Michigan HOA Laws: Statutes, Rules & Board Duties

What Michigan statutes actually require of community associations — meetings, fines, assessments and liens, records, reserves, architectural review, and the resident protections a board cannot override. Every point is cited to statute.

By the Grihak Team · Researched 2026-07-09

Governing statutes

• Condominiums (including "site condominiums") are governed by the Michigan Condominium Act, MCL 559.101–559.276 (Act 59 of 1978), which supplies statutory rules on liens, foreclosure, records, reserves, and remedies (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-act-59-of-1978.pdf).
• There is no comprehensive statute for traditional (non-condominium) HOAs in Michigan. Standard subdivision/planned-community HOAs are governed primarily by their recorded declaration of covenants (CC&Rs), master deed, and bylaws, enforced as contract/property law. Flag this gap: most statutory rules below (liens, foreclosure, reserves, records timelines) apply to condominiums only, not to non-condo HOAs.
• Most Michigan condominium and homeowner associations are also incorporated as nonprofit corporations under the Michigan Nonprofit Corporation Act (NCA), MCL 450.2101 et seq., which supplies default rules on directors, member meetings, notice, quorum, voting, and records for both condo and non-condo associations (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-Act-162-of-1982.pdf).
• Where the governing documents conflict with a mandatory statute, the statute controls; among the documents, the master deed/declaration generally controls over bylaws and rules. (verify — general Michigan common-law hierarchy, not a single codified section.)

Meetings & notice

• The Condominium Act does not impose a California-style "open meeting act." Meeting frequency, notice, agendas, and whether members may attend board meetings are set by the association's bylaws and, for corporate/member meetings, by the Nonprofit Corporation Act. Flag this gap.
• Member meeting notice (NCA): written notice of the time, place, and purposes of a members' meeting must be given not less than 10 nor more than 60 days before the meeting (MCL 450.2404) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-2404). (verify day range against current text.)
• Remote/electronic participation: unless the articles or bylaws provide otherwise, members may participate in a members' meeting by conference telephone or other remote communication and are treated as present in person (MCL 450.2405) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-2405).
• Action without a meeting / written ballot: members may act by written ballot; an action passes if ballots returned equal at least the quorum and the favorable votes equal what would be required at a meeting (MCL 450.2408) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-450-2408).
• Amending condominium documents: requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of co-owners entitled to vote (a document may not require more), preceded by written notice; any provision requiring a higher threshold is void (MCL 559.190) (https://legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-190).

Fines & enforcement

• A condominium association may impose fines only if the condominium documents authorize them, and only after notice and a hearing (MCL 559.206(a)) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-206). The Act does not itself create a right to fine — the authority must come from the bylaws.
• On default, the Act's remedies include a suit for damages, injunctive relief, foreclosure of the assessment lien, and "such other reasonable remedies the condominium documents may provide, including... the levying of fines... and the imposition of late charges" (MCL 559.206) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-206).
• No statutory dollar cap on fines. Unlike California's $100 cap, Michigan law sets no maximum fine amount; limits (if any) come from the governing documents and general reasonableness. (verify — no known statutory cap as of 2026.)
• Attorney fees in a default proceeding are recoverable only if the condominium documents expressly allow them (MCL 559.206) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-206).
• Non-condominium HOAs have no statutory fine authority; power to fine depends entirely on the recorded declaration/bylaws. Flag this gap.

Assessments, liens & foreclosure

• Condominiums: unpaid assessments — together with interest, late and collection charges, advances, attorney fees, and fines in accordance with the condominium documents — automatically constitute a lien on the unit at the time of assessment (MCL 559.208(1)) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-208).
• Lien priority: the assessment lien is prior to all other liens except (1) tax liens in favor of a state/federal authority and (2) sums unpaid on a first mortgage of record — but a recorded notice of past-due assessments has priority over a first mortgage recorded after the lien notice (MCL 559.208(1)) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-208).
• Notice before foreclosure: the association must record a notice of lien and serve it on the delinquent co-owner by first-class mail at least 10 days before commencing foreclosure (MCL 559.208(2)) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-208).
• Foreclosure method: the lien may be foreclosed by judicial action or by advertisement, in the same manner as a real-estate mortgage (MCL 559.208(2)) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-208).
• Redemption: the redemption period after sale is 6 months, shortened to 1 month if the property is abandoned (MCL 559.208) (https://www.maylorber.com/2025/07/07/understanding-the-michigan-condominium-association-lien-and-foreclosure-process/). (verify exact subsection.)
• Non-condominium HOAs have no automatic statutory lien or foreclosure right. Any lien/foreclosure power exists only if the recorded declaration expressly grants it. Flag this gap.

Records access

• Condominiums: the association's books, records, contracts, and financial statements concerning the administration and operation of the project must be available for examination by any co-owner and their mortgagees at convenient times (MCL 559.157(1)) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-559-157.pdf).
• The Condominium Act sets no fixed response-day deadline or per-page cost cap like California's; "convenient times" is the standard, and courts imply a proper-purpose requirement. (verify — proper purpose is judicially implied, not expressly in § 559.157.)
• Corporate records (NCA): a member may, on written demand stating a proper purpose, inspect and copy the corporation's records for that purpose, in person or by agent/attorney (MCL 450.2487) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-2487). (verify section number.)
• Audit/review: an association with annual revenues greater than $20,000 must annually have its books independently audited or reviewed by a CPA, unless it opts out by majority member vote each year (MCL 559.157(2)–(3)) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-559-157.pdf).

Reserves & budgets

• Reserve fund (condominiums): the association must maintain a reserve fund for major repairs and replacement of common elements (MCL 559.205); by administrative rule the reserve must be at least 10% of the association's current annual budget on a noncumulative basis, usable only for major repairs/replacement (Mich. Admin. Code R 559.511) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/michigan/Mich-Admin-Code-R-559-511).
• The 10% figure is a statutory minimum floor, not an adequacy standard; the rule requires bylaws to warn that the minimum "may prove to be inadequate." The developer is liable for any reserve deficiency at the transitional control date (R 559.511) (https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/michigan/Mich-Admin-Code-R-559-511).
• No statutory reserve-study requirement. Michigan does not require a periodic reserve study or funding plan of the kind California mandates (Civ. Code § 5550); only the 10% floor applies. (verify — no reserve-study mandate as of 2026.)
• Budgets: budget adoption, notice, and any co-owner approval requirement are governed by the bylaws, not by a uniform Condominium Act provision. Flag this gap. (verify — some legislative proposals to require co-owner budget approval have not been enacted.)
• Non-condominium HOAs have no statutory reserve requirement. Flag this gap.

Architectural control

• The Condominium Act does not impose a statutory architectural-review procedure or approval timeline. Architectural/modification authority and process come from the master deed and bylaws (e.g., restrictions on alterations to units and common elements). Flag this gap.
• A co-owner or the association may sue to enforce or challenge architectural restrictions under the general enforcement provision (MCL 559.207) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-207).
• Override: architectural restrictions cannot be used to block items protected by statute — notably solar/energy improvements (Homeowners' Energy Policy Act, below) and the U.S. flag (MCL 559.156a). See "Protected activities."

Protected activities (what an association generally cannot prohibit)

• U.S. flag: a developer or association may not prohibit a co-owner from displaying a single United States flag no larger than 3' × 5' on the exterior of the co-owner's unit, subject to reasonable time/place/manner restrictions (MCL 559.156a) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-559-156A). The federal Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005 provides parallel protection.
• Solar & energy-saving improvements: under the Homeowners' Energy Policy Act (HEPA), MCL 559.301–559.317 (Act 68 of 2024, eff. April 2, 2025), an association may not prohibit or unreasonably restrict installation/operation of a solar energy system or listed energy-saving improvements (e.g., heat pumps, insulation, EV charging equipment, reflective roofing, rain barrels, clotheslines); conflicting governing-document provisions are void (MCL 559.305) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-Act-68-of-2024).
• Exceptions: HEPA does not force approval on common elements or shared roofs; associations may impose reasonable requirements through a required policy (below) (MCL 559.309) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-309-new).
• No general statutory protection for political signs, other flags (e.g., "thin blue line"), religious displays, clotheslines-as-such (except via HEPA), or xeriscaping the way California protects them. Those depend on the governing documents. Flag this gap. (verify — only the flag and HEPA items are statutorily protected.)

Fair housing & assistance animals

• Associations are subject to the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.) and Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA), MCL 37.2101 et seq., which bars housing discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, familial status, or marital status (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-Act-453-of-1976.pdf).
• Disability discrimination in housing is prohibited by the Michigan Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act (PWDCRA), MCL 37.1101 et seq. (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-37-1101), alongside the federal FHA.
• Associations must grant reasonable accommodations, including allowing service and emotional-support animals notwithstanding a "no pets"/breed/size rule, where the resident shows a disability and a disability-related need; accommodation may be denied if the animal is a direct threat or would cause substantial property damage (FHA/PWDCRA) (https://micondolaw.com/2023/11/21/what-every-condo-or-hoa-needs-to-know-about-emotional-support-animals/).
• Recent shift: on Sept. 17, 2025, HUD withdrew its 2013 and 2020 assistance-animal guidance notices (FHEO 2013-01 and 2020-01) that many associations relied on to evaluate ESA requests. (verify — reassess documentation practices in light of the withdrawal.)

Required disclosures

• New-condominium sales: a developer must deliver to a prospective purchaser the recorded master deed, a conforming purchase agreement and escrow agreement, the state Condominium Buyer's Handbook, and a detailed disclosure statement (developer/manager identity, association liability, project information) (MCL 559.184a) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-184a). Courts require strict compliance.
• New-unit purchaser withdrawal right: a purchaser of a new condominium unit may withdraw within the statutory rescission window after receiving the required documents (MCL 559.184) (https://micondolaw.com/2017/02/08/mcl-559-184-when-can-a-purchaser-withdraw-from-an-agreement-to-purchase-a-new-condominium/). (verify exact window.)
• No statutory resale-disclosure package. Michigan has no Davis-Stirling-style mandatory resale/transfer disclosure package for existing units; a resale buyer relies on documents obtained from the seller or association. Flag this gap.
• Non-condominium HOAs have no statutory disclosure regime. Flag this gap.

Dispute resolution

• Arbitration provision required in condo bylaws: condominium bylaws must state that disputes over interpretation/application of the condominium documents shall be submitted to arbitration (under AAA commercial rules) upon the election and written consent of the parties; electing arbitration bars court petitioning on that dispute (MCL 559.154) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-559-154). Arbitration is opt-in, not mandatory.
• Enforcement suits: a co-owner may sue the association, its officers, and directors to compel enforcement of the condominium documents, and a person adversely affected by a violation of the Act may bring an action for relief (MCL 559.207) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-207).
• No mandatory pre-suit IDR/ADR of the kind California requires (Civ. Code §§ 5900–5965). Michigan does not compel internal dispute resolution or a pre-litigation ADR offer. Flag this gap. (verify — no statutory IDR/ADR mandate as of 2026.)

Recent changes (2023–2026)

• Homeowners' Energy Policy Act — Act 68 of 2024 (eff. April 2, 2025), MCL 559.301–559.317: bars associations from prohibiting solar and energy-saving improvements and voids conflicting document provisions; requires every association to adopt a written solar energy policy statement (widely reported deadline ~April 1, 2026) (https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-Act-68-of-2024). (verify exact policy-adoption deadline in MCL 559.309.)
• ELCRA amendment — Public Act 6 of 2023: codified that sexual orientation and gender identity/expression are protected classes in housing and public accommodations (https://micondolaw.com/2023/03/27/public-act-6-of-2023-codifying-the-prohibition-of-discrimination-based-on-sexual-orientation-and-or-gender-identity-or-expression-2/).
• Marketable Record Title Act amendment (2025): updated how restrictive covenants must be preserved to remain enforceable; associations with documents recorded after Jan. 1, 1950 (and condos) generally need not act. (verify code section and applicability.)
• HUD assistance-animal guidance withdrawal (Sept. 17, 2025): HUD rescinded FHEO Notices 2013-01 and 2020-01, affecting how ESA requests are evaluated. (verify — federal guidance, not a Michigan statute.)
• Corporate Transparency Act: as of 2025, community associations are no longer required to report beneficial-owner (board member) information federally. (verify current federal status.)

Sources

• Michigan Condominium Act (Act 59 of 1978), full text — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-act-59-of-1978.pdf ; Chapter 559 index — https://legislature.mi.gov/Laws/Index?ObjectName=mcl-chap559
• MCL 559.156a (U.S. flag) — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-559-156A
• MCL 559.157 (books, records, audit) — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-559-157.pdf
• MCL 559.184a (developer disclosure statement) — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-184a
• MCL 559.190 (amendment of documents; two-thirds vote) — https://legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-190
• MCL 559.205 + Mich. Admin. Code R 559.511 (reserve fund, 10% floor) — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-559-205 ; https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/michigan/Mich-Admin-Code-R-559-511
• MCL 559.206 (remedies, fines, late charges, attorney fees) — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-206
• MCL 559.207 (enforcement actions) — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-207
• MCL 559.208 (assessment lien, priority, foreclosure, redemption) — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-208 ; foreclosure/redemption walkthrough — https://www.maylorber.com/2025/07/07/understanding-the-michigan-condominium-association-lien-and-foreclosure-process/ ; https://micondolaw.com/2026/03/23/how-to-foreclose-a-michigan-condominium-lien-under-mcl-559-208/
• MCL 559.154 (arbitration provision in bylaws) — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-559-154
• Homeowners' Energy Policy Act (Act 68 of 2024, MCL 559.301–559.317) — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-Act-68-of-2024 ; MCL 559.309 — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-559-309-new ; practitioner summaries — https://micondolaw.com/2025/02/13/michigan-homeowners-energy-policy-act-takes-effect-april-1-2025-does-your-hoa-have-a-solar-energy-policy/
• Michigan Nonprofit Corporation Act (Act 162 of 1982), full text — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-Act-162-of-1982.pdf ; MCL 450.2404 (member meeting notice) — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-2404 ; 450.2405 (remote participation) — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-2405 ; 450.2408 (ballot action) — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-450-2408
• Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (Act 453 of 1976, MCL 37.2101 et seq.) — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-Act-453-of-1976.pdf
• Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act (Act 220 of 1976, MCL 37.1101 et seq.) — https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=MCL-37-1101
• Assistance/emotional-support animals in Michigan condos/HOAs — https://micondolaw.com/2023/11/21/what-every-condo-or-hoa-needs-to-know-about-emotional-support-animals/
• Condo vs. HOA distinction & nonprofit-law overview — https://micondolaw.com/2022/04/05/does-your-condominium-association-or-hoa-need-to-update-its-articles-of-incorporation/ ; https://hirzellaw.com/the-michigan-nonprofit-corporation-act/
• 2025 Michigan condo/HOA legislative update — https://micondolaw.com/2026/01/14/2025-michigan-condo-and-hoa-legislative-update/

HOA laws in other states

• Alabama HOA laws
• Alaska HOA laws
• Arizona HOA laws
• Arkansas HOA laws
• California HOA laws
• Colorado HOA laws
• Connecticut HOA laws
• Delaware HOA laws
• District of Columbia HOA laws
• Florida HOA laws
• Georgia HOA laws
• Hawaii HOA laws
• Idaho HOA laws
• Illinois HOA laws
• Indiana HOA laws
• Iowa HOA laws
• Kansas HOA laws
• Kentucky HOA laws
• Louisiana HOA laws
• Maine HOA laws
• Maryland HOA laws
• Massachusetts HOA laws
• Minnesota HOA laws
• Mississippi HOA laws
• Missouri HOA laws
• Montana HOA laws
• Nebraska HOA laws
• Nevada HOA laws
• New Hampshire HOA laws
• New Jersey HOA laws
• New Mexico HOA laws
• New York HOA laws
• North Carolina HOA laws
• North Dakota HOA laws
• Ohio HOA laws
• Oklahoma HOA laws
• Oregon HOA laws
• Pennsylvania HOA laws
• Rhode Island HOA laws
• South Carolina HOA laws
• South Dakota HOA laws
• Tennessee HOA laws
• Texas HOA laws
• Utah HOA laws
• Vermont HOA laws
• Virginia HOA laws
• Washington HOA laws
• West Virginia HOA laws
• Wisconsin HOA laws
• Wyoming HOA laws