Can a landlord refuse a Section 8 voucher in Michigan?
No, not in most cases. In Michigan, a landlord may not deny a tenancy, set different terms, or claim a unit is unavailable, based on the source of income of an otherwise eligible tenant. The law took effect on April 2, 2025, and does not apply to a landlord who, with related entities, owns fewer than 5 rental units in Michigan. This is MCL 554.601c.
| What | Michigan |
|---|---|
| Renting to a voucher holder | Protected, for landlords with 5 or more units |
| What the state law does | Bars refusing a tenant because of a voucher |
Source
MCL 554.601c
Read the statute in the Michigan Compiled Laws (Michigan Legislature): legislature.mi.gov.
Checked against the statute on October 23, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
This page states whether the state protects renters who pay with a housing voucher, so a listing and its screening rules can be checked against it before they are published. Seayora’s rental search assistant never filters homes by how a renter will pay the rent.
Guides on this rule
- Renting to Section 8 Tenants: A Landlord’s Guide to Vouchers — How the Housing Choice Voucher program works for landlords: the HAP contract, inspections and the 2027 NSPIRE change, rent reasonableness, and who pays what.
- Tenant Screening: What Landlords Need to Know — How to screen rental applicants fairly and legally: credit and background checks, consistent criteria, the FCRA’s adverse action notice and fair housing.
- The Fair Housing Act: A Landlord’s Plain-English Guide — The seven protected classes, what the Fair Housing Act prohibits, the small-landlord exemptions, advertising rules, deadlines and penalties, with citations.
Compare this rule in every state
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The same question in other states
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
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- Kentucky