Mich. Comp. Laws § § 125.489
Rooms; lighting and ventilation.
Operative Text
Sec. 89. Rooms, lighting and ventilation of. No room except water-closet compartments in a dwelling erected prior to the passage of this act shall hereafter be occupied unless it shall have a window or windows of an area equal to not less than 1/10 of the floor area opening directly upon the street, or upon a rear yard not less than 10 feet deep, or above the roof of an adjoining building, or upon a court located on the same lot with the dwelling or on an adjoining lot and having an area not less than 50 square feet and a minimum dimension not less than 3 feet and being open and unobstructed from the window sill to the sky, or upon a side yard located on the same lot with the dwelling or on an adjoining lot and having a minimum width not less than 2 feet, except that a room located on the top floor may be lighted by means of a skylight if the skylight has an area equal to not less than 1/10 of the floor area and is ventilated directly to the outer air by an opening or openings having an area equal to not less than 1 per cent of the floor area. A room which cannot be made to comply with the above provisions may be occupied if provided with a window having an area not less than 1/8 of the floor area of such room, 40 per cent of the area of which window shall be capable of being opened, opening into an adjoining room in the same apartment or group or suite of rooms which latter room has a window or windows of area equal to not less than 1/6 of the area of the larger of the 2 rooms involved, 40 per cent of the area of which windows shall be capable of being opened, opening directly on a street or on a rear yard of the above dimensions. In so far as possible the windows between the 2 rooms shall be in line with windows in the outer room so as to afford a maximum of light and ventilation.
Michigan law under MCL § 125.401 et seq. § 125.489 sets minimum standards for natural light and ventilation in dwelling rooms (excluding water-closet compartments) in buildings constructed before the act's passage. Every such room must have windows totaling at least one-tenth of the floor area, opening to a qualifying outdoor space such as a street, rear yard, court, or side yard meeting specified dimensions. Rooms that cannot meet these direct-ventilation requirements may still be occupied if they have a sufficiently large window opening into an adjacent room that itself meets the outdoor-window standards, with at least 40 percent of each window's area capable of being opened.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of pre-act dwellings in Michigan should verify, under MCL § 125.401 et seq. § 125.489, that every occupied room (other than water-closet compartments) has windows whose total area equals at least one-tenth of the floor area and opens to a qualifying outdoor space with the dimensions the statute specifies. Where a room cannot meet that standard directly, compliant operators generally ensure the room has a window of at least one-eighth of its floor area opening into an adjacent room that itself has qualifying outdoor windows, with the required openable portions in place. Keeping documentation of window measurements and yard or court dimensions can help demonstrate compliance during inspections.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under MCL § 125.401 et seq. § 125.489, tenants in Michigan have a right to occupy rooms that meet minimum natural light and ventilation standards, including windows of adequate area opening to qualifying outdoor spaces or, where that is not possible, to a properly ventilated adjacent room. If a rented room appears to lack the required window area or proper ventilation access, tenants may consider raising this as a habitability concern with local building or housing code enforcement authorities. Tenant-rights organizations in Michigan can help residents understand what documentation to gather and what local or state complaint processes may be available.
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.
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