Oakland County is Michigan’s second-most populous county with approximately 1,274,395 residents and the most populous county in the United States without a city of 100,000 residents. The county seat is Pontiac; the largest city is Troy. Oakland County encompasses Detroit’s northern suburbs, ranging from working-class communities near the Wayne County border (Hazel Park, Oak Park, Ferndale, Royal Oak) to some of the wealthiest suburban communities in the Midwest (Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham, West Bloomfield). The county median household income of approximately $95,296 is among the highest of any Michigan county, and the county median rent of approximately $1,360 reflects a high-demand suburban rental market. Oakland County has historically been one of the ten wealthiest large counties in the United States. Major employers include General Motors, Fiat Chrysler/Stellantis, Ford, Oakland University, Beaumont Health, and a dense concentration of auto suppliers and technology companies. All landlord-tenant matters are governed by Michigan state law (MCL 554.601 et seq.; MCL 600.5714 et seq.). Oakland County has multiple district courts — you must file your eviction in the court serving the jurisdiction where the rental property is located. All Oakland County district courts use MiFILE TrueFiling for e-filing.
⚠️ Oakland County Has Multiple District Courts — File in the Right One
Oakland County is served by 10+ district courts. You must file your eviction in the court that has jurisdiction over the location of the rental property. All courts use MiFILE TrueFiling for e-filing. Always verify jurisdiction before filing.
Court
Address
Phone
Serves
43-1 DC (Hazel Park)
43 E. Nine Mile Rd., Hazel Park 48030
(248) 547-3034
Hazel Park
43-2 DC (Ferndale)
305 E. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale 48220
(248) 547-8700
Ferndale area
44th DC (Royal Oak)
400 E. 11 Mile Rd., Royal Oak 48067
(248) 246-3600
Royal Oak area
45th DC (Oak Park)
13600 Oak Park Blvd., Oak Park 48237
(248) 691-7440
Oak Park
46th DC (Southfield)
26000 Evergreen Rd., Southfield 48076
(248) 796-5870
Southfield area
47th DC (Farmington Hills)
31605 W. Eleven Mile Rd., Farmington Hills 48336
(248) 871-2900
Farmington Hills area
48th DC (Bloomfield Hills)
4280 Telegraph Rd., Bloomfield Hills 48302
(248) 647-1141
Bloomfield Hills area
50th DC (Pontiac)
70 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac 48342
(248) 758-3800
Pontiac area
51st DC (Waterford)
5100 Civic Center Dr., Waterford 48329
Verify locally
Waterford area
52-1 DC (Novi)
48150 Grand River Ave., Novi 48374
(248) 305-6080
Novi/western Oakland
52-2 DC (Clarkston)
5850 Lorac Dr., Clarkston 48346
(248) 625-4888
Clarkston/NW Oakland
52-3 DC (Rochester Hills)
700 Barclay Circle, Rochester Hills 48307
(248) 853-5553
Rochester/Auburn Hills area
52-4 DC (Troy)
520 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy 48084
(248) 528-0400
Troy/Bloomfield area
⚠ Always verify current jurisdiction with the specific court before filing. All courts use MiFILE TrueFiling for e-filing of civil and landlord-tenant matters.
Oakland County Local Regulations
No county-level landlord-tenant ordinances. Michigan state law governs all residential rental matters. Many Oakland County cities have their own rental registration or inspection programs.
Category
Details
Local Ordinances
No county-level landlord-tenant ordinances. However, many Oakland County municipalities — including Royal Oak, Ferndale, Southfield, Pontiac, and others — maintain rental property registration requirements and housing code inspections. Landlords must verify local requirements for each property municipality.
Rent Control
Prohibited statewide. No Oakland County municipality may impose rent caps or stabilization measures.
Security Deposit
Capped at 1.5× monthly rent (MCL 554.602). At the county median rent of ~$1,360, maximum deposits run approximately $2,040. Return within 30 days of move-out with itemized list or face double-damages liability (MCL 554.613). High-end markets (Bloomfield Hills, Troy, Rochester Hills) may require deposits near the statutory cap.
Source-of-Income (2025)
Effective April 2, 2025, Michigan prohibits source-of-income discrimination at 5+ unit properties statewide (MCL 554.601c). Oakland County has a significant Section 8 population concentrated in Pontiac, Southfield, and Hazel Park. Landlords with 5+ unit properties may not discriminate based on housing vouchers. Civil remedy: actual damages or 3× monthly rent plus attorney fees (MCL 554.601d).
E-Filing Requirement
All Oakland County district courts use MiFILE TrueFiling for civil and landlord-tenant filings. Self-represented landlords must create a MiFILE account before filing. The 52-4 District Court (Troy) also provides a public MiFILE kiosk at the courthouse (8:30am–4:15pm) for parties without computer access.
Last verified: 2026-04-01
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State statutes that apply throughout Oakland County
⚡ Quick Overview
7
Days Notice (Nonpayment)
7-30
Days Notice (Violation)
30-60
Avg Total Days
$45-150
Filing Fee (Approx)
💰 Nonpayment of Rent
Notice Type7-Day Demand for Possession
Notice Period7 days
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.
🔍 Reduce Your Risk Before Signing a Lease:
Michigan landlords who screen tenants carefully before signing a lease significantly
reduce their risk of ending up in eviction court. Understanding
tenant screening in Michigan —
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
eviction process, proper tenant screening can help
you identify red flags early and avoid problem tenancies altogether.
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
🏙️ Major Communities in Oakland County
62 cities, villages, and townships
Troy Pontiac Royal Oak Southfield Farmington Hills Rochester Hills Bloomfield Hills Auburn Hills
Oakland County
Screen Before You Sign
Auto/tech industry professionals and healthcare workers are the most stable applicants. File in the court serving your property location — not the court closest to you. All courts require MiFILE. Verify municipal rental registration requirements separately.
A Landlord’s Guide to Renting in Oakland County, Michigan
Oakland County is a study in economic contrasts. With 1.27 million residents, it is Michigan’s second-most populous county and one of the wealthiest suburban counties in the United States — at its peak in the 2000s, it ranked among the ten wealthiest large counties in the nation. The county stretches from the affluent communities of Bloomfield Hills, Birmingham, and West Bloomfield in its center and south to the post-industrial city of Pontiac in the north, and from the inner-ring suburbs of Royal Oak, Ferndale, and Hazel Park on the Wayne County border to exurban communities like Clarkston and Holly near the Lapeer and Genesee county lines. This geographic range produces rental sub-markets that span from luxury apartments in Troy and Rochester Hills charging $2,500+ per month to affordable working-class rentals in Pontiac and Hazel Park under $1,000 per month.
The Critical Filing Rule: Multiple Courts, One County
Oakland County’s most important practice rule for landlords is simple but frequently violated: you must file your eviction in the district court that has jurisdiction over the location of the rental property, not the court closest to you or most convenient. Oakland County contains more than a dozen district courts serving different geographic areas. The 52nd District Court alone has four separate divisions (52-1 in Novi, 52-2 in Clarkston, 52-3 in Rochester Hills, 52-4 in Troy), each serving distinct parts of the county. Additionally, independent district courts serve Hazel Park (43-1), Ferndale (43-2), Royal Oak (44th), Oak Park (45th), Southfield (46th), Farmington Hills (47th), Bloomfield Hills (48th), Pontiac (50th), and Waterford (51st). Filing in the wrong court will result in dismissal and delays. All courts use MiFILE TrueFiling for electronic filing. The 52-4 District Court in Troy provides a public MiFILE kiosk for self-represented parties.
Employment Base, Demographics, and the Rental Market
Oakland County’s economic anchor is the auto industry ecosystem: General Motors has major operations in Warren and Detroit but extensive executive and engineering presence in Oakland County; Stellantis has its North American headquarters in Auburn Hills; and dozens of Tier 1 auto suppliers are based throughout the county. This corporate concentration produces a stable, high-income professional tenant pool in communities like Troy, Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills, and Bloomfield Hills. Healthcare is a second major sector, with Beaumont Health, Ascension Providence, and McLaren Oakland operating major hospitals. The county median household income of approximately $95,296 reflects this wealth, though it masks significant internal variation — Pontiac’s poverty rate is substantially higher than the county average, and communities like Hazel Park and Oak Park have lower median incomes than the county as a whole. Michigan’s 2025 source-of-income law (MCL 554.601c, effective April 2, 2025) is particularly relevant in Pontiac and Southfield, where a significant population uses Housing Choice Vouchers. Landlords with 5+ unit properties throughout the county may not discriminate against voucher holders.
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about landlord-tenant law in Oakland County, Michigan and is not legal advice. Always verify the correct court jurisdiction for your rental property and current requirements with the applicable district court or a licensed Michigan attorney before taking legal action. Last updated: April 2026.
