Mason County is a small Lake Michigan shoreline county of approximately 29,052 residents, named for Michigan’s first governor Stevens T. Mason. The county seat is Ludington (~7,550), a working port city notable for hosting the SS Badger — the last coal-fired passenger car ferry operating on the Great Lakes, which crosses Lake Michigan to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, making Ludington a distinctive gateway city. The county’s economy rests on multiple pillars: the Consumers Energy Ludington Pumped Storage Plant (one of the world’s largest pumped-storage facilities, located north of Ludington), tourism anchored by Ludington State Park and Lake Michigan beaches, agriculture in the inland townships, and healthcare at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital. With a median age of 47.6 and a predominantly rural character, Mason County is a modest-income market. All landlord-tenant matters are governed by Michigan state law (MCL 554.601 et seq.; MCL 600.5714 et seq.). Evictions file with the 79th District Court at 304 E. Ludington Avenue, Suite 104, Ludington, MI 49431, phone (231) 843-4130.
SS Badger ferry; Ludington State Park; Pumped Storage Plant
Economy
Tourism, energy, healthcare, agriculture
Landlord Rating
8/10 — Stable Small Market
⚖️ Eviction At-a-Glance
Nonpayment Notice
7-Day Demand for Possession
Lease Violation Notice
30-Day Notice to Quit
Court
79th DC — 304 E. Ludington Ave., Ste 104, Ludington
Court Phone
(231) 843-4130
Court Hours
Mon–Fri 8:00am–5:00pm
Avg Timeline
21–57 days start to finish
Mason County Local Regulations
No county-level landlord-tenant ordinances. Michigan state law governs all residential rental matters.
Category
Details
Local Ordinances
No county-level landlord-tenant ordinances. The City of Ludington maintains local property maintenance standards. Michigan state law is the complete governing framework.
Rent Control
Prohibited statewide. No municipality in Mason County may impose rent caps or stabilization measures.
Security Deposit
Capped at 1.5× monthly rent (MCL 554.602). Return within 30 days of move-out with itemized list or face double-damages liability (MCL 554.613).
Seasonal Tenancy
Ludington’s tourism season (Memorial Day through Labor Day) creates a portion of the local rental market with hospitality and tourism workers who may need housing only during the summer. Seasonal rentals should use explicit fixed-term leases with clear start and end dates. Seasonal workers holding over after lease expiration may assert month-to-month rights requiring formal eviction to terminate.
79th DC Serves Two Counties
The 79th District Court serves both Mason and Oceana counties. The Mason County location at 304 E. Ludington Avenue is the correct filing address for all Mason County landlord-tenant evictions. Oceana County cases file at the Hart location. Do not confuse the two locations.
Last verified: 2026-04-01
🏛️ Mason County Courthouse
79th District Court, Ludington
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Tenant Can Cure?Yes - tenant can pay full rent within 7 days to stop eviction. After judgment, tenant has 10 business days to pay judgment amount or vacate.
Days to Hearing10-30 days
Days to Writ10 days
Total Estimated Timeline30-60 days
Total Estimated Cost$200-$600
⚠️ Watch Out
Notice period matches rent payment schedule (7 days for monthly tenants). Use official form DC 100a. After judgment, tenant gets 10 business days to pay judgment amount or move - if paid within 10 days, case over. Consent judgments can be set aside within 3 days if tenant was unrepresented. Corporations/partnerships must have attorney. 24-hour notice for illegal drug activity (with police report).
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the District Court - Summary Proceedings. Pay the filing fee (~$45-150).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Michigan eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Michigan attorney or local legal aid organization.
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Michigan landlords who screen tenants carefully before signing a lease significantly
reduce their risk of ending up in eviction court. Understanding
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including background checks, credit history, income verification, and rental references — is one of the most
cost-effective steps you can take to protect your rental property. Before you ever need Michigan's
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Ready to File?
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AI-generated, state-specific eviction notices, pay-or-quit letters, lease termination documents, and more — pre-filled with your tenant's information and built to Michigan requirements.
Select your state, eviction reason, and the date you plan to serve notice. We'll calculate your earliest filing date and key milestones.
⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Underground Landlord
🏙️ Communities in Mason County
City, village, and townships
Ludington Scottville Pentwater Fountain Free Soil
Mason County
Screen Before You Sign
Healthcare, energy sector (Consumers Energy), and government workers are the most stable year-round applicants. Use fixed-term leases for seasonal hospitality workers. Most year-round rental demand is in Ludington city.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Mason County, Michigan
Mason County occupies a compact slice of Michigan’s western Lake Michigan shoreline, defined by its port city of Ludington at its northwestern corner and a mostly agricultural and forested interior. Ludington is a working port with a working-class character, built on lumber and salt in the 19th century and sustained today by tourism, energy infrastructure, and healthcare. The city is the western terminus of US-10, one of Michigan’s primary Lower Peninsula cross-routes, and the departure point for the SS Badger — the historic car ferry that crosses 60 miles of open Lake Michigan to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, making Ludington genuinely the western doorstep of Michigan. The Consumers Energy Ludington Pumped Storage Plant, located just north of the city along Lake Michigan, is one of the largest battery-like energy storage facilities in the world, using off-peak electricity to pump water uphill and releasing it through turbines during peak demand periods. It employs a skilled technical workforce that contributes to Mason County’s stable year-round employment base.
Rental Market Dynamics
Mason County’s rental market is small, concentrated almost entirely in Ludington city, and driven by a mix of year-round working residents and seasonal tourism demand. The stable year-round tenant pool consists of healthcare workers at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital, Consumers Energy employees and contractor staff, county and city government workers, school district employees, and retail and service workers. These are the applicants landlords should target with year-round leases. The seasonal tourism market — workers at Ludington State Park’s campgrounds and visitor facilities, hospitality workers at lakefront resorts and restaurants, and temporary workers supporting summer ferry operations — creates a secondary demand for summer-season rentals. Landlords renting to seasonal workers should use fixed-term leases with explicit end dates to avoid holdover issues when the season ends.
The 79th District Court
Mason County landlord-tenant evictions file with the 79th District Court at 304 E. Ludington Avenue, Suite 104, Ludington, MI 49431, phone (231) 843-4130, fax (231) 845-9076. Court hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The 79th District Court also serves Oceana County at a separate location in Hart — Mason County cases must be filed at the Ludington location. Standard Michigan security deposit rules apply: 1.5× maximum, 30-day return with itemized list, double damages for noncompliance under MCL 554.613.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in Mason County, Michigan and is not legal advice. Always verify current requirements with the 79th District Court or a licensed Michigan attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
