Seven steps. Tour the unit, apply with a $65 non-refundable fee per applicant and two recent pay stubs plus a driver's license, pass the income test at 2.5x to 3x monthly rent and a credit review, place a $1,000 holding deposit that is credited toward your move-in costs, get a decision in two business days, sign the lease, then pay the balance owed and show proof of renters insurance before keys. Budget a week, not a day. Below is the process at Z on Plymouth and Z on Coolidge, which I own and manage.
Step 1: Tour the unit, or at least the virtual one
Both communities have 3D Matterport virtual tours, useful for cutting six buildings to two. They do not replace standing in the unit. Two differences are structural:
| Z on Plymouth | Z on Coolidge | |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 40275 Plymouth Road | 725 Coolidge |
| Air conditioning | Central | Wall units |
| To downtown | About 3 miles, our site says 7 minutes | Under 1 mile, walking or biking |
| Structure | 80 units, two stories | 24 units across four buildings |
Both run 850 to 1,000 square feet with quartz countertops, stainless appliances, luxury vinyl plank flooring, in-unit full-size laundry, and a private deck or balcony. Our tour questions checklist is what I would want a prospect to ask me.
Step 2: Check the criteria before you pay anything
The $65 fee is non-refundable, so check yourself first.
Income. Gross monthly income of 2.5x to 3x the rent: roughly $3,748 to $4,497 at a $1,499 one-bedroom, roughly $4,248 to $5,097 at a $1,699 two-bedroom. Combined household income counts. See our income guide.
Vouchers and subsidies count toward that threshold. Since April 2, 2025, Michigan law prohibits source-of-income discrimination by landlords. Under MCL 554.601c, a landlord imposing a minimum income threshold may not exclude a rent voucher or subsidy when calculating whether the income criteria are met. So if you hold a housing choice voucher, the 2.5x to 3x test above is run on your income with the voucher included, not on your income with the voucher stripped out.
"Source of income" is defined at MCL 554.601(f) and covers housing choice vouchers under 42 USC 1437f, public assistance, veterans' benefits, Social Security, SSI, and other retirement programs. The law exempts landlords with fewer than 5 rental units statewide, which does not describe us. Enforcement is a private civil action under MCL 554.601d, with damages of actual damages or up to three times monthly rent, whichever is less, plus costs and attorney fees. General information, not legal advice.
Credit. No strict minimum. Individual review, 625 or higher preferred. A lower score is not an automatic denial, though it may mean a higher deposit and a credit risk fee of $50 per month, charged to qualified applicants with lower credit scores. That takes the all-in monthly from $1,624 to $1,674 on a one-bedroom and from $1,860 to $1,910 on a two-bedroom, which is $600 a year. Ask about it before you apply rather than at signing. See our credit score guide.
Pets. Cats accepted, up to two per unit, $350 one time plus $25 monthly. Dogs are not accepted.
Smoking. Both are 100% smoke-free.
Vehicles. Unassigned parking, one vehicle per tenant, no garages or carports. Two cars in the household? Ask before applying.
Step 3: Gather your documents and apply
Applications stall on paperwork more often than on qualifications.
Here is the list, and it is shorter than most people expect.
| Document | Who brings it |
|---|---|
| Driver's license | Every adult applicant |
| Two recent pay stubs | Every applicant on payroll |
| Bank account statements showing deposits | Self-employed applicants, in place of pay stubs |
That is the document set. If you are self-employed, the bank statements do the work the pay stubs would have done, so bring statements that actually show the deposits landing rather than a summary page.
Every adult applies and pays $65 separately. Two adults is $130, not returned if declined. Roommate incomes are combined against one income target rather than tested separately, and a co-signer's income is combined the same way.
Step 4: The holding deposit
$1,000, and it is credited toward your total move-in costs owed.
That last part is the part people get wrong. It is not an extra charge stacked on top of the security deposit and first month's rent. It is an advance payment of part of what you were going to owe anyway. It takes the unit off the market and stops us showing it to anyone else, and then it comes off your balance at move-in.
It is not the security deposit. Different amounts, different rules, and mixing them up is the most common confusion at signing.
Step 5: Approval and the lease
Expect a decision in two business days. If you apply on a weekend, count two business days from Monday. Beyond that, timing depends mostly on how fast your employer and prior landlord answer verifications, which is the piece neither of us controls.
A one-year minimum lease is standard, shorter terms at a premium. Read the utility, pet, parking, and deposit sections. Ask about anything that does not match the tour, and get it in the document, not an email.
Step 6: Money and insurance
| Item | Amount | Refundable? |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $65 per applicant, not credited | No |
| Security deposit | One month's rent, up to 1.5 months for challenged credit | Yes, if returned in original condition |
| First month's rent | From $1,499 or $1,699 | No |
| First month utility fee | $99 or $135 | No |
| First month administrative fee | $26 | No |
| One-time cleaning fee | $350 | No |
| One-time document preparation fee | $125 | No |
| Pet fee, if a cat | $350 once, plus $25 monthly | No |
Those lines, excluding the pet fee, add to $3,663 on a one-bedroom and $4,099 on a two-bedroom at starting rents. The $1,000 holding deposit is not a separate line, because it is credited against that total. Split by timing: $1,065 at application, the $65 fee plus the $1,000 holding deposit, and the balance of $2,598 or $3,034 at move-in.
The cleaning fee and the document preparation fee are one-time charges due at move-in, $475 between them. They are not monthly, so they do not change the all-in monthly figure below.
Starting rents at the time of writing were $1,499 and $1,699. Check the availability page for current pricing. Monthly charges on top of rent: a $99 or $135 utility fee covering gas, heat, water, sewer, and trash, a $26 administrative fee, and your own electric. All-in that is $1,624 for a one-bedroom and $1,860 for a two-bedroom, before electric. See our move-in costs guide.
Renters insurance is required. Have the declarations page ready before your move-in appointment. It is the most common last-minute delay and entirely avoidable. See our renters insurance guide.
Step 7: Keys, and the first week after
Do the move-in checklist and photograph everything. Michigan's security deposit act requires two blank identical checklists, and you have 7 days to return one. Take dated photographs the same day. See Michigan Security Deposit Law.
Watch for the 14-day notice. Within 14 days of possession a Michigan landlord must give you written notice of the address for communications, the institution holding your deposit, and your 4-day forwarding address obligation.
Set up electric and internet. Electric is billed separately and the provider here is DTE Energy. Installs book out further than expected.
Change your address with the Secretary of State and USPS. Note that our two communities are in different municipalities, both using the 48170 ZIP code: Z on Plymouth is in Plymouth Charter Township and Z on Coolidge is in the City of Plymouth. That determines your clerk, your trash contract and your on-street parking rules. See City of Plymouth vs Plymouth Township.
Why do applications get denied?
Income below threshold. Gross monthly income under 2.5x rent. Arithmetic, not judgment.
Credit issues on review. Recent collections, an eviction filing, or a landlord judgment outweigh a merely low score.
Unverifiable income. Self-employed applicants with thin paperwork stall.
Incomplete applications. Missing pay stubs, an unreachable prior landlord, an incomplete co-applicant. Fixable, and larger than people think.
A dog. We do not accept dogs. A full stop, not a negotiation.
If you are denied and believe a screening report was wrong, the Fair Credit Reporting Act lets you obtain the report and dispute inaccuracies with the agency.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an apartment application fee in Plymouth, MI?
At Z on Plymouth and Z on Coolidge it is $65 per applicant, non-refundable. Every adult applies and pays separately, so two adults is $130, not returned if declined.
What income do I need to rent an apartment in Plymouth, Michigan?
Gross monthly income of 2.5x to 3x the rent. At a $1,499 one-bedroom that is roughly $3,748 to $4,497 per month; at a $1,699 two-bedroom, roughly $4,248 to $5,097. Combined household income counts.
Can a Plymouth landlord refuse my application because I have a housing voucher?
No. Michigan prohibited source-of-income discrimination effective April 2, 2025. Under MCL 554.601c, a landlord using a minimum income threshold may not exclude a rent voucher or subsidy when calculating whether the income criteria are met. Landlords with fewer than 5 units statewide are exempt.
What credit score do I need to rent in Plymouth, MI?
No strict minimum here. Applications get individual review and 625 or higher is preferred. A lower score is not an automatic denial, though it may mean a higher deposit, which Michigan law caps at one and a half months' rent, plus a credit risk fee of $50 per month for qualified applicants with lower credit scores.
How much is the holding deposit, and is it an extra cost?
It is $1,000, and it is credited toward your total move-in costs owed rather than charged on top of them. It takes the unit off the market while the application is processed, then reduces the balance you pay at move-in. It is separate from the security deposit, which equals one month's rent and is refundable if the unit is returned in original condition.
How long does apartment approval take?
Two business days for a decision at our communities. An application submitted on a weekend gets two business days counted from Monday. After that, timing depends on how quickly your employer and prior landlord answer verification requests, so submit complete documentation with working phone numbers for prior landlords.
What documents do I need to apply?
Two recent pay stubs and a driver's license. Self-employed applicants bring bank account statements showing deposits instead of pay stubs. Every adult applicant submits their own and pays the $65 fee separately.
What do I need on move-in day?
Proof of renters insurance, required at both communities, and funds for the security deposit and first month's rent. Then complete the move-in inventory checklist within 7 days and photograph the unit that day.
Now book the tour. Schedule a tour or call 248-890-7077, and we will walk you through the application before you pay a dollar.
Last verified: September 2026
Sources: Z on Plymouth · Z on Coolidge · MCL 554.601c and 554.601d, Act 348 of 1972 · MCL 554.602 · MCL 554.603 · MCL 554.608 · Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services
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