Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-10-10
29 of Michigan's 83 counties — 35% — have no county-wide zoning. That is the 12th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Houghton County (88/100). Every entry below cites the county’s own official source.
Rules change, and cities inside these counties set their own — treat this as a verified starting point, not legal advice. All 1042 counties nationwide → Michigan: owner-builder → Michigan: no minimum home size → Full Michigan profile →
From the Michigan guide
Michigan has 29 counties without county-wide zoning, 53 with county zoning, and 1 whose county zoning status we could not confirm.31718 The first counties to compare without county-wide zoning are Houghton County, Missaukee County, Alger County, Antrim County, Benzie County, Menominee County, Osceola County, Leelanau County.3
A county without county-wide zoning can still contain townships, cities and villages with their own zoning districts and regulations; ask the parcel’s local zoning office about the proposed dwelling, RV use, lot dimensions and setbacks.4 The Michigan no-zoning county list identifies counties without county-wide zoning, not parcels free of township rules.3
No Michigan county combines no residential building-permit requirement with no county-wide zoning, so a search for land without zoning does not remove the building-permit question.101
From the Michigan guide, written from the cited official sources and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: confirm with the office before you buy or build.
29 of 83 Michigan counties · sorted by Index score
Countywide zoning administered by Houghton County. The county directs applicants to contact the municipality for zoning matters. Municipal zoning may apply instead.
Building Department | Houghton County, Michigan ↗Land in Missaukee County townships, which the County Building Department identifies as having no zoning. This conclusion is limited to township/unincorporated areas; the County …
Building Permitting & Information ↗A countywide zoning ordinance or county-administered zoning system in Alger County. The county page states that zoning is handled by individual townships; local township, villag…
Building Codes - Alger County ↗Whether Antrim County itself administers a countywide zoning ordinance. Zoning authority is instead held by local units of government.
Zoning ↗Countywide zoning regulation administered by Benzie County. Benzie County directs applicants seeking township, village, or City of Frankfort planning or zoning information to th…
Planning Commission ↗Zoning in Menominee County is administered at the township level (seven townships plus the Village of Powers have zoning ordinances; some townships such as Menominee Township ar…
Menominee County - Townships with Zoning Ordinances ↗Countywide zoning administered by Osceola County. Osceola County states that it does not have countywide zoning. Some communities within the county have their own zoning ordinan…
Zoning ↗Leelanau County provides planning support and coordinates local planning, but zoning authority is administered by the individual townships and villages rather than through a cou…
Leelanau County - Planning & Community Development ↗A countywide zoning ordinance administered by Oceana County, distinct from township and municipal zoning. The cited master plan states that it is not legally enforceable. Planni…
Oceana County Master Plan ↗Zoning is administered by local (township/city) zoning officials rather than a county-wide ordinance; the county building permit process requires contacting the local zoning off…
Iron County Construction Code (local zoning referenced) ↗Sanilac County itself has no county-level zoning authority. The county's own Construction and Land Use procedures page states "Zoning approval is required from your City, Villag…
Sanilac County - Construction and Land Use, Procedures and Instructions ↗There is no county zoning in Grand Traverse County; zoning and Land Use Permits are handled by individual townships, each with its own regulations.
Grand Traverse County - Building Permit Process ↗Countywide zoning administration in Roscommon County. The county states that building and zoning are handled through individual townships; parcel-specific rules must be checked …
FAQs - Roscommon County ↗A countywide zoning ordinance maintained by Dickinson County. The county master plan states that constituent municipalities regulate their own land use and zoning through local …
Dickinson County Master Plan ↗Zoning in Lapeer County is administered at the township level (e.g. Lapeer Township and Arcadia Township each have their own zoning ordinances) rather than by a countywide zonin…
Lapeer Township Planning & Zoning ↗Montcalm County does not administer a countywide zoning ordinance; local zoning may apply through cities, villages, and townships. The county general plan states that local citi…
Montcalm County General Plan ↗Countywide zoning ordinance administered by Branch County. Branch County does not administer a countywide zoning ordinance. Local zoning may apply through townships, villages, a…
Branch County Master Land Use Plan 2021 ↗Zoning in Ionia County is administered at the township and city level (e.g., Keene Township, Orange Township, City of Ionia) under Michigan's Zoning Enabling Act rather than by …
Keene Township (Ionia County) Zoning ↗Jackson County has no general land-use zoning. Its county zoning page covers only the county airport joint zoning area (FAA height and land-use rules); townships and cities adop…
Jackson County MI - Zoning (airport zoning area) ↗County-administered zoning throughout Lenawee County. Zoning is administered by the municipality in question rather than by Lenawee County. Municipal zoning rules may apply with…
lenawee.mi.us ↗Whether Clinton County has a zoning ordinance applying throughout the entire county. The county ordinance applies only to areas outside incorporated cities and villages and some…
Clinton County Zoning Ordinance - Clearzoning ↗County zoning authority and county zoning ordinances in unincorporated Kalamazoo County. Cities, villages, and townships individually manage zoning ordinances and maps.
Zoning & Building Inspection Resources | Kalamazoo County, MI ↗Kent County as a county government; incorporated and township jurisdictions retain their own zoning ordinances. Kent County has no unified countywide zoning ordinance. Local zon…
2025 Kent County Fair Housing Analysis & Equity Plan ↗Countywide zoning in Saginaw County. The county RFP states that planning and zoning occur at township, city, and village levels.
Request for Proposals: County of Saginaw Master Plan ↗County-administered zoning throughout Berrien County. Berrien County's townships, cities, and villages administer independent planning and zoning. The Berrien County Planning Co…
Request for Proposals — Berrien County Planning Commission Master Plan 2021 ↗Cass County government and the Board of Commissioners; countywide zoning administration in the county's townships, cities, and villages. Cass County does not administer local zo…
Cass County FAQ ↗County zoning under Eaton County authority in unincorporated areas. The county resolution states an effective date of June 30, 2026, after adoption and publication of notice. Mu…
Resolution to Repeal the Eaton County Land Development Code ↗County-level planning and zoning authority in Oakland County. The county page states that local planning and zoning are handled by cities, villages, and townships. This does not…
Local Community Planning & Zoning ↗County-level zoning authority in Monroe County, including unincorporated areas. The official county statement concerns the County Board's zoning authority; municipal and townshi…
Monroe County Board of Commissioners Archived Agenda/Minutes, January 21, 2025 ↗Every county here has a full profile — water, land prices, hazard safety, seclusion, and the rest of its building rules. See the Michigan state page for all 83 counties ranked, or go back to the national list.
Off-grid gear
Building on land in one of these Michigan counties? The kit we'd start with:
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General guidance, not legal advice. Off-grid, building, and land-use rules are often set at the county level and change often. Verify with your county and state before acting. Data reviewed 2026-06-26.
