Michigan Eviction Process: Notice Periods, Timeline & Tenant Defenses (2026)

How eviction works step by step, and what defenses you have at each stage

At a glance

• Notice required before filing: 7 or 30 days, depending on the grounds
• Court required: Yes — possession is recovered through court, not by self-help
• Governing statute: MCL 600.5714

Who this covers — and who it does not

This page covers the eviction process in Michigan for a residential tenancy — the notices a landlord must serve, the timeline, and what you can do at each stage.

It does not cover commercial leases, or mobile home parks where a separate statute applies. Where a city has its own rules, those may differ from the state statute below.

What the statute actually says

MCL 600.5714 — 驱逐须经 summary proceedings 法院程序，房东先送达法定 demand for possession / notice to quit，再起诉，仅法院判决由 court officer 执行。

密歇根驱逐是司法驱逐（summary proceedings）。欠租 7 天 demand（600.5714(1)(a)）；毒品活动 24 小时（须警方报案）；严重健康危害/财产损害 7 天；人身伤害/威胁 7 天；其他违约 30 天。月租终止 1 个月通知（554.134）。

MCL 600.5714 ↗

Notice periods by grounds

How the process runs, step by step

1. 房东送达 demand / notice to quit（7/30 天） (from 欠租/违约/租期). 欠租 7 天 demand、违约 30 天、月租终止 1 个月。
2. 房东向 district court 提起 summary proceedings (from 通知期届满). 通知期届满未纠正，房东起诉。
3. 法院 Judgment of Possession + Writ of Eviction 执行 (from 判决). 仅 court officer 执行 writ；房东不得自行移除（600.2918）。

Can the landlord use self-help?

密歇根禁止自力救济（600.2918）：房东不得换锁、断水电、搬物；违者承担实际损害 + 律师费。

MCL 600.2918 ↗

Common landlord claims and how to answer them

Remedies for an illegal eviction

自力救济违者对租客承担实际损害 + 律师费（600.2918）。

MCL 600.2918 ↗

Sources and how to verify them

Every figure on this page comes from the official text or a state court opinion, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked.

Statute	Last verified	Source
MCL 600.5714	2026-10-16	official text ↗
MCL 600.5714(1)(a)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
MCL 600.5714(1)(c)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
MCL 554.134	2026-10-16	official text ↗
MCL 600.5714; 554.134	2026-10-16	official text ↗
MCL 600.5744; 600.2918	2026-10-16	official text ↗
MCL 600.2918	2026-10-16	official text ↗

Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Where a provision admits of more than one reading, that is flagged rather than smoothed over.

When you need a lawyer instead of a tool

A self-help guide is the right starting point for understanding your position. Get legal help if:

• You have received an eviction notice — the timeline is now court-driven
• The dispute involves discrimination, unsafe conditions or retaliation
• Your landlord has filed anything in court already
• You are unsure whether a local ordinance changes the state rule

Local legal aid organisations and tenant unions offer free help for qualifying cases. They are independent of this site — we list them because they are the right place to go, not because they link here.

More Michigan guides

Michigan Security Deposit Return · Michigan Security Deposit Rules · Michigan Rent Increase Rules · Michigan Repairs & Habitability · Michigan Landlord Retaliation

→ All Michigan tenant rights topics

Common questions