Michigan Eviction Notice
Create a proper Michigan eviction notice — pay-or-quit, cure-or-quit, or termination — and download a print-ready PDF. Free, no signup. The preview updates as you type.
Maintained by Rapi Stack · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.
What happens after the notice in Michigan
If the tenant does not comply, the eviction moves to court. These are Michigan’s own rules for that step, from the judiciary and the statute.
- What the case is called. In Michigan an eviction lawsuit is a(n) Summary proceedings (Summary Proceedings Act, MCL 600.5701 et seq.) action. — Michigan Judicial Institute Landlord-Tenant Benchbook, Ch. 4 (citing MCL 600.5701(a), 600.5704) ↗
- Where to file. If the tenant doesn’t comply with the notice, the landlord files in the District Court. — SCAO Instructions for Form DC 102a (Complaint, Nonpayment of Rent) ↗
- How to serve the notice. Demand for possession served by personal delivery; delivery at the premises to a family/household member or employee of suitable age and discretion; first-class mail; or electronic service if the tenant consented in writing. — SCAO Form DC 100a (Rev. 5/22), Certificate of Service, citing MCL 600.5718 ↗
- Filing fee. $45.00 statewide to file a complaint for possession in district court, plus $10 e-filing system fee ($20 if combined with money damages); additional fee if money damages are claimed. — SCAO Instructions DC 102a, 'What does it cost?' ↗
- Official notice form. Michigan’s courts publish an official notice form — compare it with the one you generate here. — SCAO Form DC 100a, Demand for Possession, Nonpayment of Rent (Rev. 5/22) ↗
- Official guidance. Michigan publishes its own instructions for the court step; read them before filing. — Michigan Courts – SCAO instructions DC 102a ↗
- No self-help. MCL 600.2918(2): tenant whose possessory interest is unlawfully interfered with (changing locks, removing doors/windows, interrupting heat, water, electric or gas, etc.) recovers actual damages or $200 per occurrence and possession; rights cannot be waived. — MCL 600.2918 (2025; last amended 2019 PA 41) ↗
Each point links to the Michigan source it was taken from. Rules change; confirm before relying on them.
Michigan notice periods · as of 2026
- Non-payment of rent
- 7 days
- Lease violation (cure)
- 30 days
- End month-to-month
- 30 days
Source: MCL 554.134 · verify ↗. Using the wrong number can void the notice — confirm the current rule before you serve it.
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Types of eviction notice
- Pay or quit — for unpaid rent: pay by the deadline or move out.
- Cure or quit — for a lease violation: fix it by the deadline or move out.
- Unconditional / termination — to end a month-to-month tenancy or for serious violations.
Michigan notice period & service
The number of days and how you must deliver the notice are set by Michigan law — get both right, keep proof of service, and never lock out or remove a tenant yourself. Check the current Michigan eviction rules before serving.
If the tenant moves out still owing rent, the notice won’t collect it. Put the amount and a deadline in writing with a Michigan demand letter for payment; if it’s ignored, you can file in Michigan small claims court, where the limit is $7,000.
Frequently asked questions
How many days notice do I have to give in Michigan?
In Michigan, a non-payment (pay-or-quit) notice must give the tenant 7 days to pay or leave (as of 2026). Source: MCL 554.134. Notice periods for lease violations or ending a tenancy differ — see the box on this page and confirm current law before serving.
How do I serve the notice in Michigan?
States set rules for delivery — often personal delivery, leaving it with an adult at the home, and/or mailing a copy. Keep proof of how and when you served it. Improper service is a common reason eviction cases get dismissed, so follow Michigan’s method carefully.
Do I need a lawyer?
Not always for the notice itself, but eviction is technical and a small mistake can restart the clock. For contested cases, commercial properties, or if the tenant has an attorney, it’s worth consulting a landlord-tenant lawyer in Michigan.
Where does a landlord file an eviction case in Michigan?
If the tenant does not comply with the notice, the landlord files in the District Court (the case is called a(n) Summary proceedings (Summary Proceedings Act, MCL 600.5701 et seq.) action). Source: SCAO Instructions for Form DC 102a (Complaint, Nonpayment of Rent).
How must an eviction notice be served in Michigan?
Demand for possession served by personal delivery; delivery at the premises to a family/household member or employee of suitable age and discretion; first-class mail; or electronic service if the tenant consented in writing. Source: SCAO Form DC 100a (Rev. 5/22), Certificate of Service, citing MCL 600.5718.
What does it cost to file an eviction in Michigan?
$45.00 statewide to file a complaint for possession in district court, plus $10 e-filing system fee ($20 if combined with money damages); additional fee if money damages are claimed. Source: SCAO Instructions DC 102a, 'What does it cost?'.
How does Michigan compare? See the notice periods in all 50 states, every figure cited to statute. Not sure which notice applies? Try the 2-question wizard.
How Michigan compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Michigan: MCL 554.134 ↗.
- Notice to pay rent or quit
Notice to pay rent or quit: 7 days — above the national median of 5 days across the 47 states with a statutory rule.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 7 other states.
Notice to pay rent or quit in neighboring states — Indiana (10 days), Ohio (3 days), Wisconsin (5 days).
- Notice to cure a lease violation
Notice to cure a lease violation: 30 days — about 2× the national median of 14 days across the 38 states with a statutory rule.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 7 other states.
Notice to cure a lease violation in neighboring states — Indiana (no statutory rule), Ohio (30 days), Wisconsin (5 days).
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy: 30 days, exactly the national median.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 36 other states.
Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy in neighboring states — Indiana (30 days), Ohio (30 days), Wisconsin (28 days).
The rest of what Michigan requires
The figures below are Michigan's, not national averages — each one is the value we verified for this state, with the statute it comes from. Follow a row to the full Michigan page for that document.
- Security deposit cap · as of 2026
- 1.5 months' rent Mich. Comp. Laws §554.602 ↗
- Deposit return deadline · as of 2026
- 30 days after move-out Mich. Comp. Laws §554.602 ↗
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy · as of 2026
- 30 days Mich. Comp. Laws §554.602 ↗
- Small claims limit · as of 2026
- $7,000 MCL 600.8401 (limit); MCL 600.8408 (no attorneys); MCL 600.8420 (fees) ↗
- Where you file · as of 2026
- Small Claims Division of the District Court · filing fee Statutory tiers under MCL 600.8420: $25 (claims to $600), $45 ($600.01-$1,750), $65 (over $1,750); court fee schedules commonly show $30/$50/$70 with the statewide $5 electronic filing fee added. MCL 600.8401 (limit); MCL 600.8408 (no attorneys); MCL 600.8420 (fees) ↗
- Rental application fee · as of July 2026
- No statutory limit Michigan Legislature ↗
- Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026
- Not required Michigan SoS / DMV.ORG ↗
- Power of attorney signing · as of 2026
- Notarization required Mich. Comp. Laws §556.205 (form §556.401) ↗
- LLC operating agreement · as of 2026
- Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rules MCL 450.4102(2)(r) ↗
- Recording a deed · as of 2026
- County Register of Deeds · no witnesses MCL 565.8 ↗
Eviction notice in other states
More Michigan legal forms
Different state? See eviction notices by state →