Auctioneer License Requirements in Michigan
Local/municipal rules only. Michigan has no state auctioneer license — an old statute has auctioneers file a $2,500 bond with the county, and townships regulate auctions of new goods.
What Online Auctioneers Need to Know
There is no state license for an online-only auction to be exempt from. The county bond statute predates the internet, and how actively it is enforced today is unverified — check with your county clerk.
The Rules in Michigan
Michigan does not license auctioneers through any state board. What exists is older and local: MCL 446.26 has auctioneers register with a $2,500 bond at the county level, and 1955 PA 224 gives townships authority over auctions of new goods. Whether the county bond statute is enforced in practice today is unverified, so confirm with your county clerk.
There is no Michigan statute requiring a written consignment contract, an escrow account, or a settlement deadline. Those protections live in your own consignment agreement.
Requirements at a Glance
- No state auctioneer license
- $2,500 county bond registration under MCL 446.26 — current enforcement unverified, check with your county clerk
- Township rules apply to auctions of new goods (1955 PA 224)
- No written-contract statute or settlement deadline
Statute: MCL 446.26.
Not legal advice. Auction law changes — several states have amended their online-auction rules since 2019. Verify current requirements with the licensing authority above (or your city/county clerk) before your first sale, and have a local attorney review your consignment contract.
Licensed (or Exempt)? Here's the Rest of the Path
The license is usually the easy part. The business itself — platform affiliation, sourcing consignments, cataloging, settlement — is laid out in how to start an online auction business, and the earning math is in how much auctioneers make.