Michigan Landlord-Tenant Laws: A Plain-English Guide
Michigan landlord-tenant laws are mostly about paperwork. Deposits are capped at 1.5 months' rent, but the Security Deposits Act has deadlines at move-in and move-out, and missing one can cost you the whole deposit. Nonpayment starts with a 7-day demand for possession, rent control is banned, and many cities require a rental certificate before you can collect rent. Here is the landlord year, and how Michigan compares on security deposit laws by state.
By LandlordTested editorial teamLast reviewed
Michigan at a glance
- Security deposit limit
- 1.5 months' rent
- Deposit returned within
- 30 daysItemized list of damages mailed within 30 days after tenancy ends (tenant must give a forwarding address within 4 days of moving out); tenant has 7 days to respond; landlord must sue within 45 days to keep disputed amounts.
- Late fees
- No statutory cap; must be reasonable (excessive fees can be struck as penalties)
- Rent control
- No statewide rent controlNo statewide rent control; local governments are prohibited from enacting rent control.
- Entry notice
- None specified in statute (reasonable notice per lease)
- Notice for unpaid rent
- 7-day demand for possession (nonpayment)
- Ending a month-to-month
- 30 daysNotice equal to one rental period (typically 30 days for month-to-month) (MCL 554.134(1)).
Source: MCL 554.601-554.616 (Security Deposits Act, 1972 PA 348); MCL 600.5714; MCL 554.134
Michigan topic guides
- Michigan security deposit lawMichigan security deposit law for landlords: the 1.5-month cap, the 14-day notice, inventory checklists, the 30-day itemized list and the 45-day rule to sue.
- Eviction process MichiganThe Michigan eviction process for landlords: the 7-day demand, DC court forms, the first hearing, the 10-day window after judgment and the eviction order.
General information, not legal advice. Last legal review October 18, 2026. Laws change; check the statute or a local landlord-tenant attorney before acting.
Before the lease
Screening
Michigan’s source-of-income ban (2024 PA 179) took effect April 2, 2025 and applies to landlords who own 5 or more rental units in the state, counting related entities. If you’re covered, count voucher payments as income. Everyone follows the Fair Credit Reporting Act (written consent before a report, an adverse action notice after a denial based on one) and the Fair Housing Act. Avoid blanket bans on criminal records. HUD withdrew its 2016 guidance in 2025, but such bans still invite Fair Housing Act claims.
The deposit and the 14-day notice
The cap is 1.5 months’ rent. Before you take the money, decide where it will sit: a regulated financial institution, or a cash or surety bond if you want to use the funds. Within 14 days of the tenant taking possession, give written notice of your name and address and where the deposit is held. Skipping this notice is one of the ways a Michigan landlord forfeits the deposit, so send it with the signed lease.
The move-in checklist
Michigan requires a move-in inventory checklist. Give the tenant a blank or filled-in condition list at move-in, have them return it with their notes, and keep a copy. It’s your evidence at move-out.
The lease
The Truth in Renting Act (MCL 554.631 et seq.) voids certain lease clauses and requires specific notices in the lease. Generic internet leases often fail it, so use a Michigan-specific form.
During the tenancy
Rent increases
Local rent control is banned (MCL 123.411), and the state sets no cap. For a month-to-month tenant, the practical approach is to give at least a full rental period’s notice of the new rent.
Late fees
No statutory cap. Courts can strike an excessive fee as a penalty, so keep it tied to your real costs. A flat $50 on $1,300 rent is easier to defend than 15%.
Entry
No statute sets an entry notice period. Put one in the lease (24 hours is common) and stick to it.
Repairs and city inspections
Michigan landlords must keep the unit fit for its intended use and in reasonable repair. In Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Lansing, a city inspector will check that too, because those cities require rental registration or a certificate of compliance before you collect rent or evict.
Ending the tenancy
Notices
- Nonpayment: 7-day Demand for Possession (form DC 100a).
- Lease violations: Notice to Quit (DC 100c), typically 30 days and only if the lease allows termination for that breach; 7 days for a serious health hazard or property damage; 24 hours for illegal drug activity with a police report. These periods depend on your lease and the facts, so confirm the right one with the district court or an attorney before serving.
- Month-to-month: notice equal to one rental period, typically 30 days (MCL 554.134(1)).
Move-out and deposit return
The tenant must give you a forwarding address within 4 days of moving out. You then mail an itemized list of damages within 30 days. The tenant has 7 days to respond. If they dispute it and you want to keep the disputed amount, you must file suit within 45 days. If you don’t, you lose the claim, even when the damage is real.
Eviction overview
File a Complaint to Recover Possession (DC 102a for nonpayment, DC 102c otherwise) in the district court where the property is located (MCL 600.5714). The first hearing is usually within about 10 days of filing. After a judgment (DC 105), the tenant generally has 10 days to pay, move or appeal. Then you request an Order of Eviction (DC 107), and a court officer or bailiff carries it out. Uncontested cases take about 3-6 weeks. District court filing runs roughly $45-$175 depending on the money claim, plus service; confirm the amount with the clerk.
What’s different in Michigan
- A technical deposit law. Missing the 14-day notice, the inventory checklists or the 30-day itemization can forfeit your right to keep any of the deposit.
- Where the deposit sits is regulated. It must be in a regulated financial institution or backed by a surety bond.
- Source-of-income protection under 2024 PA 179 since April 2, 2025, for landlords with more than 5 units.
- The Truth in Renting Act voids certain lease clauses and requires specific lease notices.
- City certificates. Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Lansing require rental registration or inspection certificates before you collect rent or evict.
Questions landlords ask
The questions we get most, each answered in a paragraph.
How much can a Michigan landlord charge for a security deposit?
Up to 1.5 months' rent under the Security Deposits Act (MCL 554.601-554.616). On $1,400 rent, the maximum is $2,100. The deposit must be held in a regulated financial institution or backed by a cash or surety bond, and you must give the tenant written notice of your address and where the deposit is held within 14 days of possession.
How long does a Michigan landlord have to return a deposit?
You must mail an itemized list of damages within 30 days after the tenancy ends. The tenant has to give you a forwarding address within 4 days of moving out. The tenant then has 7 days to respond to your list, and if they dispute it, you must file suit within 45 days to keep the disputed amount. Miss a step and you can lose the right to keep any of it.
How much notice does a Michigan landlord give for nonpayment?
A 7-day Demand for Possession (court form DC 100a). If rent isn't paid in that window, you can file a complaint in district court. Lease violations use a Notice to Quit, typically 30 days and only if the lease allows termination for that breach, with shorter periods for serious health hazards, property damage or illegal drug activity.
Do Michigan landlords have to accept Section 8?
Since April 2, 2025, 2024 PA 179 bans source-of-income discrimination by landlords with more than 5 units. That means a voucher has to be treated as income when you apply your screening criteria. Smaller landlords may be exempt from the state rule, but check whether your city has its own source-of-income ordinance.
Do I need a rental license in Michigan?
There's no statewide license, but many cities require one. Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Lansing require rental registration or an inspection certificate, and in those cities a missing certificate can stop you from collecting rent or evicting. Call your city's rental housing or code office before the first tenant moves in.