Squatters' Rights in Michigan
Michigan rules on squatters & abandoned property for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
Short answer: Two routes. (1) Court: summary proceedings are available against a person who entered by force, holds possession by force after a peaceable entry, or 'comes into possession of premises by trespass without color of title or other possessory interest.' After a judgment for possession, the… MCL 600.5714(1)(f); MCL 600.5744(3)(d), (5); MCL 600.5711(3)
The rules in Michigan
| Squatters / unauthorized occupants | Two routes. (1) Court: summary proceedings are available against a person who entered by force, holds possession by force after a peaceable entry, or 'comes into possession of premises by trespass without color of title or other possessory interest.' After a judgment for possession, the court may issue the writ of restitution immediately if trespass without color of title is pleaded and proved with notice; normally there is a 10-day wait. (2) Self-help: if the occupant came in by forcible entry, holds by force, or is a trespasser without color of title, the owner or agent may enter the premises. The peaceable-entry requirement does not apply, but assault and battery (MCL 750.81-750.90g) remain prohibited. No affidavit-based police removal statute. MCL 600.5711: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-600-5711; MCL 600.5744: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-600-5744 |
|---|---|
| Belongings left behind | No storage or notice statute for belongings left behind. At eviction, the writ directs the officer to remove all occupants and personal property and either leave the property in an area open to the public or in the public right-of-way, or deliver it to the sheriff if the sheriff allows. The officer serving the writ decides whether the premises and property are abandoned. No statute was found for property left after a voluntary move-out. Common law and the lease govern that. Source: MCL 600.5744(1)-(2) |
Related questions
Michigan vs. neighboring states
| State | Squatters / unauthorized occupants | Belongings left behind |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | Two routes. (1) Court: summary proceedings are available against a person who entered by force, holds possession by force after a peaceable entry, or 'comes into possession of premises by trespass without color of title or other possessory interest.' After a judgment for possession, the court may issue the writ of restitution immediately if trespass without color of title is pleaded and proved with notice; normally there is a 10-day wait. (2) Self-help: if the occupant came in by forcible entry, holds by force, or is a trespasser without color of title, the owner or agent may enter the premises. The peaceable-entry requirement does not apply, but assault and battery (MCL 750.81-750.90g) remain prohibited. MCL 600.5714(1)(f); MCL 600.5744(3)(d), (5); MCL 600.5711(3) | No storage or notice statute for belongings left behind. At eviction, the writ directs the officer to remove all occupants and personal property and either leave the property in an area open to the public or in the public right-of-way, or deliver it to the sheriff if the sheriff allows. The officer serving the writ decides whether the premises and property are abandoned. MCL 600.5744(1)-(2) |
| Indiana | Expedited police removal (since July 1, 2025). A 'squatter' is someone occupying another's property who does not have, and has never had, a rental agreement, the owner's permission, or another property interest; former tenants and invitees are excluded. The owner signs an affidavit (stating false statements are subject to perjury penalties) and gives it to a law enforcement agency, which must dispatch officers to remove the squatter within 48 hours (later only for public-safety reasons, then as soon as practicable). Officers must remove the person unless they find credible evidence the person has or had a rental agreement/permission or is an invitee; they may also arrest on probable cause. Officers are immune from civil liability. A person removed because the affiant knowingly made a materially false statement may sue the affiant. The owner may still use a possession or emergency possession action instead. IC 32-31-12-1 to -8 (P.L.191-2025) | A landlord is not liable for loss of personal property the tenant abandoned (property is abandoned if a reasonable person would conclude the tenant vacated and surrendered it; a lease cannot define abandonment differently). After winning possession in court, the landlord may ask the court for an order allowing removal of the tenant's property. If the tenant does not remove it by the date in the order, the landlord may move it to a warehouseman or court-approved storage facility after personally serving the tenant at the last known address with notice of the order and the storage location. Exempt property (medically necessary items, tools of trade, a week's seasonal clothing, blankets, items for a child's care and schooling) must be released free on demand. The storer holds a lien for storage and related costs; if not claimed within 45 days after notice, the property may be sold. IC 32-31-4-1 to -5 |
| Ohio | Ohio has no special squatter-removal procedure. The owner files a forcible entry and detainer (eviction) action in court against an occupier who holds the property without color of title. That requires the 3-day notice to leave under § 1923.04. Separately, entering or staying on another's land without privilege is criminal trespass under § 2911.21, a fourth-degree misdemeanor for most violations, which police may enforce. Ohio Rev. Code § 1923.02(A)(5); § 1923.04; § 2911.21 | No statute for ordinary residential tenancies. Ohio Rev. Code chapters 5321 and 1923 set no notice, storage, or sale procedure for a tenant's belongings left in an apartment or house. Detailed rules exist only for manufactured homes, mobile homes, RVs, and personal property in manufactured home parks. Ohio Rev. Code ch. 5321; §§ 1923.12-1923.14 (manufactured home parks only) |
| Wisconsin | Entering or remaining in another's dwelling without consent of a person lawfully there (or, if no one is, of the owner), under circumstances tending to provoke a breach of the peace, is criminal trespass to a dwelling, a Class A misdemeanor, whether or not the dwelling is currently occupied. Every law enforcement agency must have a written policy requiring an officer with probable cause to arrest for this offense to remove the person from the dwelling. Belongings left by a removed trespasser (a non-tenant) must be held 7 days after discovery, then may be disposed of at the landlord's discretion (returned on request before disposal). No sworn-affidavit removal procedure; tenants must be evicted under ch. 799. Wis. Stat. 943.14; 175.403; 704.055 | If a tenant moves out or is evicted and leaves property, the landlord may presume it abandoned (absent a written agreement otherwise) and dispose of it in any manner it chooses, but only if the landlord gave written notice at lease signing or renewal that it will not store left-behind property; otherwise the older 2009 storage rules apply. Exceptions: prescription medication and medical equipment must be held 7 days; for a manufactured/mobile home or titled vehicle, the landlord must first give notice of intended disposal to the tenant and any known secured party (personally or by regular or certified mail). Sale proceeds, minus costs and storage, may be sent to the Department of Administration. The tenant or secured party may redeem before disposal by paying the landlord's expenses. Wis. Stat. 704.05(5) |
City rules that may add to state law
More Michigan rental law
- Michigan Security Deposit Law
- Michigan Eviction Laws
- 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
- 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 squatters & abandoned property in all 50 states and DC →
Squatters' Rights in Michigan FAQ
How do you remove a squatter in Michigan?
Two routes. (1) Court: summary proceedings are available against a person who entered by force, holds possession by force after a peaceable entry, or 'comes into possession of premises by trespass without color of title or other possessory interest.' After a judgment for possession, the court may issue the writ of restitution immediately if trespass without color of title is pleaded and proved with notice; normally there is a 10-day wait. (2) Self-help: if the occupant came in by forcible entry, holds by force, or is a trespasser without color of title, the owner or agent may enter the premises. The peaceable-entry requirement does not apply, but assault and battery (MCL 750.81-750.90g) remain prohibited. (MCL 600.5714(1)(f); MCL 600.5744(3)(d), (5); MCL 600.5711(3))
What can a landlord do with a tenant's abandoned property in Michigan?
No storage or notice statute for belongings left behind. At eviction, the writ directs the officer to remove all occupants and personal property and either leave the property in an area open to the public or in the public right-of-way, or deliver it to the sheriff if the sheriff allows. The officer serving the writ decides whether the premises and property are abandoned. (MCL 600.5744(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.