Michigan Eviction Record Sealing: No Statute, Only MCR 8.119 Motions

By Steve Levine · Updated November 3, 2026

Short answer: Michigan eviction record sealing is not yet provided by any statute; a summary proceedings case stays public unless you persuade a judge to seal it under the general court rule, MCR 8.119(I). That rule requires a written motion, a good-cause finding, and proof that nothing less restrictive would protect your interest. A Senate bill to create eviction-specific sealing and expungement, SB 374 of 2025, was pending but had not become law as of its last recorded action.

Because the general sealing rule is demanding and rarely fits an ordinary rent case, most Michigan tenants protect their records in other ways: by using the court rule’s rental-assistance stay, by negotiating dismissals, and by holding screening companies to federal accuracy rules.

Michigan Eviction Record Sealing: Key Rules

Rule	Michigan	Statute or rule
Eviction-specific sealing or expungement law	None enacted; SB 374 of 2025 pending	SB 374 (2025) bill status
General motion to seal	Written motion, good-cause finding, no less restrictive means	MCR 8.119(I)(1)
Can the judgment itself be sealed?	No: a court may not seal an order or opinion	MCR 8.119(I)(6)
Rental assistance stay in nonpayment cases	Initial 14 days; total stay no more than 28 days	MCR 4.201(I)(3)
Unrepresented party’s window to undo a consent judgment	3 regular court business days	MCR 4.201(J)
Nonpayment notice before filing	7-day written demand for possession	MCL 600.5714(1)(a)
Federal limit on reporting a civil judgment	7 years from entry, or the limitations period if longer	15 U.S.C. § 1681c(a)(2)

The General Sealing Rule and Why It Rarely Fits

Michigan’s court rules begin from openness. Under MCR 8.119(I)(1), unless a statute or court rule says otherwise, a court may not seal records in any case unless three conditions are met: a party filed a written motion identifying the specific interest to be protected, the court found good cause in writing or on the record, and there is no less restrictive means to protect that interest.

In weighing good cause, the court must consider the parties’ interests, including a domestic violence victim’s safety where that is alleged, and the interest of the public, per MCR 8.119(I)(2). Any interested person gets an opportunity to be heard. While the motion is pending, the materials it covers are made nonpublic temporarily.

Two limits make this a narrow tool for evictions. First, MCR 8.119(I)(6) bars sealing a court order or opinion, so a judgment for possession stays visible even if other filings are sealed. Second, when a motion is granted, the court must forward the order to the Clerk of the Supreme Court and the State Court Administrative Office. A tenant who was evicted after a domestic violence incident, for example, may have a stronger good-cause argument than one with an ordinary rent dispute.

We found no landlord-tenant entry in the State Court Administrative Office’s chart of nonpublic and limited-access records, and no Michigan court rule that makes summary proceedings files nonpublic.

Where Michigan’s Legislature Stands

Lawmakers have tried several times. HB 5238 of 2023 passed the House in December 2024 but was referred to a Senate committee, where it stalled when the 2023-2024 session ended. Its successor in the current session, Senate Bill 374 of 2025, is titled to “provide for the sealing and expungement of” court records of summary proceedings. Its bill page shows it reported favorably by committee in September 2025 and placed on third reading in the Senate on March 3, 2026, with no public act number. Until a bill is signed, none of its proposed rules apply.

Keeping a Judgment Off Your Record

Since the file is likely to stay public, the outcome you leave in it matters. Michigan’s court rule gives nonpayment tenants a built-in pause. Under MCR 4.201(I)(3), after advising you of your rights and adjourning trial, the court must stay a residential nonpayment case and must not proceed to judgment if you applied for rental assistance through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services or another listed agency and file written proof within five days. The initial stay lifts after 14 days unless the application is pending or approved, and the total stay cannot exceed 28 days.

If assistance pays what you owe, ask that the case be dismissed rather than closed by a money judgment. A dismissal still appears in the court file, but it reads very differently on a screening report.

Be careful with consent judgments. Under MCR 4.201(J), if either side had no lawyer, the judge must review the proposed consent judgment in court, and it cannot be enforced for 3 regular court business days. An unrepresented party may move to set it aside in that window, and the court shall do so if you misunderstood the rights you were giving up. For the full timeline from the 7-day demand under MCL 600.5714 to the writ, see our eviction process by state guide.

Michigan Screening Reports and Your FCRA Rights

With no state sealing law, federal law is your main protection. 15 U.S.C. § 1681c(a)(2) caps reporting of civil suits and judgments at seven years from entry, unless the governing limitations period is longer. Under § 1681e(b), a screening company must follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy, so a case reported as a judgment when it was dismissed, or attributed to the wrong person, is a violation you can challenge.

If a landlord denies you based on a report, § 1681m(a) requires an adverse action notice naming the agency that supplied it. Send that agency your dismissal order or satisfaction; under § 1681i(a)(1), it must reinvestigate at no charge and finish within 30 days. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau groups tenant screeners among the specialty reporting companies and urges consumers to dispute suspected inaccuracies with them. Our tenant screening report guide explains what each part of a report means.

Worked Example: Andre in Flint

Andre fell $1,840 behind on rent. His landlord served a 7-day demand for possession on February 2, 2026, and filed in district court after it expired. At the first hearing on February 23, the judge advised Andre of his rights, and he applied to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for rental assistance the next day, filing proof with the court within five days. Under MCR 4.201(I)(3), the case was stayed; because his application was still pending at 14 days, the stay continued, and it could not run past 28 days.

The assistance was approved and paid in March 2026, and Andre’s landlord agreed to dismiss the case. The file remains public because Michigan has no eviction sealing statute, and a motion under MCR 8.119(I) would require showing a specific interest that outweighs public access. But the docket shows a dismissal, not a judgment for possession. When a screener later reported the case as “eviction judgment,” Andre disputed it with a copy of the dismissal, and the company had 30 days to reinvestigate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Michigan judge seal my eviction case just because it was dismissed?

Not automatically. A dismissal does not trigger sealing in Michigan; you would still need to file a written motion under MCR 8.119(I) and convince the court there is good cause and no less restrictive option. Many tenants with dismissed cases rely instead on accurate reporting and FCRA disputes.

Would a sealing order hide the judgment for possession?

No. MCR 8.119(I)(6) says a court may not seal a court order or opinion, including an order deciding a motion to seal. Other filings in the case could be sealed, but the judgment itself stays in the public file.

Has Michigan passed the eviction expungement bill?

Not as of SB 374’s last recorded action, when it was placed on third reading in the Senate on March 3, 2026. Check the bill page for later steps, since only a signed public act would change your rights.

Does applying for rental assistance stop my case from reaching judgment?

In a residential nonpayment case, MCR 4.201(I)(3) bars the court from proceeding to judgment while a qualifying application is pending, if you file proof within five days of being told about the program. The stay is capped at 28 days in total, so follow up with the agency quickly.

This page provides general information, not legal advice. For help with a pending case or a motion to seal, contact legal aid through the Legal Services Corporation’s legal help page and bring your summons, any judgment, and any denial letter. Compare Michigan with other states on our eviction record sealing by state hub, read Michigan security deposit law before you move, and see Detroit tenant rights if you rent in the city.

Sources

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