Security deposit return deadline in Michigan
A Michigan landlord has 30 days after the tenancy ends to return a security deposit or send a written list of what was kept.
- Deadline
- 30 days
- What the landlord must send
- Within 30 days the landlord must mail an itemized list of damages with a check for the balance; the notice must warn the tenant to respond within 7 days.
- If the landlord gets it wrong
- A landlord who does not return the balance or sue within 45 days waives the damage claims and owes double the amount retained.
- Deposit limit
- 1.5 months’ rent
The tenant must give a forwarding address in writing.
The law
Mich. Comp. Laws §§ 554.602, 554.609, 554.613. Read the statute.
Checked against the statute in October 2026. Laws change, so confirm the current rule before you rely on it.
What to do next
If the deadline has passed, or the landlord kept money without a proper list, put your request in writing. Ask for the deposit back by a specific date, and keep a copy. The free first letter in the Deposit Demand Letters kit does this for Michigan, and the deadline calculator works out your exact date from your move-out day.
Other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- 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
- Washington, D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
General information about Michigan law, not legal advice, and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Deposit Demand Letters is a self-help template kit from Kits For That.