Mich. Comp. Laws § § 125.541b
Noncompliance with order as misdemeanor; penalties; designation of blight violation by municipality.
Operative Text
Sec. 141b. (1) Except as otherwise provided under subsection (2), a person who fails or refuses to comply with an order approved or modified by the legislative body or board of appeals under section 141 within the time prescribed by that section is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 120 days or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both. (2) If a legislative body of a municipality formed under the home rule city act, 1909 PA 279, MCL 117.1 to 117.38, has enacted an ordinance that is substantially the same as sections 138 to 142, the municipality may designate the violation of its ordinance as a blight violation in accordance with section 4q of the home rule city act, 1909 PA 279, MCL 117.4q.
Under MCL § 125.541b, failing or refusing to comply with a housing-code order that has been approved or modified by a local legislative body or board of appeals within the required timeframe is a criminal misdemeanor. The penalty can include up to 120 days of imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Separately, municipalities operating under Michigan's Home Rule City Act may choose to classify the same type of violation as a civil 'blight violation' rather than pursuing criminal misdemeanor charges, giving local governments flexibility in how they enforce compliance.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers subject to a housing-code order under MCL § 125.541b should be aware that ignoring or missing the compliance deadline set by the local legislative body or board of appeals carries serious consequences, including potential criminal misdemeanor charges. Compliant operators typically document all remediation steps, track deadlines carefully, and communicate proactively with the relevant local authority if circumstances affect their ability to meet a prescribed timeline. In home-rule municipalities that have adopted a substantially similar local ordinance, the same conduct may alternatively be processed as a civil blight violation, which can affect the nature and procedure of enforcement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
MCL § 125.541b gives tenants important context about the consequences landlords face when they ignore official housing-code compliance orders — noncompliance can result in criminal misdemeanor charges, fines up to $1,000, or up to 120 days of imprisonment. If a landlord has received an order from a local legislative body or board of appeals and has not complied within the required period, tenants may have grounds to report continued noncompliance to the local housing or code enforcement authority. Tenants can also consult a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office to understand how this provision and any related local blight-violation ordinance may apply to their situation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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