Eviction Process in Michigan: Timeline, Notices & Costs

Michigan does it with forms

Michigan’s district courts use State Court Administrative Office forms for nearly every step. That’s good news for a self-managing landlord: the notice, complaint, judgment and order all come pre-written, and the court clerk will expect them. The governing statutes are MCL 600.5714 (the grounds for recovering possession) and MCL 554.134 (ending tenancies).

Before you start, check one local issue. Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Lansing and many other cities require rental registration or inspection certificates. A missing certificate is one of the most common reasons an otherwise simple case stalls.

Stage 1: the right notice

Problem	Form	Notice period
Unpaid rent	Demand for Possession (DC 100a)	7 days
Lease violation the lease allows termination for	Notice to Quit (DC 100c)	Typically 30 days
Serious health hazard or property damage	Notice to Quit	7 days
Illegal drug activity with a police report	Notice to Quit	24 hours
End month-to-month	Notice to Quit	One rental period, typically 30 days

The lease-violation periods depend on the lease and the facts, and some have changed over time. Confirm the right period for your situation before serving. Serve the notice in person, by first-class mail, or another method the court rules allow, and keep proof.

Stage 2: the complaint

After the notice period, file a Complaint to Recover Possession in the district court where the property is: DC 102a for nonpayment, DC 102c for other grounds. Attach the lease and the notice. Filing fees run roughly $45 to $175, depending on whether and how much money you’re claiming. Ask the clerk for the current figure.

Stage 3: the summons and first hearing

The court issues a summons, and the tenant is served. The first hearing is usually about 10 days after filing. Many district courts push landlords and tenants to talk before the judge calls the case, and a lot of cases end there with a consent judgment: a written agreement to pay on a schedule or move by a date.

Stage 4: judgment and the 10-day window

If you win, the court enters a judgment on form DC 105. In most cases the tenant then has 10 days to pay the judgment amount, move out or file an appeal. In a nonpayment case, paying in full within that window generally keeps the tenancy alive.

Stage 5: the order of eviction

If the 10 days pass without payment or move-out, request an Order of Eviction (DC 107). A court officer or bailiff executes it, usually after giving notice to the tenant. Their fees are separate from the filing fee. Call the court officer’s office early, since their schedule, not the court’s, often decides the final date.

What a typical case looks like

Say a tenant in your Lansing duplex stops paying the $1,300 rent.

• Day 1: serve the DC 100a.
• Day 8: file the DC 102a.
• About day 18: first hearing; judgment entered.
• About day 28: 10 days pass with no payment; request the DC 107.
• Days 30-40: the court officer schedules and carries out the eviction.

That’s about five weeks, roughly $1,500 in lost rent at $1,300 a month, plus the filing fee, service and the court officer’s fee.

What drags a Michigan case out

• The tenant contests. A defense, such as unrepaired conditions, sets the case for trial.
• A jury demand, which delays the trial date.
• Adjournments for rental assistance applications or so the tenant can get a lawyer.
• A missing city certificate or a notice that doesn’t match the lease.
• An appeal to circuit court within the 10-day window, which can carry a bond requirement.
• Bankruptcy, which brings an automatic stay until the bankruptcy court lifts it.

Self-help is off the table

Changing the locks, removing doors, taking a tenant’s belongings or cutting off utilities to force someone out is illegal in Michigan, even after a judgment, until the court officer executes the order. Michigan’s anti-lockout law lets a tenant sue for damages that can be multiplied. It also tends to turn a winnable case into a losing one.

Settling instead of suing

A consent judgment is Michigan’s built-in settlement tool: the tenant agrees to pay arrears on a set schedule, and if they miss a payment you can move to the eviction order without starting over. If the tenancy can’t be saved, cash for keys (a payment plus the deposit back for a clean move-out by a signed date) often costs less than a month of lost rent.

This page is general information, not legal advice. For a contested case, a Michigan landlord-tenant attorney or the district court’s self-help center is the place to start.