How long a landlord has to return your deposit, and what you can claim if they miss it
This page covers residential security deposits in Michigan, where a landlord has kept some or all of a deposit after a tenancy ends.
It does not cover:
Lease terms and local ordinances can change what applies. Where a city has its own deposit rules, those may differ from the state statute below.
Measured from termination of occupancy.
Within 30 days after termination of occupancy, the landlord must mail a notice of damages containing an itemized list of damages claimed, including the estimated cost of repair of each damaged item and the amounts and bases on which the landlord intends to assess the tenant, together with a check or money order (or electronic transfer) for the difference.
MCL 554.609(1) ↗A landlord who withholds in bad faith may be liable for 2x the portion wrongfully withheld.
Failure of the landlord to comply fully with §554.613 constitutes waiver of all claimed damages and makes the landlord liable for double the amount of the security deposit retained. The basis is the amount retained (the disputed portion), not the full deposit.
MCL 554.613(2) ↗The clock does not start on the day you decided to leave. In Michigan it starts termination of occupancy — for most leases that is the date you hand back the keys, not the date your notice period began.
““I kept the deposit for damages.””
Michigan requires an itemized notice of damages with estimated repair costs mailed within 30 days. Without a money judgment or a qualifying exception, you may not retain any portion. Provide the itemized notice, or return my deposit.
MCL 554.609(1), 554.613(1)
““You did not respond to my notice.””
The notice must state that I had 7 days to respond (2026 Act 102). I responded in writing within that period, preserving my right to dispute the claimed damages.
MCL 554.609(4)
““I never got a forwarding address.””
I provided a forwarding address within 4 days of vacating as required by §554.611. Absent that, the notice and refund obligations still attach.
MCL 554.611
Every figure on this page comes from the official text, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked against the source.
| Statute | Last verified | Source |
|---|---|---|
| MCL 554.609(1) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| MCL 554.613(2) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| MCL 554.609(1), 554.613 | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| MCL 554.613(1) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| MCL 600.5807(8) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
Primary reference: MCL 554.609. Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Amendments are recorded on the site changelog.
A self-help letter is the right starting point for a single deposit you can document. Get legal help if:
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.
Michigan Security Deposit Rules
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30 days, counted from termination of occupancy. MCL 554.609(1).
A landlord who withholds in bad faith may be liable for 2x the portion wrongfully withheld. MCL 554.613(2)
It runs from termination of occupancy — the date you vacated and returned the keys, not the date your notice period began.
No — The small claims division has jurisdiction over cases for the recovery of money where the amount claimed does not exceed $7,000 (effective January 1, 2024). Attorneys are generally not permitted in small claims.