Michigan Tenant Screening

for Landlords & Real Estate Agents

Tenant Screening Services in Michigan…

RealSerious.com makes tenant screening easy and efficient. Give us your applicant’s name and email, and we’ll get their consent for the delivery of a comprehensive credit report alongside a multi-state criminal background check.

No monthly fees – pay as you go.

Michigan Map

Cities and Regions We Serve

Whether you manage urban apartments in Detroit or suburban homes along the Great Lakes, we simplify tenant screening and tailor our services to help Michigan landlords make smarter decisions.

Learn more about each area:

Detroit
Grand Rapids
Warren
Sterling Heights
Ann Arbor

Our services are available statewide for landlords and property managers where allowed under Michigan state law.

Factual Data to Reduce Risk

Our tenant screening reports offer comprehensive details to help landlords select applicants most likely to honor lease agreements and responsibly maintain properties. Reports include the following, where available:

• Credit Score & Factors (ResidentScore®)
• Reported Addresses & Employment
• Credit Card & Loan Payments
• Ch 7 & 13 Bankruptcy Remarks
• Returned Check Collection Accts
• Unpaid Utility & Landlord Collections
• Foreclosures & Repossessions
• Multi-State Criminal Records*
• National Sex Offender Registry
• Global Sanctions

See a sample report.

Turnaround Times: Most results are available within seconds after the applicant’s identity is verified. However, reports may take up to 1–2 days due to jurisdictional processing delays or common name matches.

tenant credit report

*DISCLAIMER: No tenant criminal background check is 100% complete. Coverage for our standard tenant screening may vary due to (1) jurisdictions limiting what records are eligible to return and (2) TransUnion and/or its partners limiting records that do not meet their data quality standards. As of November 2024, criminal records are available to return in the following jurisdictions that have a green dot in the “In Network” column below…

Michigan Criminal Record Coverage

This information applies only to our criminal report included in our standard Indiana tenant screening service. If a jurisdiction is not “In Network,” then it’s possible that if a criminal conviction occurred there, it may not be reported. Learn more about our tenant criminal record coverage across the rest of the U.S.

Search by county to see if it’s “In Network”

StateCountyIn NetworkInitial Clear Avg Turnaround TimePotential Hit Avg Turnaround Time
MichiganAllegan< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganBarry< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganGrand Traverse< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganKent< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganMacomb< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganOakland< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganSaginaw< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganWayne< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganAlcona< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganAlger< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganAlpena< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganAntrim< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganArenac< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganBaraga< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganBay< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganBenzie< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganBerrien< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganBranch< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganCalhoun< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganCass< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganCharlevoix< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganCheboygan< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganChippewa< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganClare< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganClinton< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganCrawford< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganDelta< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganDickinson< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganEaton< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganEmmet< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganGenesee< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganGladwin< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganGogebic< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganGratiot< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganHillsdale< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganHoughton< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganHuron< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganIngham< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganIonia< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganIosco< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganIron< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganIsabella< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganJackson< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganKalamazoo< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganKalkaska< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganKeweenaw< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganLake< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganLapeer< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganLeelanau< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganLenawee< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganLivingston< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganLuce< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganMackinac< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganManistee< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganMarquette< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganMason< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganMecosta< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganMenominee< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganMidland< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganMissaukee< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganMonroe< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganMontcalm< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganMontmorency< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganMuskegon< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganNewaygo< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganOceana< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganOgemaw< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganOntonagon< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganOsceola< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganOscoda< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganOtsego< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganOttawa< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganPresque Isle< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganRoscommon< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganSanilac< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganSchoolcraft< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganShiawassee< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganSt Clair< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganSt Joseph< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganTuscola< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganVan Buren< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganWashtenaw< 1 Hour< 1 Day
MichiganWexford< 1 Hour< 1 Day

Michigan Tenant Screening FAQs

Have a question? Contact us. Please note: We are unable to provide legal advice. For specific landlord-tenant matters, it’s best to consult an attorney.

Are rental application fees permitted in Michigan?

Landlords in Michigan can charge reasonable application fees. For guidance, refer to the Michigan Residential Landlord-Tenant Law.

Can Michigan landlords include criminal background checks?

landlords can consider criminal background checks as part of their screening process. However, they must comply with federal fair housing laws and ensure the criteria are applied uniformly. It’s important to note: The city of Detroit has its own set of laws pertaining to the use of tenant criminal records. For additional resources, consult the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.

Michigan Landlord Resources

The following links may prove to be useful in your rental property endeavors.

Michigan Department of Civil Rights

https://www.michigan.gov/mdcr

Provides resources on fair housing practices and landlord-tenant discrimination guidelines.

Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA)

https://www.michigan.gov/mshda

Offers housing programs, rental assistance, and information for landlords and tenants.

Michigan Court System

https://www.courts.michigan.gov

Provides eviction forms, legal resources, and landlord-tenant dispute guidance.

Michigan Legal Help

https://michiganlegalhelp.org

Offers free legal resources for landlords and tenants.