Michigan security deposit deadline & deductions
You have 30 days — within 30 days of move-out
- Deadline
- 30 days
- Itemized statement
- Required by statute
- Receipts
- No threshold verified
- Statute
- MCL 554.609
30 days sits mid-range: 8 of the 26 states verified here are shorter, 5 are longer.
Same deadline as Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey and 4 more.
Itemized list of damages due within 30 days of move-out.
When the Michigan clock runs out
The deadline runs from the end of the tenancy, not from when you get around to inspecting. On Michigan's 30-day rule, these are the dates you would be working to:
| Tenant moves out | Statement and refund due by |
|---|---|
| January 31, 2026 | March 2, 2026 |
| April 15, 2026 | May 15, 2026 |
| July 31, 2026 | August 30, 2026 |
| November 30, 2026 | December 30, 2026 |
Does Michigan require an itemized statement?
Yes — Michigan requires an itemized written statement of any deductions rather than a lump sum, under MCL 554.609. Each charge needs to stand on its own: what was damaged, and what it cost to put right.
What you can actually charge for
Michigan statute sets the deadline and the paperwork; it does not publish a table of what a worn carpet is worth. The defensible method — charging only the useful life the tenant used up early, and excluding normal wear — is the same in every state, and is explained on the calculator, which builds the itemized statement and puts the Michigan deadline on it.
Next: Michigan deposit return letter · move-in report · every state’s deadline
Michigan rule last checked 2026-07-23 against MCL 554.609. General information, not legal advice — confirm the current statute before sending a deduction statement.
Everything else we’ve researched about Michigan
Same state, the problems either side of this one. Each carries its own statute and the date we last checked it.
- Michigan deposit return law & letterThe landlord's deadline to return a deposit, and the itemized letter.
- Michigan deposit demand letterFor the tenant: whether the landlord is late, and by how many days.
- Michigan move-in condition reportThe walkthrough record that decides deposit arguments later.
- Michigan emergency plan rulesDrill frequency, filings, prescribed forms and retention, cited.
Questions people ask
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Michigan?
- Michigan: Itemized list of damages due within 30 days of move-out. (MCL 554.609). 30 days sits mid-range: 8 of the 26 states verified here are shorter, 5 are longer.
- Does Michigan require an itemized statement of deductions?
- Yes. Michigan requires an itemized written statement of any deductions rather than a lump sum (MCL 554.609).
- Do I need receipts for deductions in Michigan?
- No threshold verified. Michigan's statute, as verified here, does not set a dollar figure above which receipts are required (MCL 554.609). That does not make an undocumented charge safe: every deduction still has to be reasonable and documented, and a receipt or invoice is what makes it so.