Renting Heavy Equipment in Michigan: What to Expect

Quick answer: When you rent a skid steer, mini excavator or similar machine, the rental contract decides most of what you pay beyond the base rate. Expect the rental period to start when the machine is delivered and to run until it is picked up or returned. Expect separate charges for delivery and pickup, fuel, cleaning and extra hours. You will usually choose between buying the company's damage waiver or showing proof of your own insurance. A damage waiver is not insurance: it limits what you owe for damage to the machine, not for injuries or damage to other people's property. Only trained adults should run the machine, and anyone digging must contact MISS DIG 811 at least 3 business days before starting.

The examples below come from the published terms of two national rental companies, Sunbelt Rentals and Herc Rentals, read in October 2026. We are not recommending either company. Local rental yards write their own contracts, so read the one you are asked to sign.

What happens on delivery day

Under Sunbelt's U.S. terms, the rental period starts when the equipment is delivered to you or to the site address, not when you first use it. Anyone who appears to be your agent at the site is treated as authorized to accept the delivery, and if you ask, the company may leave the machine without a signed receipt. That makes the condition of the machine at drop-off your problem unless you document it.

The same terms say that before each use and before the machine goes back, you must inspect it to confirm it is in good condition, has no defects, has readable decals, and suits your job. You are expected to read the operating and safety instructions. The company is not responsible for operator training unless you ask for it in writing and it agrees.

Be there for the delivery, or have someone there who knows the job.
Walk around the machine with the driver and photograph every side, the bucket or attachment, the tires or tracks, the hour meter and the fuel gauge.
Write any damage on the delivery ticket before the driver leaves.
Ask for a walk-through of the controls and safety features.
Make sure the truck has a clear, firm path to where the machine will be unloaded.

Heavy deliveries in spring can also run into Michigan's seasonal weight restrictions. See our guide to Michigan frost laws and spring deliveries.

Ending the rental

Sunbelt's terms say that when the company delivered the machine, you must call to tell them it is ready for pickup and get a pickup number as proof of the call. Rental charges stop after the date you receive that number, but you stay responsible for loss or damage until the company confirms the machine came back in the required condition. The same terms say there are no pickups on Sundays or statutory holidays, and Saturday pickups depend on store hours. If you picked the machine up yourself, it goes back to the same store during business hours.

Damage waivers versus your own insurance

Rental companies sell a damage waiver or rental protection plan that limits what you pay if the machine is damaged or stolen. Both companies we read say plainly that their plan is not insurance. Sunbelt calls its plan a contractual change to your liability, and says it does not protect you from liability arising from possession or use of the equipment, including injury or damage to people or property. Herc says you must either show proof of property insurance or buy its plan.

Sunbelt's plan only applies if you accept it before the rental, pay the fee, follow the contract, and keep your account current. Its terms also say the plan appears on the contract as part of your estimated charges unless you decline it in writing. Herc's terms say you must report loss or damage within 24 hours and complete an incident report.

What the waivers we read do not cover

Intentional misuse, or use that breaks the rental terms (both companies).
Theft or loss not reported to police promptly with a written report. Sunbelt sets a 48-hour limit from discovery.
Floods, storms, wind, earthquakes and other acts of God (both companies).
Negligence, as Herc determines it.
Running earthmoving equipment in or around water, such as ponds, wetlands or rivers (Herc).
Striking an overhead object (Herc).
Leaving keys in the machine when it is not in use (Herc).
Damage to tires, tubes and tracks (Herc).
Using the machine for something it was not meant for, or beyond its rated capacity (Herc).

If you plan to use your own insurance

Sunbelt's terms require customers renting for non-personal use to carry general liability insurance, and property insurance on the equipment unless they buy the protection plan. The same section also lists workers' compensation insurance as required by law, and auto liability coverage if the equipment will be used on a road. If you are a homeowner renting for your own project, ask your insurance agent these questions before you decline a waiver:

Does my policy cover damage to, or theft of, equipment I rent?
Does it cover my liability if the machine injures someone or damages a neighbor's property?
What is my deductible, and would a claim affect my premium?
Can you send a certificate of insurance the rental company will accept?

Who can operate the machine

Sunbelt's terms only allow authorized individuals to use the equipment. They must be properly trained, at least 18 years old or the legal age of majority in the state, whichever is greater, and not impaired by drugs or alcohol. You may not let anyone else use it, and you must run the machine according to the manufacturer's instructions with the right safety equipment.

On construction jobs, MIOSHA's Construction Safety Standard Part 13, Mobile Equipment, covers motor vehicles and mechanized equipment like these machines. It adopts the federal OSHA rules for motor vehicles and mechanized equipment (29 CFR 1926 Subpart O) and for rollover protective structures (Subpart W), and gives them the same force as a Michigan rule. MIOSHA's own training course on Part 13 lists training requirements among its mobile equipment topics. If you hire a contractor who brings a rented machine, ask how its operators were trained.

For machine-specific safety rules and towing advice, see skid steer vs mini excavator: which should you rent?

Fuel, cleaning and other charges

Sunbelt's terms list several costs that are not part of the rental rate:

Delivery and pickup charges, plus a separate transportation surcharge.
Fuel used during the rental and the cost of refueling.
A cleaning fee if the machine needs one.
An environmental services charge, which the company says is not a tax or government fee.
Fees for lost keys and costs to recover equipment.
Extra charges for running a metered machine more than one shift. Sunbelt defines one shift as no more than 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week and 160 hours in four weeks.
Repairs for damage beyond ordinary wear and tear.

Fuel

Sunbelt offers three fuel choices. You can prepay for a tank at the start; you can pay on return for the gallons needed to refill the machine to the level it came with; or you can return it with at least as much fuel as it had, which avoids a fuel charge. Its terms note that if you prepay and do not return the machine full, you get no credit for fuel left in the tank. Ask your rental yard which options it offers and what counts as full.

Cleaning

Sunbelt's terms make routine care your job during the rental: checking fuel and oil levels, greasing, checking fluids, batteries and tires or tracks, and cleaning to the manufacturer's specifications. The machine has to come back in the same condition it left, less ordinary wear and tear, and free of hazardous materials. The company says cleaning it considers excessive may be billed as a separate line item. Knock the mud off the tracks and bucket before pickup, and ask what the yard counts as dirty.

Call MISS DIG 811 before you dig

Michigan's free utility notification system is MISS DIG 811. Call 811 or submit a request online. If you are doing the digging yourself, contacting MISS DIG is your responsibility; if a contractor is digging, the contractor contacts it.

Contact MISS DIG 811 at least 3 business days before the project starts.
Wait for the legal start date on your ticket, then check Positive Response. Every utility should show MARKED or NO CONFLICT before you dig.
Within 4 feet of either side of a paint or flag mark, expose the line by hand without power tools or machinery. Use the excavator only after you know exactly where the line is.
If you cannot find a marked line within 18 inches of the marks, contact MISS DIG 811 again.
Start digging within 14 days and finish within 21 days of the legal start date, or get a new ticket.
Remember that private lines are not marked. Lines the utility did not install, such as power to a detached garage or sprinkler lines, need a private locating company.

Steps for a smooth rental

Pick the right machine and attachments for the job before you call.
Ask for the rental contract and the damage waiver terms before delivery day.
Decide whether to buy the waiver or use your own insurance, and get proof from your agent if you decline.
Submit your MISS DIG ticket at least 3 business days before digging.
Be present for delivery, inspect the machine, photograph it and note damage on the ticket.
Keep track of the hour meter so you know if you go past one shift.
Refuel and clean the machine as your contract requires, then call for pickup and keep the pickup number.

Questions to ask the rental company

When does the rental period start and end, and are delivery day and pickup day billed?
What are the delivery, pickup and transportation charges to my address?
What does your damage waiver cover, what does it exclude, and how do I decline it?
What proof of insurance do you accept if I decline the waiver?
How do you bill hours beyond one shift?
Which fuel options do you offer, and what counts as returning the machine full?
When do you charge a cleaning fee?
Will the driver give me a walk-through on the controls and safety features?
How do I schedule pickup, and what proof do I get that I called?
Who do I call if the machine breaks down or is damaged?

Compare rental yards that serve your county in our central Michigan equipment rental directory.

Sources

Last reviewed: 2026-10-12

This guide is general information, not legal, engineering or tax advice. Rules and prices change; confirm details with your local building or zoning office and with the provider before you commit.