Mich. Comp. Laws § § 125.495
Egress; means above first floor.
Operative Text
Sec. 95. Egress. All parts of every multiple dwelling, above the first story, shall have access to 2 independent means of egress either of which is accessible without passing through the other. In the case of multiple dwellings erected after the passage of this act the construction and arrangement of these means of egress shall conform to provisions of section 39. In the case of multiple dwellings erected prior to the passage of this act, wherein all parts are not supplied with the means of egress specified herein, deficiencies in exit facilities may be corrected by the erection of fire escapes constructed and arranged in accordance with the provisions of section 40. Access to existing fire escapes shall be equivalent to the standards established in section 40 for fire escapes. Where there are not more than 2 apartments or 6 sleeping rooms on a floor, access to 1 means of egress may be had through a private room or apartment providing the door to such room or apartment, through which such access is to be had, is equipped with a glass panel and other appurtenances as specified in section 40 for similar access doors to fire escapes.
Michigan law under MCL § 125.495 requires that every part of a multiple dwelling above the first floor be served by two separate, independent means of egress, each reachable without passing through the other. Buildings constructed after the act's passage must meet the construction standards set out in section 39, while older buildings may address deficiencies by adding fire escapes that comply with section 40. A limited exception exists for floors with no more than two apartments or six sleeping rooms, where one egress path may pass through a private room or apartment if that room's door has a glass panel and other required hardware.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of multi-unit residential buildings in Michigan should ensure that every floor above the first story provides two independent egress routes as required by MCL § 125.495. For buildings predating the act, compliance may be achieved by installing fire escapes that meet the specifications of section 40, and any existing fire escapes must provide access equivalent to those standards. On floors with two or fewer apartments or six or fewer sleeping rooms, a door with a glass panel and the appurtenances described in section 40 can satisfy the requirement for one of the egress paths through a private unit.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
MCL § 125.495 gives residents of multi-unit dwellings above the first floor the right to two independent ways out of the building in an emergency, without one route requiring passage through the other. If a building appears to lack compliant egress—such as missing or inadequate fire escapes—tenants can document the condition and report it to local building or housing code enforcement authorities. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid offices can help residents understand what remedies may be available, including raising egress deficiencies as a housing code complaint.
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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