LawLease
Log in
LawLease1/5

Free Michigan Security Deposit
Return Letter Template

Last reviewed September 2026

Written by LawLease Editorial

Free template

Download a free Security Deposit Return Letter template

A blank, printable form — fill it in by hand. Or build a guided version with Michigan set as the governing state. Create a free account to download.

Build a guided Michigan version

Michigan Security Deposit Return Letter

When a tenancy ends, a Michigan landlord has a set time to return the deposit or send an itemized list of deductions. Here’s what Michigan’s statute says.

Michigan rules at a glance

Michigan rules for a Security Deposit Return Letter
Return deadline30 days. Within 30 days after the tenant moves out, the landlord must mail an itemized list of damages with the estimated cost of each repair and return any balance; missing the 30 days means the full deposit is owed.MCL 554.609
PenaltyIf the tenant disputes the list, the landlord must sue within 45 days of move-out to keep the disputed amount, or waives the claimed damages and owes double the amount of the deposit retained.MCL 554.613

Security deposits in Michigan

A Michigan security deposit — any refundable money held beyond the first full rental period, whatever it is called — may not exceed one and one-half months’ rent (MCL 554.602). The Act is strict about paperwork and deadlines, and a landlord who misses them loses the right to keep any of the deposit.

  • Where it’s held — The deposit must be kept at a regulated financial institution. A landlord may use the deposited funds only after filing a cash or surety bond with the Secretary of State to secure them (MCL 554.604).
  • 14-day notice — Within 14 days after the tenant moves in, the landlord must give written notice of the landlord’s name and address for receiving communications and the name and address of the bank or surety holding the deposit. It must also warn, in 12-point bold type, that the tenant must give a forwarding address within 4 days of moving out (MCL 554.603).
  • Inventory checklist — The landlord must provide two blank move-in inventory checklists; the tenant has 7 days after moving in to complete one and return it. A move-out checklist follows at the end of the tenancy (MCL 554.608).
  • Return — Within 30 days after the tenant moves out, the landlord must mail an itemized list of damages with the estimated cost of each repair, and return any balance. Missing the 30 days means the landlord agrees no damages are owed and must return the full deposit (MCL 554.609, 554.610).
  • Suing to keep it — If the tenant disputes the list, the landlord must file suit within 45 days of move-out to keep any disputed amount. A landlord who doesn’t follow this procedure waives the claimed damages and owes the tenant double the amount of the deposit retained (MCL 554.613).

Required notices in a Michigan lease

  • Truth in Renting notice — Every lease must state prominently: “NOTICE: Michigan law establishes rights and obligations for parties to rental agreements. This agreement is required to comply with the Truth in Renting Act…” and give the landlord’s address for notices (MCL 554.634).
  • Domestic violence notice — The lease should state that a tenant with a reasonable apprehension of present danger to the tenant or the tenant’s child from domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking may have special statutory rights to seek a release of rental obligation under MCL 554.601b. If it doesn’t, the landlord must post or hand over that notice at signing (MCL 554.601b).
  • Senior early-termination right — The 60-day release for tenants of 13+ months entering senior housing or unable to live independently (MCL 554.601a).
  • Deposit notices — The 14-day deposit-holder notice with the bolded forwarding-address warning, and the move-in inventory checklists (MCL 554.603, 554.608).
  • Lead-based paint — Federal lead warning and known-hazard disclosure for housing built before 1978 (42 U.S.C. §4852d).

Michigan Security Deposit Return Letter FAQs

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Michigan?

No more than one and one-half months’ rent. Any refundable amount the landlord holds beyond the first full rental period counts toward that cap, whatever the lease calls it (MCL 554.602).

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Michigan?

Within 30 days after the tenant moves out, the landlord must mail an itemized list of damages and return the balance. If the list isn’t sent on time, the full deposit is owed. The tenant must provide a forwarding address within 4 days of moving out to trigger the mailing duty (MCL 554.609, 554.611).

More Michigan landlord documents

Security Deposit Return Letter in other states

Create your document in under 5 minutes

Answer a few plain questions, then download or e-sign. Built for landlords and tenants.

Get started
LawLease

LawLease LLC is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice or legal representation. The information, documents, and services available through LawLease are provided for informational and self-help purposes only and are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.

This document is a general-purpose template, not legal advice. Laws vary by state and city, and an unusual situation deserves a lawyer’s review.

Documents you generate are yours to keep. Every edit and signature is recorded in an audit trail, so you can show exactly what was signed and when.

Using LawLease means you accept our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and Legal Disclaimer. Bot protection is provided by reCAPTCHA — Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.