Michigan Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
Michigan rules on section 8, records & right to counsel for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
Short answer: Yes, effective Apr. 2, 2025. A landlord may not deny or end a tenancy, set different terms, fees or rent, misstate availability, advertise a preference, or try to discourage a tenant because of source of income, including vouchers and subsidies. MCL 554.601c (2024 PA 178)
The rules in Michigan
| Statewide ban on refusing Section 8 / source of income | Yes, effective Apr. 2, 2025. A landlord may not deny or end a tenancy, set different terms, fees or rent, misstate availability, advertise a preference, or try to discourage a tenant because of source of income, including vouchers and subsidies. If the landlord has an income threshold, it must count vouchers and subsidies when applying it (this does not cover emergency rental assistance). Exempt: landlords who, together with related entities, own fewer than 5 rental units in Michigan. The definition of 'source of income' (in the definitions section of Act 348 of 1972) was not separately reviewed. Source: MCL 554.601c (2024 PA 178) |
|---|---|
| Eviction record sealing | No. Michigan has no statute sealing or expunging eviction records. Two 2025 bills are pending: SB 374 (sealing, and automatic expungement 3 years after a final judgment for possession), placed on Senate third reading on Mar. 3, 2026; and HB 4984 (records nonpublic until a judgment for possession), in the House Regulatory Reform committee since Sept. 2025. Neither has been enacted as of this check. HB 4984: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-4984 |
Related questions
- Can a landlord refuse Section 8?
- Can an eviction be removed from your record?
- Do tenants get a free lawyer for an eviction?
Michigan vs. neighboring states
| State | Statewide ban on refusing Section 8 / source of income | Eviction record sealing | Right to a lawyer in eviction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | Yes, effective Apr. 2, 2025. A landlord may not deny or end a tenancy, set different terms, fees or rent, misstate availability, advertise a preference, or try to discourage a tenant because of source of income, including vouchers and subsidies. If the landlord has an income threshold, it must count vouchers and subsidies when applying it (this does not cover emergency rental assistance). Exempt: landlords who, together with related entities, own fewer than 5 rental units in Michigan. MCL 554.601c (2024 PA 178) | No. Michigan has no statute sealing or expunging eviction records. Two 2025 bills are pending: SB 374 (sealing, and automatic expungement 3 years after a final judgment for possession), placed on Senate third reading on Mar. 3, 2026; and HB 4984 (records nonpublic until a judgment for possession), in the House Regulatory Reform committee since Sept. 2025. Neither has been enacted as of this check. 2025 SB 374; 2025 HB 4984 (pending) | Not verified yet |
| Indiana | No. Indiana has no statewide source-of-income protection, and local units may not adopt or enforce an ordinance that requires (or has the effect of requiring) a landlord to participate in Section 8 or a similar housing program. IC 36-1-3-8.5 | Yes. Automatic: if the eviction case is dismissed (including for failure to prosecute), judgment is for the tenant, or a judgment against the tenant is overturned on appeal, the court must on its own motion order the records not disclosed and sealed/redacted. By tenant motion: if judgment was against the tenant and the money judgment has been satisfied, or no money judgment was entered and at least 7 years have passed, the court shall order nondisclosure (possibly without a hearing). Older cases (outcomes before July 1, 2022 or July 1, 2025) can be sealed by verified petition with the tenant's name, date of birth, address, case number, grounds, and a sworn statement that no money judgment is outstanding. IC 32-31-11-3, -4 (P.L.164-2022; amended P.L.128-2025) | No statewide right to counsel in eviction cases was found. The Residential Eviction Actions chapter covers dismissal, failure to prosecute, and voluntary eviction diversion programs, not appointed counsel. IC 32-31-10 (checked) |
| Ohio | No. Ohio's fair housing law (§ 4112.02(H)) protects race, color, religion, sex, military status, familial status, ancestry, disability, and national origin. It does not cover source of income or voucher use. Ohio Rev. Code § 4112.02(H) | No statute. Ohio Rev. Code chapter 1923 has no provision for sealing, masking, or expunging eviction court records. Ohio Rev. Code ch. 1923 (no sealing provision) | No statewide right to counsel in eviction cases. Ohio Rev. Code ch. 1923 (no counsel provision) |
| Wisconsin | Partly. Wisconsin's open housing law bars housing discrimination based on 'lawful source of income,' but a federal appeals court held that federal rent vouchers (Section 8) are not clearly within that term, so voucher refusals are not clearly prohibited statewide. Wis. Stat. 106.50; Knapp v. Eagle Property Management Corp., 54 F.3d 1272 (7th Cir. 1995) (annotation) | No sealing or expungement statute for eviction records. The law instead sets minimum public display periods on the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (CCAP) site: the director of state courts may not remove a non-sealed eviction case for at least 10 years if a writ of restitution was granted, or at least 2 years if the case was dismissed with no money judgment docketed. Wis. Stat. 758.20(2) | No statewide right to counsel in eviction cases. Wis. Stat. ch. 799 |
City rules that may add to state law
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Compare section 8, records & right to counsel in all 50 states and DC →
Michigan Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel FAQ
Is it illegal for a landlord to refuse Section 8 vouchers in Michigan?
Yes, effective Apr. 2, 2025. A landlord may not deny or end a tenancy, set different terms, fees or rent, misstate availability, advertise a preference, or try to discourage a tenant because of source of income, including vouchers and subsidies. If the landlord has an income threshold, it must count vouchers and subsidies when applying it (this does not cover emergency rental assistance). Exempt: landlords who, together with related entities, own fewer than 5 rental units in Michigan. (MCL 554.601c (2024 PA 178))
Can an eviction record be sealed or removed in Michigan?
No. Michigan has no statute sealing or expunging eviction records. Two 2025 bills are pending: SB 374 (sealing, and automatic expungement 3 years after a final judgment for possession), placed on Senate third reading on Mar. 3, 2026; and HB 4984 (records nonpublic until a judgment for possession), in the House Regulatory Reform committee since Sept. 2025. Neither has been enacted as of this check. (2025 SB 374; 2025 HB 4984 (pending))
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.