Michigan Eviction Laws
Michigan rules on eviction for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
Short answer: 7 days: written demand for possession (or written notice to quit) for nonpayment of rent before filing MCL 600.5714(1)(a); MCL 554.134(2); MCL 600.5716; MCL 600.5718
The rules in Michigan
| Notice for unpaid rent | 7 days: written demand for possession (or written notice to quit) for nonpayment of rent before filing Landlord may file summary proceedings if the tenant holds over after failing to pay rent due within 7 days after a written demand for possession; accelerated rent from a lease breach does not count as rent due. MCL 554.134(2) separately allows a 7-day written notice to quit for nonpayment. A demand for possession must be in writing, state the reasons and the amount due, and be served personally, on a suitable household member at the premises, by first-class mail (service date = next regular mail delivery day), or electronically if the tenant consented in writing (MCL 600.5718; Practical Guide Q32-33). |
|---|---|
| Notice for lease violations | No single statutory period. If the lease allows termination for the violation, the lease's notice term controls; for a month-to-month or no-written-lease tenancy, a notice to quit of one rental period (generally 1 month) is used. Shorter statutory periods apply to certain conduct: 24 hours (drug activity with lease clause and police report), 7 days (serious continuing health hazard or extensive continuing physical damage; violence/threats with police notified). Summary proceedings may follow termination under a lease power, expiration of the term, or a notice to quit (MCL 600.5714(1)(c)). A tenancy at will (including month-to-month) is ended by one month's notice, or notice equal to the rent interval if rent is paid more often (MCL 554.134(1): https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-554-134). Statutory short periods: 24 hours for drug activity with a lease clause and a police report (600.5714(1)(b); 554.134(4)); 7 days to surrender or repair for a serious continuing health hazard or extensive damage (600.5714(1)(d)); 7 days for violence or threats with police notified (600.5714(1)(e)). The Legislature's Practical Guide (Rev. 3/2026, Q31) says notice periods generally range from 24 hours to 30 days. Michigan has no statutory right-to-cure period for general lease violations. |
| Lockouts & utility shutoffs | Self-help eviction is prohibited. Landlord may not use force or threats, remove/retain/destroy the tenant's property, change locks without immediately providing keys, board up, remove doors/windows/locks, interrupt essential services (heat, running water, hot water, electric, gas) amounting to constructive eviction, or introduce noise/odor/nuisance. Tenant may recover actual damages or $200, whichever is greater, for each occurrence, plus possession; unlawful forcible ejection allows 3 times actual damages or $200, whichever is greater. Exceptions: acts under court order; temporary interference for needed repairs/inspection; good-faith belief after diligent inquiry that the tenant abandoned with current rent unpaid; a detailed deceased-tenant procedure (10-day notice, 18 days after death). Rights cannot be waived. Tenant may recover possession via summary proceedings under MCL 600.5714(1)(f) or seek an injunction in circuit court; possession action must be commenced within 90 days and damages action within 1 year. Last amended 2019 PA 41. Source: MCL 600.2918(1)-(2) |
How an eviction case works in Michigan
Eviction cases are heard in: District court (summary proceedings, called 'Summary Proceedings to Recover Possession of Premises').
- Written notice: demand for possession (7 days nonpayment, health hazard/damage; 24 hours drug activity) or notice to quit (e.g., one rental period / 1 month for month-to-month)
- Landlord files a complaint in district court, attaching the notice and written lease (MCR 4.201(B))
- Summons and complaint served (mailed AND served personally, by certified restricted mail, on a household member, or by posting after diligent attempts) at least 3 days before the trial/appearance date
- First hearing (often a pretrial): tenant answers orally or in writing, raises defenses/counterclaims, may demand a jury; if triable issues exist trial is usually set within about 7-14 days; possible 14-28 day stay for pending rental assistance; tenant who fails to appear may be defaulted
- Judgment for possession (and any money judgment); in nonpayment cases, paying the judgment amount plus costs within the time allowed prevents the order of eviction
- Order of Eviction (writ of restitution) may not issue until 10 days after judgment, except immediate issuance in listed cases (e.g., forcible entry, trespass, serious continuing health hazard, drug-activity cases); landlord must request it within 56 days of judgment
- Removal of the tenant and belongings by a court officer, bailiff, or sheriff/deputy executing the order
Landlords: how to evict a tenant in Michigan — steps, costs, timeline and forms.
Eviction court and fees by county
- Wayne County (Detroit)
- Oakland County (Pontiac, Southfield, Troy)
- Macomb County (Warren, Sterling Heights)
- Kent County (Grand Rapids)
- Washtenaw County (Ann Arbor / Ypsilanti)
- Genesee County (Flint)
- Ingham County (Lansing / East Lansing / Mason)
- Kalamazoo County (Kalamazoo / Portage)
- Ottawa County
- Saginaw County (Saginaw)
- Berrien County
- Jackson County
- Muskegon County
- Calhoun County
Free calculators
- Notice Deadline Calculator — Enter the date a notice was delivered and see the date it runs out under your state's law.
Templates
Related questions
- Can a landlord evict you without going to court, change the locks or shut off utilities?
- How long does an eviction take?
- How much notice does a landlord have to give before an eviction?
Michigan vs. neighboring states
| State | Notice for unpaid rent | Notice for lease violations | Lockouts & utility shutoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 7 days: written demand for possession (or written notice to quit) for nonpayment of rent before filing MCL 600.5714(1)(a); MCL 554.134(2); MCL 600.5716; MCL 600.5718 | No single statutory period. If the lease allows termination for the violation, the lease's notice term controls; for a month-to-month or no-written-lease tenancy, a notice to quit of one rental period (generally 1 month) is used. Shorter statutory periods apply to certain conduct: 24 hours (drug activity with lease clause and police report), 7 days (serious continuing health hazard or extensive continuing physical damage; violence/threats with police notified). MCL 600.5714(1)(b)-(e); MCL 554.134(1),(4) | Self-help eviction is prohibited. Landlord may not use force or threats, remove/retain/destroy the tenant's property, change locks without immediately providing keys, board up, remove doors/windows/locks, interrupt essential services (heat, running water, hot water, electric, gas) amounting to constructive eviction, or introduce noise/odor/nuisance. Tenant may recover actual damages or $200, whichever is greater, for each occurrence, plus possession; unlawful forcible ejection allows 3 times actual damages or $200, whichever is greater. MCL 600.2918(1)-(2) |
| Indiana | Not less than 10 days' notice to pay or vacate, unless the parties agreed otherwise or the tenant pays in full within the notice period. IC 32-31-1-6, 32-31-1-7 | No statute — Indiana law sets no notice period for ending a tenancy over a lease violation other than unpaid rent; the lease terms govern. No notice is needed at all when a fixed-term lease ends on its stated date, a tenant at will commits waste, or the tenant is a tenant at sufferance (IC 32-31-1-8). IC 32-31-1-1 to 32-31-1-22 (chapter checked); IC 32-31-1-8; IC 32-31-7-7 | Except by court order, landlord may not change locks, remove doors/windows/fixtures/appliances, or interrupt or shut off electricity, gas, water or other essential services (emergencies, good-faith repairs and necessary construction excepted), and may not seize or withhold tenant property to enforce rent. Tenant may petition for an emergency possessory order; the court must hold a hearing within 3 business days and may order possession restored, plus damages at a later hearing. IC 32-31-5-5, 32-31-5-6; IC 32-31-6-3, 32-31-6-5, 32-31-6-6, 32-31-6-9 |
| Ohio | 3-day written notice to leave the premises before filing an eviction (forcible entry and detainer) action. The residential notice must conspicuously state: "You are being asked to leave the premises. If you do not leave, an eviction action may be initiated against you. If you are in doubt regarding your legal rights and obligations as a tenant, it is recommended that you seek legal assistance." Ohio Rev. Code § 1923.04 | For a tenant's failure to meet obligations under § 5321.05 that materially affects health and safety, the landlord may give written notice specifying the problem and a termination date at least 30 days after receipt; if not remedied, the rental agreement ends. The 3-day notice to leave (§ 1923.04) is then required before filing. Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.11 | Landlord may not recover possession by cutting off utilities or services, excluding the tenant (lockout), or threatening unlawful acts, and may not seize the tenant's belongings to collect rent without a court order. Landlord is liable for all damages plus reasonable attorney's fees. Ohio Rev. Code § 5321.15 |
| Wisconsin | Month-to-month/week-to-week: 5-day pay-or-vacate notice, or (month-to-month only) a 14-day notice to vacate with no right to cure. Lease of 1 year or less: 5-day pay-or-vacate; if the tenant was late within the past year, a 14-day notice to vacate. Lease over 1 year: 30-day notice to pay. Wis. Stat. § 704.17(1p)(a), (2)(a), (3)(a) | Periodic tenants and leases of 1 year or less: 5-day notice to remedy or vacate; for a repeat breach within one year, a 14-day notice to vacate with no cure. Lease over 1 year: 30-day notice to comply. Criminal or drug-related activity: 5-day notice to vacate, no cure. Wis. Stat. § 704.17(1p)(b), (2)(b), (3)(a), (3m) | Prohibited. Landlords may not exclude, forcibly evict, or constructively evict a tenant (including by cutting off heat, water, or electricity) except through ch. 799 court eviction. They also may not seize the tenant's property. A lease clause authorizing non-judicial eviction voids the lease. Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.09(4), (7); Wis. Stat. § 704.44(2m) |
City rules that may add to state law
More Michigan rental law
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- Michigan Notice to Vacate Rules
- Landlord Entry Rules in Michigan
- Michigan Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- Michigan Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in Michigan
- Squatters' Rights in Michigan
- Michigan Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- Michigan Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- Michigan Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- Michigan Landlord Selling the House
- Michigan Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- Michigan Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All Michigan landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in Michigan
Compare eviction in all 50 states and DC →
Michigan Eviction Laws FAQ
How much notice does a landlord have to give before evicting for unpaid rent in Michigan?
7 days: written demand for possession (or written notice to quit) for nonpayment of rent before filing (MCL 600.5714(1)(a); MCL 554.134(2); MCL 600.5716; MCL 600.5718)
How much notice is required to evict for a lease violation in Michigan?
No single statutory period. If the lease allows termination for the violation, the lease's notice term controls; for a month-to-month or no-written-lease tenancy, a notice to quit of one rental period (generally 1 month) is used. Shorter statutory periods apply to certain conduct: 24 hours (drug activity with lease clause and police report), 7 days (serious continuing health hazard or extensive continuing physical damage; violence/threats with police notified). (MCL 600.5714(1)(b)-(e); MCL 554.134(1),(4))
Can a landlord change the locks or shut off utilities in Michigan?
Self-help eviction is prohibited. Landlord may not use force or threats, remove/retain/destroy the tenant's property, change locks without immediately providing keys, board up, remove doors/windows/locks, interrupt essential services (heat, running water, hot water, electric, gas) amounting to constructive eviction, or introduce noise/odor/nuisance. Tenant may recover actual damages or $200, whichever is greater, for each occurrence, plus possession; unlawful forcible ejection allows 3 times actual damages or $200, whichever is greater. (MCL 600.2918(1)-(2))
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.