Important: Homzora is a housing research publisher, not a law firm, and nothing on this page is legal advice. This article is general information about the law as published by government and court sources at the time of writing, and it may not reflect later changes or the facts of your situation. Reading it does not create an attorney and client relationship. For advice about your situation, contact a licensed attorney or a legal aid organization in your state.
In the city of Detroit, about 128,100 of 258,000 occupied homes, or 49.7 percent, are rented, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey (Homzora Detroit dataset, Table B25003). The median gross rent is $1,074 a month (Homzora Detroit dataset, Table B25064). Every one of those households went through an application, and the rules on fees and screening decide what you pay up front and how a landlord can judge you.
This guide explains application fees and tenant screening in Detroit under Michigan law and any local rules: what a landlord can charge, what it must tell you, how criminal history, credit, eviction records, and vouchers can be used, and what to do if you are denied.
Quick answers
- Fee cap: none enacted; bills to cap fees were pending in 2026 (Michigan SB 372 (2025) status).
- Vouchers: source of income is protected since April 2, 2025 for landlords with five or more units (Fair Housing Center of Southeast and Mid Michigan, Source of income fact sheet).
- Detroit Fair Chance: criminal history questions only after a conditional lease offer (City of Detroit, Fair Chance ordinance guide for landlords and tenants).
- Arrest records: a protected basis under state civil rights law (Michigan Department of Civil Rights, Investigation).
Income requirements at local rents
Income requirements are one of the most common screening criteria. As an illustration only, a landlord requiring income of three times the rent would expect about $3,222 a month, or $38,664 a year, at the median gross rent of $1,074. Requirements vary by landlord and some laws limit them, so ask for the exact standard in writing.
Application fees
We did not find a Michigan law capping application fees. Bills that would allow reusable screening reports and cap fees were pending in 2026 (Michigan SB 372 (2025) status).
Vouchers
Since April 2, 2025, source of income is protected under Michigan’s civil rights law. Landlords with five or more units must accept all legal sources of income, and voucher money counts toward household income (Fair Housing Center of Southeast and Mid Michigan, Source of income fact sheet).
Detroit’s Fair Chance rules
Detroit’s ordinance covers landlords with four or more properties. Criminal history questions must wait until you are deemed qualified and offered a conditional lease. Before denying, the landlord must give you a copy of the background check and 14 days to respond, and arrests without conviction, juvenile records, expunged convictions, and misdemeanors older than five years are excluded (City of Detroit, Fair Chance ordinance guide for landlords and tenants).
Your federal rights if you are denied
Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, a landlord that denies you, requires a cosigner, or charges a larger deposit or higher rent based even partly on a consumer report must give you an adverse action notice. It must name the screening company, say that the company did not make the decision, and explain your right to dispute the report and to get a free copy if you ask within 60 days (FTC, Using Consumer Reports: What Landlords Need to Know). The CFPB adds that a screening company generally has 30 days to investigate a dispute, and sometimes 45 (CFPB, If your rental application is denied because of a screening report).
At the federal level, HUD withdrew its 2016 guidance on how the Fair Housing Act applies to the use of criminal records, effective September 25, 2025 (Federal Register, HUD withdrawal of 2016 criminal records guidance (July 17, 2026)). State and local rules described in this guide still apply where they exist.
Where to get help in Detroit
The Michigan Department of Civil Rights takes complaints within 180 days (Michigan Department of Civil Rights, Investigation). For other assistance, call 211 (211.org).
Fair housing
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in rental terms because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, or disability (42 U.S.C. § 3604). HUD accepts complaints (HUD, File a Complaint).
Before you pay an application fee
- Ask for the landlord’s screening criteria in writing.
- Ask exactly what the fee covers and whether any part is refundable.
- Ask how many applications are already pending for the unit.
- Ask how long a decision will take and how you will be notified.
- Ask whether the landlord accepts a reusable screening report you already have.
Documents to have ready
- Photo identification for every adult applicant.
- Recent pay stubs or an offer letter, and benefit award letters.
- Bank statements if you are self employed or have irregular income.
- Contact information for current and past landlords.
- Voucher paperwork if you use housing assistance.
- A guarantor’s information and documents if one is needed.
Check your own records first
Before applying, review your credit reports from each of the three national credit bureaus and look for errors, old debts you have paid, or accounts you do not recognize. If you have had an eviction case or a criminal record, find out whether it was sealed or dismissed, since many places limit what landlords can use. Fixing errors before you apply is far easier than disputing them after a denial.
If you have limited or poor credit
- Offer a larger share of rent from savings or proof of steady income.
- Ask whether a cosigner or guarantor is accepted.
- Provide references from past landlords showing on time payments.
- Write a short letter explaining a past problem and how it was resolved.
- Ask whether the landlord will consider alternative evidence of ability to pay.
Red flags during the application
Be cautious if someone asks for a fee before you can see the unit, asks you to pay by wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency, refuses to give screening criteria, or pressures you to decide immediately. Legitimate landlords usually explain their criteria, accept traceable payment methods, and let you tour the home or a verified video tour before you pay.
If you are denied
- Ask for the reasons in writing if you did not receive them.
- Request the free copy of any screening report used.
- Dispute any errors with the screening company in writing.
- Keep copies of every letter, email, and receipt.
- Contact a fair housing organization or legal aid office if you believe the denial was discriminatory.
Build your evidence file
Landlord and tenant disputes are usually decided by documents. Keep these together from the day you sign:
- The signed lease, every addendum, and every renewal.
- Receipts or bank records for the deposit and each rent payment.
- Dated photos and video of every room at move in and move out.
- Copies of every repair request and the landlord’s replies.
- Every notice you send or receive, with proof of delivery.
Keep copies somewhere other than your phone, such as an email to yourself, so they survive a lost device.
Holding deposits
Some landlords ask for a holding deposit to take a unit off the market while your application is processed or before you sign. Before paying, get in writing how much it is, how long it holds the unit, whether it will be applied to your first month or deposit, and when it will be refunded if you are not approved or change your mind.
Cosigners and guarantors
A guarantor agrees to pay if you do not, which can help applicants with limited credit or income. Ask whether the landlord accepts guarantors, what income and credit it requires from them, and whether a guarantor company is allowed. Make sure the guarantor reads the agreement, since it can make them responsible for the full lease.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an application fee cap in Michigan?
Not yet; bills were pending (Michigan SB 372 (2025) status).
Must Detroit landlords accept vouchers?
Landlords with five or more units must accept lawful income sources (Fair Housing Center of Southeast and Mid Michigan, Source of income fact sheet).
When can a Detroit landlord ask about my record?
After a conditional lease offer, for covered landlords (City of Detroit, Fair Chance ordinance guide for landlords and tenants).
What must a denial notice include?
If a consumer report was used, the name of the screening company, a statement that it did not make the decision, and your rights to dispute and to a free copy within 60 days (FTC, Using Consumer Reports: What Landlords Need to Know).
Legal notice
Homzora is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Laws, court rules, and local programs change, and how they apply depends on your facts. Before you act on anything in this article, confirm the current rules with the court, a licensed attorney, or a legal aid organization.
Sources
- Homzora Detroit dataset, Table B25003
- Homzora Detroit dataset, Table B25064
- Michigan SB 372 (2025) status
- Fair Housing Center of Southeast and Mid Michigan, Source of income fact sheet
- City of Detroit, Fair Chance ordinance guide for landlords and tenants
- Michigan Department of Civil Rights, Investigation
- FTC, Using Consumer Reports: What Landlords Need to Know
- CFPB, If your rental application is denied because of a screening report
- Federal Register, HUD withdrawal of 2016 criminal records guidance (July 17, 2026)
- 211.org
- 42 U.S.C. § 3604
- HUD, File a Complaint