Michigan Eviction Notice
Michigan eviction notice: the 7-day demand for possession for nonpayment under MCL Section 600.5714. Free template, statute cites. Attorney review available.
Introduction
An eviction notice is a written notice a landlord serves on a tenant to begin ending a tenancy for cause, before filing a summary proceeding lawsuit in court. This page is built around that actual notice document, the Michigan demand for possession or notice to quit itself, ready to fill out, date, and serve, rather than a general walkthrough of how Michigan eviction law works. In Michigan, the notice period depends on why you're evicting: nonpayment of rent gets a 7-day demand for possession, and a serious and continuing health hazard or property damage gets a 7-day demand that the tenant can cure by repairing or restoring the premises instead of moving out. Two more serious situations skip the cure option entirely: controlled substance activity with a filed police report gets a 24-hour notice to quit, and threatened or actual physical injury to someone on the property, also with police notified, gets a 7-day notice to quit with no chance to fix the problem. Michigan splits its no-cure notices by cause into two different day counts rather than a single unconditional-quit period: 24 hours for documented drug activity with a police report already filed, 7 days for threats or physical injury to someone on the property, and neither track offers a chance to cure. Michigan's summary proceedings statute, Michigan Compiled Laws Sections 600.5701 through 600.5759, governs the pre-filing notice process, and Section 600.5716 sets out what every demand for possession must say. There's no single government-mandated form for the notice itself, but the law requires specific content: the demand must be in writing, state the reasons and the time to take remedial action, and state the amount due if rent is claimed. For a periodic tenancy with no fixed term, ending it without cause requires a different notice, typically 1 month, under Section 554.134. Serve the wrong notice type, the wrong day count, or skip required content, and the case can be dismissed before it starts.
Key Things to Know
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An eviction notice is a written notice a landlord must serve on a tenant to begin ending a tenancy for cause, before filing a summary proceeding lawsuit in court.
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Michigan splits its no-cure notices by cause into two different day counts: controlled substance activity on the premises with a formal police report filed gets a 24-hour notice to quit, and causing or threatening physical injury to someone on the property, with police notified, gets a 7-day notice to quit. Neither offers a chance to fix the problem. (Michigan Compiled Laws Section 600.5714(1)(b), (1)(e))
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Nonpayment of rent gets a 7-day demand for possession, running from the date of service. The demand must state the amount due. (Michigan Compiled Laws Section 600.5714(1)(a))
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A serious and continuing health hazard or extensive property damage gets a 7-day demand for possession that the tenant can cure by substantially restoring or repairing the premises instead of moving out. (Michigan Compiled Laws Section 600.5714(1)(d))
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The governing law is Michigan's summary proceedings statute, Michigan Compiled Laws Sections 600.5701 to 600.5759, which sets the notice rules and the court process that follows if the tenant doesn't comply.
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A demand for possession or notice to quit may be served by personal delivery to the tenant, by leaving it with a family/household member or employee of suitable age and discretion, by first-class mail (service counts as complete the next regular mail-delivery day), or by electronic service if both sides specifically consented in writing beforehand. (Michigan Compiled Laws Section 600.5718)
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There's no state-mandated form for the notice itself, but the law requires specific content: the demand must be in writing, state the reasons for the demand, the time to take remedial action, and (for rent claims) the amount due, and it must be dated and signed. (Michigan Compiled Laws Section 600.5716)
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Eviction Notice in Michigan, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Eviction Notice guide walks through them.
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Michigan Requirements for Eviction Notice
7-day demand for possession, running from the date of service of a written demand. The demand must state the amount due, and does not include any accelerated indebtedness because of a lease breach.
A demand for possession or notice to quit may be served by personal delivery to the tenant, by delivery on the premises to a family/household member or employee of suitable age and discretion, by first-class mail (service complete the next regular mail-delivery day after mailing), or by electronic service if both parties specifically consented in writing beforehand.
7-day demand for possession where the tenant willfully or negligently causes a serious and continuing health hazard, or extensive and continuing physical injury to the premises. The tenant may cure within 7 days of service by substantially restoring or repairing the premises instead of vacating.
The statutory basis for every notice type on this page and the District Court process that follows if the tenant does not comply: Michigan Compiled Laws Sections 600.5701 through 600.5759, "Summary Proceedings to Recover Possession of Premises."
Two no-cure tracks: a 24-hour notice to quit for controlled substance manufacture, delivery, or possession on the premises where a formal police report has been filed, and a 7-day notice to quit where the tenant or a household member causes or threatens physical injury to another person on the landlord's property with police notified. Neither offers an opportunity to cure.
Distinct from the for-cause notices above: ending a periodic tenancy with no fixed term (estate at will) requires 1 month's notice, or a shorter period matching the rent-payment interval if rent is paid more often than every 3 months. A year-to-year tenancy terminates 1 year after the notice to quit is served.
There is no single government-mandated form a landlord must use for the demand for possession itself, though SCAO publishes approved forms (DC 100a, DC 100b, DC 100c). Specific content is legally required: the demand must be in writing, addressed to the person in possession, state the address, clearly state the reasons and the time to take remedial action, state the amount due for rent claims, and be dated and signed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Michigan requires 7 days' notice for nonpayment of rent and for a curable health hazard or property damage (Michigan Compiled Laws Section 600.5714(1)(a), (1)(d)). Threatened or actual physical injury to someone on the property also gets a 7-day notice, but with no chance to cure. Controlled substance activity with a filed police report gets a much shorter 24-hour notice to quit.
No. Michigan law requires a written demand for possession or notice to quit before filing a summary proceeding for any of the causes listed in Michigan Compiled Laws Section 600.5714, including nonpayment of rent, health hazards, drug activity, and threats of violence. Skipping the notice, or serving it incorrectly, can get the case dismissed.
Under Michigan Compiled Laws Section 600.5716, a demand for possession must be in writing, addressed to the person in possession, and give the address or a brief description of the premises. It must clearly state the reasons for the demand and the time to take remedial action, and if rent or other lease sums are claimed, it must state the amount due. The demand must be dated and signed by the person entitled to possession or their attorney or agent.
No. Michigan Compiled Laws Section 600.5716 sets the required content but doesn't mandate a specific fill-in form. The State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) publishes forms landlords commonly use, such as DC 100a for nonpayment of rent, but nothing on those forms states their use is legally required, only that they are "Approved, SCAO." A landlord can write their own notice as long as it contains everything Section 600.5716 requires.
Nonpayment of rent and a serious health hazard or extensive property damage are curable: the tenant gets 7 days to pay the amount due, or to substantially restore or repair the premises, instead of moving out (Michigan Compiled Laws Section 600.5714(1)(a), (1)(d)). Controlled substance activity with a filed police report and threatened or actual physical injury to someone on the property are not curable: those get a 24-hour notice and a 7-day notice to quit, with no option to fix the problem (Section 600.5714(1)(b), (1)(e)).
The clock runs from the date of service, not the date the notice is written. For personal delivery or delivery to a household member or employee, service happens on the date of delivery. For first-class mail, service isn't complete until the next regular mail-delivery day after mailing (Michigan Compiled Laws Section 600.5718). Count 7 full days, or 24 hours for the drug-activity notice, forward from that service date to reach the deadline by which the tenant must pay, cure, or vacate.
If the tenant hasn't paid, cured, or vacated by the deadline, the landlord can file a summary proceeding complaint in the District Court for the district where the property is located, attaching copies of the notice and proof of when and how it was served. The tenant is then served with a summons and complaint and the case proceeds toward a court hearing before any judgment for possession is entered.
Yes. Michigan Compiled Laws Section 600.5716 requires the demand for possession to be dated and signed by the person entitled to possession, or by their attorney or agent. An undated or unsigned demand doesn't meet the statute's content requirements.