Michigan notice periods
A Michigan landlord must give 30 days’ written notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, and the tenant must give the same. A rent increase needs 30 days’ notice. For nonpayment, the landlord must serve a 7-day notice to pay or quit before filing for eviction.
The Michigan rules in detail
Estate at will (month-to-month): either party may terminate by giving 1 month's notice (MCL 554.134(1)).
No rent-increase-specific statute. On a month-to-month tenancy a change of terms is treated like termination/renewal, so 1 month's notice under MCL 554.134(1) applies (derived, not a separate statutory rule).
7 days. The tenant may cure by paying everything owed within the period; after that the landlord may file for eviction.
Serving the notice
- Notice must be in writing. Text messages and emails count only where the lease or statute allows electronic notice.
- The clock starts when the notice is delivered, not when it is written. Mailed notices usually add days; check the statute’s service rules.
- Termination notices generally take effect at the end of a rental period. Served mid-month, a 30-day notice ends the tenancy at the end of the next full month.
- A fixed-term lease ends on its own date; these periods apply to month-to-month tenancies and to tenancies that continued after a lease expired.
Related Michigan rules
- Late fees: No statute caps late fees or sets a grace period; fees must be in the written lease and are subject to common-law reasonableness (courts generally accept roughly 5-10%; secondary sources only). Late fee calculator.
- Security deposit: 1.5 months' rent; returned Within 30 days after termination of occupancy the landlord must mail an itemized list of damages plus a check/money order for the balance (or return the full deposit). Deposit rules.
- All rules on one page: Michigan landlord and tenant law.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does a landlord have to give a tenant to move out in Michigan?
30 days’ written notice for a month-to-month tenancy. Estate at will (month-to-month): either party may terminate by giving 1 month's notice (MCL 554.134(1)).
How much notice does a tenant have to give in Michigan?
30 days’ written notice on a month-to-month tenancy. A fixed-term lease ends on its own date unless it says otherwise.
How much notice is required for a rent increase in Michigan?
30 days. No rent-increase-specific statute. On a month-to-month tenancy a change of terms is treated like termination/renewal, so 1 month's notice under MCL 554.134(1) applies (derived, not a separate statutory rule).
How long is a pay-or-quit notice in Michigan?
7 days. The tenant can stop the eviction by paying the full amount within that time.
Does the notice have to end on the last day of the month?
In most states, yes: a termination notice on a periodic tenancy takes effect at the end of a rental period that is at least the required number of days after service. Serving on the 15th with a 30-day requirement typically ends the tenancy at the end of the following month, not 30 days later. The calculator shows both dates.