Free Michigan Residential Lease & Rental Agreement Template
Michigan is one of the few states that puts a required sentence inside the lease itself: a Truth in Renting notice, in type no smaller than 12-point. It also caps the deposit at one and a half months’ rent and ties it to inventory checklists at both ends of the tenancy. The sections are quoted below.
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Michigan rules landlords must follow
- Security deposit cap 1½ months’ rent
“A security deposit shall be required and maintained in accordance with the terms of this act and shall not exceed 1 1/2 months’ rent.” The figure is a hard statutory ceiling; a pet deposit or a cleaning deposit counts toward it rather than sitting outside it.
- Deposit return deadline 30 days to mail the itemised list
Where there is damage to the rental unit or another obligation against the deposit, “the landlord shall mail to the tenant, within 30 days after the termination of occupancy, an itemized list of damages claimed for which the security deposit may be used,” including the estimated cost of each repair. Mailing, not merely preparing the list, is what the statute requires inside the 30 days.
- Ending a month-to-month tenancy One month’s notice, either side
“An estate at will or by sufferance may be terminated by either party by giving 1 month’s notice to the other party.” Where rent is payable at intervals of less than three months, a notice equal to that interval is enough, and the notice is not void merely because the day it names does not line up with the start or end of a rental period.
- Inventory checklists Required at both ends
“The landlord shall make use of inventory checklists both at the commencement and termination of occupancy for each rental unit which detail the condition of the rental unit for which a security deposit is required,” and at the start of the lease must furnish the tenant two blank copies of a commencement checklist on a form identical to the one used at termination.
Required disclosures
- Lead-based paint (federal)
- For any housing built before 1978, federal law requires the landlord to disclose known lead-based paint and hazards, give the EPA pamphlet “Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home,” and include a lead warning in the lease. 42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 24 CFR Part 35 / 40 CFR Part 745
- Truth in Renting notice, in 12-point type
- A Michigan rental agreement “shall state in a prominent place in type not smaller than the size of 12-point type, or in legible print with letters not smaller than 1/8 inch,” a notice in substantially the statutory form, beginning: “NOTICE: Michigan law establishes rights and obligations for parties to rental agreements.” It is a formatting requirement as much as a wording one — a notice buried in body text does not satisfy the section. MCL § 554.634(2)
Generate a Michigan-ready lease
The generator pre-selects Michigan and defers to these rules for deposits, notice and entry — answer a few questions and download Word & PDF, generated on your device.
FAQ
Michigan lease questions
- How much security deposit can a Michigan landlord charge?
- “A security deposit shall be required and maintained in accordance with the terms of this act and shall not exceed 1 1/2 months’ rent.” The figure is a hard statutory ceiling; a pet deposit or a cleaning deposit counts toward it rather than sitting outside it.
- How long does a Michigan landlord have to return the deposit?
- Where there is damage to the rental unit or another obligation against the deposit, “the landlord shall mail to the tenant, within 30 days after the termination of occupancy, an itemized list of damages claimed for which the security deposit may be used,” including the estimated cost of each repair. Mailing, not merely preparing the list, is what the statute requires inside the 30 days.
- How much notice is required to end a month-to-month lease in Michigan?
- “An estate at will or by sufferance may be terminated by either party by giving 1 month’s notice to the other party.” Where rent is payable at intervals of less than three months, a notice equal to that interval is enough, and the notice is not void merely because the day it names does not line up with the start or end of a rental period.
- Is this legal advice?
- No. Free Contract Generator provides self-help templates and general information, not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created. Landlord-tenant law is state- and city-specific and changes; confirm the current rules and consult a licensed attorney for your situation.
Rules on this page were checked against the official source cited beside each item on September 6, 2026. Laws change — confirm the current rule before you rely on it. This page is general information, not legal advice.