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Michigan Recovery Houses & Sober Living: Resources & Directory

Find recovery residence and sober living resources for Michigan: what the state requires, MARR certification, treatment and crisis lines, and organizations that serve all 83 counties. Browse the guide below or choose your county.

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Michigan recovery house rules at a glance

Certifying body
Michigan Association of Recovery Resources (MARR), the state affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR)
State license
None. Michigan does not license recovery residences or sober living homes
When certification matters
The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Recovery Housing Program funds and refers only to certified recovery residences
Local rules
City, village, and township zoning applies to every home, and fair housing law protects residents in recovery

Step by step

How to open a recovery house or sober living home in Michigan

Michigan has no state license to operate a recovery residence or sober living home. To open one, check local zoning, write your house policies and resident agreement, run background checks, carry liability insurance, and decide whether to seek certification from the Michigan Association of Recovery Resources (MARR), which the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Recovery Housing Program requires.

The steps most new operators follow to open a recovery house in Michigan, in order. Each one links to the official form or rule behind it.

  1. 1

    Decide whether you'll seek MARR certification

    Voluntary certification

    Michigan has no state license for recovery residences. Certification from the Michigan Association of Recovery Resources (MARR) is voluntary, but the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Recovery Housing Program funds and refers only to certified homes, and certified homes appear on MARR's operator list.

  2. 2

    Check zoning with your city, village, or township

    Local requirement

    Local governments set zoning and occupancy rules for group living. Call the local zoning office before you sign a lease. The Fair Housing Act protects people in recovery from discriminatory land-use decisions.

  3. 3

    Choose a support level and write your policies

    Voluntary certification

    MARR certifies homes at levels from peer-run Level 1 to clinical Level 4. Every certified program needs a code of ethics under the NARR standards. Serve only people in recovery; MARR does not permit mixed populations.

  4. 4

    Run background checks and get insurance

    Voluntary certification

    For MARR certification, operators, paid employees, and house managers with day-to-day resident contact need background checks, and the program needs commercial general liability insurance naming MARR as additional insured.

  5. 5

    Open and operate for 30 days

    Voluntary certification

    MARR requires a program to run for at least 30 days before it applies, and each new residence to operate with residents for 30 days before it is added.

  6. 6

    Apply to MARR and complete training

    Voluntary certification

    Submit MARR's online application with the $2,000 one-time application fee; the annual fee is $500 per residence of 16 beds or fewer. After approval, finish your documentation in Certemy within 90 days and complete the required MARR/NARR training.

  7. 7

    Pass the site review

    Voluntary certification

    MARR reviews each residence on site after documentation. Mandatory postings, including the MARR cleaning list, maintenance repair list, and recipient rights posting, are checked at the review.

  8. 8

    Renew every year

    Voluntary certification

    Renewal needs the annual payment, an updated residence and program record, background checks, and insurance covering every residence. MARR charges a $100 fine for late renewals, with a 7-day grace period.

Startup checklist

  • Decide whether you'll seek MARR certification
  • Call your local zoning office about group living rules
  • Choose a support level for the home
  • Write a code of ethics and house rules
  • Run background checks on operators, staff, and house managers
  • Buy commercial general liability insurance
  • Operate for at least 30 days before applying
  • Submit MARR's application and fees
  • Complete MARR/NARR training and Certemy documentation
  • Put up MARR's mandatory postings before the site review
  • Set a reminder for annual renewal

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Opening your first house?

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