MCL 211.14 — Personal property; taxable situs

(1) All goods and chattels located in a local tax collecting unit other than that in which the owner of the goods or chattels resides shall be assessed in the local tax collecting unit in which the goods or chattels are located.
(2) All animals kept throughout the year in a local tax collecting unit other than that in which the owner of the animals resides shall be assessed to the owner or the person in possession of the animals in the local tax collecting unit in which the animals are kept.
(3) The tangible personal property of minors under guardianship shall be assessed to the guardian in the local tax collecting unit in which the guardian resides, and the personal property of any other person under guardianship shall be assessed to the guardian in the local tax collecting unit in which the ward resides.
(4) Tangible personal property belonging to the estate of a deceased person, in the hands of the executors, administrators, or trustees appointed under the last will and testament of the deceased person, or by order of any court of competent jurisdiction, shall be assessed to the executors, administrators, or trustees in the local tax collecting unit and in the school district in which the deceased person resided, until the executors, administrators, or trustees give notice to the appropriate assessing officer that the estate has been distributed. If the deceased person was a nonresident of this state, the property shall be assessed in the local tax collecting unit in which it is located, to the executors, administrators, or trustees or to the person in possession of the property.
(5) Tangible personal property under the control of a trustee or agent, whether a corporation or a natural person, may be assessed to the trustee or agent in the local tax collecting unit in which the trustee or agent resides, except as otherwise provided. Personal property mortgaged or pledged is considered the property of the person in possession of that personal property and may be assessed to that person. Personal property not otherwise taxed under this act that is in the possession of any person, firm, or corporation using that property in connection with a business conducted for profit is considered the property of that person, firm, or corporation for taxation and shall be assessed to that person, firm, or corporation.
(6) For taxes levied before January 1, 2003, a building situated upon real property of the United States or of this state, or upon the real property of any person, firm, association, or corporation if the owner of the building is not the owner of the fee title to that real property, and if the value of the real property is not assessed to the owner of the building, shall be assessed as personal property to the owner or occupant of the building in the local tax collecting unit in which the real property is located. The building is subject to sale for taxes in the same manner as provided for the sale of personal property. It is not necessary to remove a building for the purpose of sale. For taxes levied after December 31, 2002, buildings and improvements, except buildings and improvements exempt under section 9f or improvements assessable under section 8(h), located upon real property of the United States or of this state, or upon the real property of any person, firm, association, or corporation if the owner of the building is not the owner of the fee title to that real property is considered real property for the purposes of taxation and assessment, and shall be assessed as real property under section 2 to the owner or occupant of the building in the local tax collecting unit in which the buildings are located if the value of the building is not otherwise included in the assessment of the real property. For taxes levied after December 31, 2001, buildings and improvements exempt under section 9f that are located upon the real property of the United States or of this state, or upon the real property of any person, firm, association, or corporation if the owner of the building is not the owner of the fee title to that real property shall be assessed as personal property to the owner or occupant of the building in the local tax collecting unit in which the real property is located.
(7) Tangible personal property of nonresidents of this state and all forest products, owned by residents or nonresidents, or estates of deceased persons, shall be assessed in the local tax collecting unit in which the tangible personal property or forest products are located, to the person or corporation in control of the premises, store, mill, dockyard, piling ground, place of storage, or warehouse where the tangible personal property or forest products are located, on December 31. If tangible personal property or forest products are in transit to a local tax collecting unit within this state, the tangible personal property or forest products shall be assessed in that local tax collecting unit. If tangible personal property or forest products are in transit to some place without this state, the tangible personal property or forest products shall be assessed at the local tax collecting unit in this state nearest to the last boom or sorting gap of the stream in or bordering on this state in which the tangible personal property or forest products will naturally be last floated during transit, and if the transit of the tangible personal property or forest products is to be other than through any watercourse in or bordering on this state, then the assessment shall be made in the local tax collecting unit at the point at which the tangible personal property or forest products will naturally leave this state in the ordinary course of transit. The tangible personal property or forest products in transit to any place without this state shall be assessed to the owner or the person or corporation in possession or control of the tangible personal property or forest products. If the transit of the tangible personal property or forest products will pass through the booms or sorting gaps or into the places of storage of any person or corporation operating upon any stream, then the tangible personal property or forest products may be assessed to that person or corporation. A person or corporation assessed for any tangible personal property or forest products belonging to a nonresident of this state is entitled to recover from the owner of the tangible personal property or forest products by a suit in attachment, garnishment, or for money had and received, any amount that the person or corporation assessed is compelled to pay because of the assessment, shall have a lien upon the tangible personal property or forest products as a security against loss or damage because of being assessed for the tangible personal property or forest products of another, and may retain possession of the tangible personal property or forest products until that lien is satisfied. A person or corporation assessed is not compelled to pay taxes on account of that assessment unless the appropriate assessing officer, at the time of assessment, serves notice in writing on the person or corporation in control of the premises, store, mill, dockyard, piling ground, place of storage, or warehouse that the assessment will be made. An owner or person interested in the tangible personal property or forest products may secure the release of the tangible personal property or forest products from that lien by giving to the person or corporation assessed a bond in an amount double the probable tax to be assessed on the tangible personal property or forest products, but not less than $200.00, with 2 sufficient sureties, conditioned for the payment of the tax by the owner or person interested and the saving of the person or corporation assessed from payment of the assessment and from costs, damages, and expenses on account of nonpayment, which bond as to amount and sufficiency of sureties shall be approved by the county clerk of the county in which the assessment is made.