Bolthole Index county-legal census · checked 2026-08-08
13 of Michigan's 83 counties — 16% — have no county-wide zoning. That is the 20th-largest count of any state. The strongest of them on the Bolthole Index is Houghton County (89/100). 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 969 counties nationwide → Full Michigan profile →
13 of 83 Michigan counties · sorted by Index score
The county building department states there is no county-wide zoning and directs applicants to contact their municipality; zoning, where it exists, is handled at the municipal l…
Houghton County Building Department ↗County page states 'There is NO zoning in the Townships. There IS zoning in the City of Lake City & the City of McBain,' so unincorporated land is not zoned.
Missaukee County Building Department ↗Benzie County has no county-wide zoning ordinance; zoning is administered locally by individual townships, villages and cities.
2021 Guide to Permitting & Zoning, Benzie County (Networks Northwest) ↗Antrim County has no county-wide zoning ordinance; zoning authority rests with individual townships and villages (only some of which have adopted zoning).
Antrim County — Planning & Zoning ↗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 ↗Osceola County has no countywide zoning; some townships, villages and cities have adopted their own zoning ordinances.
Osceola County 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 ↗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) ↗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 ↗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 ↗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 ↗Saginaw County has a metropolitan planning function but no county zoning department or countywide zoning ordinance; cities and townships administer their own zoning. The county …
Saginaw County - Department Directory ↗Eaton County repealed its Land Development Code and all prior county zoning ordinances effective June 30, 2026, expressly eliminating zoning under county authority. Cities, vill…
Eaton County Resolution 25-12-120 - Repeal of County Zoning ↗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.
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.
