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Michigan Lease Agreement Template

A printable Michigan residential lease agreement, plus the Michigan-specific rules worth knowing before you fill it in: the 1.5-month deposit cap, the mandatory move-in and move-out inventory checklists most states don't require, the 30-day return deadline, and the tenant's unusual 4-day forwarding-address duty.

Educational sample — not legal advice

This template and the rules summarized here are general educational information as of this page's writing, not legal advice, and statutes change. Michigan's Landlord and Tenant Relationships Act (MCL 554.601 et seq.) and Truth in Renting Act govern residential tenancies — have a Michigan attorney or current state resource verify your completed lease before anyone signs.

The Michigan Rules That Shape a Lease

Topic	Michigan rule (commonly cited — verify current law)
Security deposit cap	One and a half months' rent
Deposit handling	Held in a regulated financial institution, or landlord posts a cash/surety bond; written notice of the depository or bond within 14 days of the tenant taking possession
Inventory checklists	Mandatory: two blank move-in checklists supplied at move-in, tenant returns one within 7 days; matching move-out checklist at the end
Deposit return	Itemized list and balance mailed within 30 days after the tenancy ends; tenant must provide a forwarding address in writing within 4 days of moving out
Late fees	No statutory cap; must be in the lease and defensible as reasonable
Entry notice	No statutory period for routine entry — the lease clause controls, so write one
Key disclosures	Federal lead paint (pre-1978); landlord's name and address in the lease; Truth in Renting Act notice language; the statutory security-deposit notice in the lease text

The Michigan Template

Print this page or copy the text into your document editor. It follows our standard residential lease structure with the Michigan-specific clauses adjusted.

Michigan Residential Lease Agreement

1. PARTIES. This Residential Lease Agreement (“Agreement”) is made on ___________, 20___, between ______________________________ (“Landlord”), whose address is ______________________________________________, and ______________________________ (“Tenant”). Each Tenant is jointly and severally liable for all obligations under this Agreement.
2. PREMISES. Landlord leases to Tenant the residential premises located at ______________________________________________, Unit ______, ______________________ (City), Michigan __________ (ZIP) (the “Premises”), together with the following included items or areas (appliances, parking, storage): ______________________________________________.
3. TERM. The term of this Agreement begins on ___________, 20___, and ends on ___________, 20___ (check one): ☐ Fixed term ☐ Month-to-month. If Tenant remains in possession after the end of a fixed term with Landlord's consent, the tenancy continues month-to-month on the same terms; either party may then terminate with at least one month's written notice.
4. RENT. Tenant shall pay rent of $__________ per month, due in advance on the ______ day of each month, payable to ______________________________ by the following method(s): ______________________________. Rent for any partial first or last month shall be prorated.
5. LATE FEES & RETURNED PAYMENTS. If rent is not received within ______ days after the due date, Tenant shall pay a late fee of $__________, which the parties agree is a reasonable charge for the costs of late payment. Tenant shall pay a fee of $__________ for any payment returned for insufficient funds, as permitted by law.
6. SECURITY DEPOSIT. Tenant shall pay a security deposit of $__________ before taking possession, not exceeding one and one-half months' rent as Michigan law allows. The deposit will be held at ______________________________________________ (name and address of financial institution), or secured by bond as Michigan law permits. Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, Landlord shall mail an itemized list of damages and the remaining balance to Tenant's forwarding address. NOTICE TO TENANT: You must notify your landlord in writing within 4 days after you move of a forwarding address where you can be reached and where you will receive mail; otherwise your landlord shall be relieved of sending you an itemized list of damages and the penalties adherent to that failure.
7. INVENTORY CHECKLISTS. Landlord shall provide Tenant with two blank copies of an inventory checklist at the commencement of the lease, itemizing the condition of the Premises. Tenant shall complete and return one copy to Landlord within 7 days after taking possession. At termination, Landlord shall complete a termination inventory checklist listing the condition of the Premises, as Michigan law requires.
8. UTILITIES & SERVICES. Tenant shall pay for the following utilities and services: ______________________________________________. Landlord shall pay for: ______________________________________________.
9. OCCUPANCY & USE. The Premises shall be occupied only by Tenant and the following named occupants: ______________________________________________. The Premises shall be used as a private residence only. Guests staying more than ______ consecutive days require Landlord's written consent.
10. MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS. Landlord shall keep the Premises and all common areas fit for their intended use and in reasonable repair, as Michigan law requires. Tenant shall keep the Premises clean and sanitary, dispose of waste properly, use fixtures and appliances reasonably, promptly notify Landlord in writing of any condition needing repair, and be responsible for damage caused by Tenant's or Tenant's guests' negligence or misuse. Repair requests shall be sent in writing to: ______________________________________________.
11. LANDLORD'S RIGHT OF ENTRY. Landlord may enter the Premises to inspect, make repairs, or show the Premises to prospective tenants or buyers after giving Tenant at least ______ hours' advance notice, and may enter without notice in an emergency.
12. PETS. (Check one) ☐ No pets are permitted without Landlord's prior written consent. ☐ The following pet(s) are permitted: ______________________________, subject to a pet deposit of $__________ and/or pet rent of $__________ per month. This section does not apply to service or assistance animals as defined by applicable law.
13. ASSIGNMENT & SUBLETTING. Tenant shall not assign this Agreement or sublet any portion of the Premises without Landlord's prior written consent.
14. TERMINATION & RENEWAL. Either party may end a month-to-month tenancy with at least one month's written notice. For a fixed term, notice of non-renewal shall be given at least ______ days before the end of the term. Upon termination, Tenant shall return all keys, provide a forwarding address in writing within 4 days of moving out, and leave the Premises clean and in the same condition as received, normal wear and tear excepted.
15. GOVERNING LAW & DISCLOSURES. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Michigan, including the Landlord and Tenant Relationships Act (MCL 554.601 et seq.) and the Truth in Renting Act. If any provision is held invalid, the remaining provisions continue in full force. Required disclosures and addenda — including the federal lead-based paint disclosure for housing built before 1978 — are attached and incorporated into this Agreement.
16. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement, together with any attached addenda, is the entire agreement between the parties and may be amended only in a writing signed by both parties.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement on the date first written above.

Landlord signature

Printed name & date

Tenant signature

Printed name & date

Sample for educational purposes — not legal advice. Verify current Michigan requirements and add any locally required disclosures before use.

Filling It In: The Michigan-Specific Steps

1Cap the deposit at 1.5 months' rent — and note that Michigan counts pre-paid last month's rent and most non-refundable fees toward that limit, so add up everything you're collecting.
2Name the bank in the lease — the deposit belongs in a regulated financial institution (or under a state bond), and the tenant gets written notice of where within 14 days of moving in. Section 6 has the blank.
3Actually do the checklists — two blank copies at move-in, one back from the tenant within 7 days, and a matching list at move-out. In Michigan these aren't best practice, they're the law, and they're your only solid evidence for deductions.
4Write a real entry clause — Michigan gives you no statutory default for routine entry, so the hours you write are the rule.
5Calendar the 30-day deposit clock at move-out — and remember the two-way street: the tenant owes you a forwarding address within 4 days, and the itemization-and-response mechanics after that have their own deadlines, so check the current statute when the time comes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Michigan limit how much security deposit a landlord can charge?

Yes — Michigan caps the security deposit at one and a half months' rent (commonly cited as MCL 554.602). Michigan also regulates where the money lives: the deposit must be held in a regulated financial institution, or the landlord may post a cash or surety bond with the state and use the funds. Within 14 days of the tenant taking possession, the landlord must give written notice of the depository or bond and of the tenant's forwarding-address duty.

What are Michigan's move-in and move-out checklists?

Michigan is one of the few states that makes inventory checklists mandatory (commonly cited as MCL 554.608). The landlord must supply two blank copies of a checklist at move-in listing the condition of the unit; the tenant completes and returns one within seven days of taking possession. At move-out the landlord completes a matching checklist. These paired documents are the evidence base for any deposit deduction, so skipping them undermines your ability to withhold.

How is a security deposit returned in Michigan?

Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must mail an itemized list of damages and the balance of the deposit (commonly cited as MCL 554.609). The tenant has a matching duty: provide a forwarding address in writing within four days of moving out. A tenant who receives the itemization then has seven days to respond or the listed deductions may stand; a landlord who ignores the process can end up liable for double the amount wrongfully withheld — verify the current statute for the exact mechanics.

Does a Michigan landlord have to give notice before entering?

Michigan has no statute setting an entry-notice period for routine entry — the lease controls. Write the notice period (24 hours is customary) and the permitted reasons into the agreement, because the lease is what a court will look at.

How much can a Michigan landlord charge as a late fee?

Michigan has no statute capping residential late fees, so the lease controls — but the fee must be in the written lease and defensible as a reasonable charge rather than a penalty. Michigan's Truth in Renting Act separately polices lease clauses generally, voiding provisions that waive tenant rights, so keep the whole lease clean, not just the late-fee line.

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