Michigan security deposit: 30 days to get it back
Within 30 days after occupancy ends, the landlord must mail an itemized list of claimed damages, plus a check or money order for the balance of the deposit (since Sept 21, 2026, electronic transfer is also allowed). If the tenant disputes in time, the landlord must sue within 45 days after move-out or return the balance.
What the law requires
- Itemized statement
- The notice must itemize damages with estimated repair costs and may not include damage already listed on the move-in checklist. It must include a 12-point boldface statement that the tenant must respond by mail within 7 days after receiving it. A tenant who does not respond can lose the right to contest the claimed amount. No receipt threshold found.
- Forwarding address
- The tenant must give the landlord a written address for receiving communications within 4 days after moving out (MCL 554.611). If the tenant does not, the landlord is relieved of sending the damages notice, but the tenant's later claim for the deposit is not prejudiced.
- If the landlord breaks the rules
- A landlord who does not comply fully with the 45-day suit-or-return rule waives all claimed damages and is liable to the tenant for double the amount of the security deposit retained. The statute does not mention attorney fees.
- Loss of the right to deduct
- Yes. If the landlord misses the 30-day notice deadline, that counts as agreement that no damages are due and the full deposit must be returned immediately (MCL 554.610). Failing to comply fully with MCL 554.613 waives all claimed damages.
- Deposit cap
- 1.5 months' rent (MCL 554.602).
- Small claims limit
- $7,000 in District Court Small Claims Division
Recent changes
2026 PA 102 (SB 22), effective immediately Sept 21, 2026: amended MCL 554.609 to allow the deposit balance to be returned by direct deposit or electronic transfer. 2024 PA 178, 179 and 199 (effective Apr 2, 2025) added source-of-income anti-discrimination provisions to the same act; PA 179 and 199 text shows no change to deposit deadlines, caps or penalties. Small claims limit is $7,000 since Jan 1, 2024 (MCL 600.8401).
If your landlord misses the deadline
- Write down your dates and gather proof: move-out date, the date you gave your forwarding address, the deposit amount, and anything the landlord sent. Photos and receipts help.
- Send a written demand by certified mail, keep the receipt, and cite MCL 554.601-554.616. Give a date to respond.
- If you still aren't paid, file in District Court Small Claims Division. Deposit claims up to $7,000 can be filed there, usually without a lawyer. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.
What a Michigan demand letter looks like
Re: Demand for return of security deposit / Rental address: [Street address, unit, city, state ZIP]
Dear [Landlord name]:
I rented the property above from you under a lease that began on [lease start date]. I paid a security deposit of $[deposit amount] on [date paid]. I moved out and returned possession on [move-out date].
My forwarding address is [forwarding address]. Please send my deposit and any required statement to that address.
[A.] I have not received my deposit or an itemized statement of deductions. Under MCL 554.601-554.616, a landlord must return a tenant's security deposit, or send an itemized statement of any deductions, within 30 days after the tenant moves out. That deadline passed on [deadline date].
Preview of the first part of letter one. Yellow marks the parts you fill in.
Common questions
How long does a landlord in Michigan have to return a security deposit?
Within 30 days after occupancy ends, the landlord must mail an itemized list of claimed damages, plus a check or money order for the balance of the deposit (since Sept 21, 2026, electronic transfer is also allowed). If the tenant disputes in time, the landlord must sue within 45 days after move-out or return the balance.
What happens if a Michigan landlord keeps the deposit wrongfully?
A landlord who does not comply fully with the 45-day suit-or-return rule waives all claimed damages and is liable to the tenant for double the amount of the security deposit retained. The statute does not mention attorney fees. Yes. If the landlord misses the 30-day notice deadline, that counts as agreement that no damages are due and the full deposit must be returned immediately (MCL 554.610). Failing to comply fully with MCL 554.613 waives all claimed damages.
Do I have to give my Michigan landlord a forwarding address?
The tenant must give the landlord a written address for receiving communications within 4 days after moving out (MCL 554.611). If the tenant does not, the landlord is relieved of sending the damages notice, but the tenant's later claim for the deposit is not prejudiced.
Where do I sue for my deposit in Michigan?
Deposit claims up to $7,000 can be filed in District Court Small Claims Division. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.
Other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
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- Mississippi
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- Montana
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- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- District of Columbia
Rules reviewed October 2026. Laws change, so confirm with the statute before you rely on this page.