Moving between states / Michigan
Ohioto
Michigan, Truck driverMoving from Ohio to Michigan as a CDL holder
What a CDL holder licensed in Ohio has to do to work in Michigan, what the move does to your pay, and who in Michigan is hiring from out of state.
Transfers at the DMV. A commercial driver's licence transfers like any licence: within 30 days of becoming a Michigan resident you surrender the Ohio CDL at a Michigan driver licence office, pass the vision test, pay the fee, and your endorsements carry over. A hazmat endorsement needs a fresh TSA threat assessment in Michigan. Your driving record follows you through the federal CDLIS system.
What the move does to your paycheck
On a $60,000 salary Michigan takes roughly $1,080 a year more than Ohio does.
| Salary | Ohio state tax | Michigan state tax | Difference a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $980 | $1,700 | -$720 |
| $60,000 | $1,470 | $2,550 | -$1,080 |
| $90,000 | $2,205 | $3,825 | -$1,620 |
Rough figures for a single filer: exact in the flat-rate and no-tax states, approximated at 70% of the top bracket in the progressive ones. In Michigan: Detroit and some cities add a local income tax. In Ohio: most cities add a 1 to 2.5% municipal income tax. Property and sales tax are not in it.
CNA: Ohio to Michigan
Transfers by reciprocity. Your Ohio certificate stays on the Ohio Department of Health, Nurse Aide Registry; to work in Michigan you apply to the Michigan Nurse Aide Registry (administered by Prometric for the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs) for reciprocity. It accepts an active certificate in good standing from another state; there is no retest if your record is clean. Most registries list you within two to six weeks.
RN and LPN: Ohio to Michigan
Endorsement needed. Michigan is not in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so your Ohio multistate licence does not work there. Apply to the Michigan Board of Nursing for licensure by endorsement before you move; it commonly takes six to twelve weeks. Your Ohio licence stays valid for compact states.
Electrician: Ohio to Michigan
Exam required. Michigan licenses electricians through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Electrical Administrative Board and does not reciprocate with any state. Your Ohio hours count toward eligibility, so get them certified in writing by the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (contractors) and city building departments before you move and book the Michigan exam early.
Does Michigan pay you to come?
No statewide program in Michigan pays people to move in. Towns sometimes list an offer through MakeMyMove, and employers in short-staffed trades pay relocation themselves; ask for it in writing before you accept.
Going the other way? Ohio has Hamilton Talent Attraction Program. See moving from Michigan to Ohio.
Openings filed in Michigan
58 open positions filed with the Department of Labor by Michigan employers who could not fill them locally.
- Animal BreedersRooker Training Stable, Inc. · Fenton · $22.5/hr
- Farmworker/LaborerDiaz Agricultural Services, LLC. · Kent City · $16.37/hr
- Field Service Technician IBAXTER · Warren
- Farmworkers and Laborers, CropLegacy Labor, Inc. · Portage · $13.73/hr
- Farmworkers and Laborers, CropLegacy Labor, Inc. · Portage · $13.73/hr
- Equipment Operator/Farm LaborerNickle Plate Dairy · Portland · $16.28/hr
Your own route from Ohio to Michigan
Tell us your trade and your licence. We write the steps for your case, check the job offer for scams, and keep your resume ready for Michigan employers.
Plan my move to MichiganSame move, by trade
CNA: Ohio to Michigan · RN or LPN: Ohio to Michigan · Electrician: Ohio to Michigan · All licences: Ohio to Michigan
From Ohio to the states next to Michigan
Indiana (flat 3% state income tax) · Wisconsin (progressive, top rate 7.65%)
To Michigan from the states next to Ohio
Indiana · Kentucky · West Virginia · Pennsylvania
Everything about working in Michigan · All moves between states · All 50 states