Michigan
Point Betsie Lighthouse, MI
From the 50 state visitor guide:
M.C.L. 2019 §§28.721 through 28.736, as modified by HB 5679 effective 2021
Registration Triggers and Deadlines:
Initial registration and updates are required “not more than 3 days,” (HB 5679). A “residence” is defined as “that place at which a person habitually sleeps, keeps his or her personal effects, and has a regular place of lodging.” §28.722(p). Also, “An individual required to be registered under this act who is not a resident of this state but has his or her place of employment in this state shall report” not more than 3 days. §28.725(2).
Visitors: Michigan law does not address registration by visitors. Per MI SOR office, visitors staying more than 7 days must register within 3 business days of arrival. Updated Aug. 2022.
Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:
1000 foot residency and loitering restrictions were repealed by HB 5679.
Those required to register after 7-01-2011 must report all email addresses & internet identifiers (defined in HB 5679).
Duration & updates:
15 years to life. Updates: T1 – annual; T2 – 6 mo; T3 – 3 mo. §28.725.
Most recent visit: June 2025
Michigan has been much in the news on the major registrant advocacy web sites such as NARSOL and ACSOL, because of a lawsuit challenging this state’s registry has been going on for almost a decade. In August 2016, the United State Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled that various components of Michigan’s registration scheme could not be applied retroactively to individuals convicted before 2006 and 2011. See Doe, et al. v. Snyder, et al., 834 F.3d 696 (6th Cir. 2016), cert. denied 138 S. Ct. 55 (2017). In 2021 the state legislature adopted HR 5679 which purports to resolve the issues raised in this court ruling. More legal challenges are likely.
Reading the news stories about this legal activity, you would be forgiven for concluding that Michigan has some of the harshest, most inhumane registry laws in the United States. However, that would be a mistaken conclusion. In fact there are quite a few states, including my home state of Florida, whose registry laws are much harsher and egregious than those of Michigan. But let me be clear – I am NOT arguing that Michigan’s registry isn’t harsh or inhumane. ALL registries are harsh and inhumane, and if the Sixth Circuit can rule that various components of Michigan’s registration scheme are unconstitutional, it just shows that many other states’ laws are similarly unconstitutional.
Having gotten that off my chest, the fact remains that compared to many other states, Michigan’s laws applying to visiting registrants aren’t too hard to comply with. Like many states, Michigan’s laws regarding what constitutes “residency” are so muddled that it’s hard to say how long a visiting registrant can actually stay in Michigan before registration is required.
To be on the safe side I am recommending that you follow a seven consecutive day rule that appears elsewhere in the state’s SOR law. Seven days is a short time period but not terrible. There also appears to be no limit on repeat visits per year, so in theory you could leave the state for one night after Day 6 (because you must assume that Day 7 would trigger registration) making sure to stay out of state for one entire calendar day and the two nights on either site, document that with out-of-state receipts, and return to Michigan to continue your visit. The state’s former 1000 foot residency and loitering restrictions were repealed in 2021 by HB 5679.
Per Rolfe Survey, visiting registrants who do have to register are placed on state’s website. Whether there is a procedure available for removal from registry after departure is unclear, so I would take no chances on the possibility of being required to register.
In late June 2025 I had planned to go to the (now delayed) NARSOL conference in Michigan, followed by a week or so traveling the North Country. With the conference delayed I decided to take my tour anyway, and that brought me into southwest Michigan from Chicago.
I bypassed Grand Rapids, the former NARSOL conference city, because I’d stopped there a few years ago and found it to be “a very pleasant town with an active downtown” but now I was pissed off and didn’t want to experience any of that pleasant activity.
On that same previous trip I stayed overnight at a Lake Michigan front state park with nice facilities, which was no problem because, as I said above, all the residency and loitering restrictions have been repealed. This time on Day 1 I went inland and explored Manistee National Forest. It was a pleasant drive through the forest and my campground was nice but there aren’t any real points of interest.
Day 2, Saturday, started with a bang when I drove into Traverse City to find the opening ceremonies of the National Cherry Festival underway, right on their fabulous lakefront. It lasts a week! I stocked up on cherry treats and continued up US 31. Charlevoix was also having a festival that weekend – and their draw bridge went up while I was stuck in traffic there so that was something too.
Crossing the Mackinac Bridge (scary) I zoomed up to Sault Ste. Marie (pronounced Soo St. Marie) in hopes of snagging the last Soo Locks Boat Tour of the day – which I did and loved it! I will describe that in detail when I update my Flirting with Ontario blog.
Day 3 I toured the Upper Peninsula, starting with Tahquamenon Falls State Park, a must see. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a long skinny park, and the points of interest are grouped at either end, so if you start at the more remote east end after leaving Tahquamenon Falls (as I had twice) there’s no time left for the west end. So this time I bypassed the east end and headed for Miner’s Castle and then Munising Falls (which was closed for renovations!).
From there it was a pleasure drive west on the way to my Ottawa Nat. Forest campground. Day 4 I was out the door on my way to Wisconsin.
Small Town Notes – Upper Peninsula:
Newberry – A town in
decline partly because whatever growth is there has sprawled south to get
closer to MI 28.
Munising – A
lakefront town so the tourist economy is good.
Two parallel Main Streets – the original and the new one on MI 28.
Ishpeming – Not
lakefront. Seems okay now but everything
is soooo old …
Crystal Falls –
Should be called Concrete Dam. Nice riverfront. The downtown is too big for the town but
here’s a suggestion: Re-invent excess commercial space as unique vacation homes
no other town would be offering.
Iron River – Oh gosh it’s all crumbling!
Regional restaurant chain – Lower Peninsula:
Russ’ Restaurant – Family owned chain. Sit down American food with some local favorites featured.
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