Southfield, MI Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)

Sec. 8.504 of the City Code requires an owner of a rental dwelling to register with the department before the dwelling is rented or offered for rent, and registration is a precondition to being entitled to collect rent from tenants; a sublessor is treated the same as an owner for compliance purposes. The registration form must list the owner's and any managing agent's name, address and phone number, plus a driver's license or Michigan ID number for each individual owner or agent, and it must be signed by all owners and agents.

Existing rentals had to register within 90 days of the chapter's effective date, a property newly converted to a rental must register before its first rental occupancy, and a new owner must register within 30 days of a sale, transfer or conveyance, though an existing certificate of rental compliance carries over to the new owner. Owners must give the city contact information for someone who answers complaints at any time, and if the owner lives more than 30 miles away or is a business entity, a local property management company within 30 miles must be retained to inspect the property weekly, post its name and a 24-hour phone number visibly from the street, and report noncompliance in writing.

Registration stays valid until an ownership or agency change, but any change in the required information must be reported to the department in writing within 30 days.