Michigan · Security deposits · Updated Oct 2026

Michigan security deposit law

How much a landlord in Michigan can charge, the deadline to return a deposit, what may be deducted, the penalty for keeping it wrongly and how to get yours back.

Short answer

In Michigan, the deposit limit is: 1.5 months' rent. The landlord must return it as follows: Within 4 days after you move out, give the landlord your forwarding address in writing.

deposit limit
1.5 months' rent
to return a deposit
30 days
deposit penalty
Up to 2×

Security deposit in Michigan

Limit
1.5 months' rent
Deadline to return it
Within 4 days after you move out, give the landlord your forwarding address in writing. Within 30 days after you move out, the landlord must either return the full deposit or mail you an itemized notice of damages with a check (or, since September 2026, an electronic payment within 10 days) for the rest. If the landlord does not send the notice within 30 days, it has agreed no damages are due and must return the full deposit immediately.
Itemized list
Yes: an itemized list of damages with the estimated repair cost for each item, mailed within 30 days after you move out. You must answer by mail within 7 days after you receive it, saying in detail whether you agree; if you do not, you can lose the amount claimed. To keep any disputed amount, the landlord must sue you within 45 days after you moved out (or you agree in writing); otherwise it must return the balance (MCL 554.609, 554.613).
What may be deducted
Only: actual damage caused by conduct not reasonably expected in normal living; unpaid rent, rent owed for ending the lease early, and unpaid utility bills (MCL 554.607).
Interest
no
Separate account
The deposit must be held in a regulated financial institution, unless the landlord posts a cash or surety bond with the Secretary of State. Within 14 days after you move in, the landlord must tell you in writing the bank or surety's name and address.
Move-in checklist
Yes. The landlord must give you 2 blank inventory checklists at move-in; fill one out and return it within 7 days. You can ask for the prior tenant's move-out checklist. The landlord must complete a move-out checklist too.
If the landlord keeps it wrongly
If the landlord does not follow the rules (notice of damages within 30 days of move-out; then, for any amount you dispute, a lawsuit within 45 days of move-out), it waives all claimed damages and owes you double the amount of the deposit it kept (MCL 554.613). If it misses the 30-day notice, it must return the full deposit right away (MCL 554.610).
Law
MCL 554.602-554.613

Get your deposit back, step by step

  1. Before you move out, clean, take dated photos and video of every room, and return all keys.
  2. Give your landlord your new address in writing. In Michigan: Within 4 days after you move out, give the landlord your forwarding address in writing.
  3. Wait for the deadline: Within 4 days after you move out, give the landlord your forwarding address in writing.
  4. If the money or an itemized list doesn't come, or the deductions are wrong, send a demand letter (below). Keep proof of mailing.
  5. If that doesn't work, sue in small claims court. Limit: $7,000. Small claims court in Michigan on Small Claims Map

Deposit return calculator for Michigan

Find your state's deadline for returning a security deposit, whether your landlord is late and what you may be owed. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

Enter your deposit and move-out dateThe result appears as you type.

An estimate from the dates you enter and the rule in our data, not legal advice. We skip weekends only where the rule counts business days, and we don't skip holidays.

Security deposit demand letter for Michigan

A short, firm and polite letter asking your landlord to return your deposit by a date. It cites your state's deposit law. Many landlords pay at this step, and the letter is proof that you asked. Fill this in, download the letter as PDF or Word (or copy it), sign it, keep a copy and send it in a way you can prove, such as certified mail with a return receipt.

Your letter is made in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us or anyone else.

The name on your lease or rent receipts.

We suggest 14 days.

One or two sentences. This text goes into the letter as written.

Small claims court in Michigan

Deposit disputes usually go to small claims court, where you don't need a lawyer. Limit: $7,000.

How to file in Michigan

Questions about security deposits in Michigan

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Michigan?

1.5 months' rent

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Michigan?

Within 4 days after you move out, give the landlord your forwarding address in writing. Within 30 days after you move out, the landlord must either return the full deposit or mail you an itemized notice of damages with a check (or, since September 2026, an electronic payment within 10 days) for the rest. If the landlord does not send the notice within 30 days, it has agreed no damages are due and must return the full deposit immediately.

What can I do if my landlord won't return my deposit in Michigan?

If the landlord does not follow the rules (notice of damages within 30 days of move-out; then, for any amount you dispute, a lawsuit within 45 days of move-out), it waives all claimed damages and owes you double the amount of the deposit it kept (MCL 554.613). If it misses the 30-day notice, it must return the full deposit right away (MCL 554.610).

What can a landlord deduct from a security deposit in Michigan?

Only: actual damage caused by conduct not reasonably expected in normal living; unpaid rent, rent owed for ending the lease early, and unpaid utility bills (MCL 554.607).

Does a landlord have to pay interest on a security deposit in Michigan?

no

What is the small claims limit in Michigan?

$7,000.

More for Michigan renters

Security deposit in nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.