CITY OF ST. IGNACE RENTAL BUILDING and FIRE SAFETY CODE
The following are some of the main points contained within the rental code. It is your responsibility to read the entire code to understand your responsibilities as a rental property owner/operator in the City of St. Ignace. The code in its entirety may be viewed on the City of St.Ignace website: www.cityofstignace.com or by requesting a copy from the St. Ignace City Manager’s Office.
Copies of the International Property Maintenance Code and NFPA 1 and NFPA IOl. Those codes are governing documents of the City Ordinance.
All dwellings fully or partially let for rent or used for tenant purposes must be registered. Registration is every two years, when the property is transacted to new ownership or when the rental category changes to short-term rental from long-term rental. Registration forms are available online or may be mailed on request.
New long-term rentals must be registered prior to tenants occupying the property or be subject to citation.
Currently rented long-term rentals that change ownership must be registered by the new owner within 30 days of purchase or be subject to citation.
If an owner of a rental property resides outside of Mackinac County, a local operator must be appointed to serve as a contact person. The property owner is responsible to update this information with UpNorth PZCD within 30 days of any change.
Certificates are NOT transferable. When ownership changes the new owner must register the property. Currently rented long-term rentals (30 days or more) that change ownership must be registered within 30 days of purchase.
Once the registration application is approved through all departments, and passes a mandatory compliance inspection, a rental compliance certificate will be issued. Renewal inspections will be completed on a two-year cyclical basis. Fees for compliance inspections are included in the single-family registration fee and are $25.00 per multifamily unit.
The rental compliance certificate must be posted in either the common area of multi-family dwellings or in the private entrance of the dwelling unit.
Failure to register or failure to comply with fire, life safety, or property maintenance codes may result in Civil Infraction Citations and possible eviction of tenants.
There is an appeals procedure for non-compliant situations that can be viewed in section Article II Division II of the Zoning Code.
If you have questions or require assistance, please contact:
Rental Registration and Inspections:
UpNorth PZCD Jonathan Scheel (231)342-9025 or jszoning@gmail.com
To determine how using your property as a rental property may affect your property taxes contact the Assessing department at (906) 643-8797.