Michigan court costs
Commencing a probate-court civil action or proceeding generally costs $150; commencing the MCL 700.3982 assignment proceeding costs $25. MCL 600.871 separately imposes a statewide, value-based decedent-estate fee due by closing or within one year; it is not an opening filing fee.
$150 is the amount the statute states. Sources reviewed August 9, 2026. Sources rechecked October 3, 2026. This page last revised .
| Court filing | $150 |
|---|---|
| Commission | reasonable, not a rate |
Statute text checked October 3, 2026: MCL 600.880 and MCL 700.3719.
Every line below is computed from the statutory schedule quoted at the end of this page. These are court charges only. They are not an estimate of the total cost of settling an estate.
| Charge | $25,000 estate | $100,000 estate | $400,000 estate | $1,000,000 estate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening filing fee | $150 | $150 | $150 | $150 |
| Total from this schedule | $150 | $150 | $150 | $150 |
MCL 600.880 states exceptions, including the separately priced § 3982 proceeding.
Source: MCL 600.880, Michigan Legislature. Edition: MCL Complete Through PA 103 of 2026. Verified October 3, 2026.
| Charge | $25,000 estate | $100,000 estate | $400,000 estate | $1,000,000 estate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening filing fee | $25 | not available | not available | not available |
| Total from this schedule | $25 | Not available above $53,000 | Not available above $53,000 | Not available above $53,000 |
Open only within the $53,000 small-estate limit. The limit counts the gross estate left after funeral and burial expenses, at the figure the Michigan Department of Treasury certified for a 2026 death (MCL 700.3982(1)-(2), adjusted under MCL 700.1210). Above it, this route is not available, so no fee is shown.
This special amount applies only when commencing the § 3982 proceeding.
Source: MCL 600.880, Michigan Legislature. Edition: MCL Complete Through PA 103 of 2026. Verified October 3, 2026.
Michigan’s $150 figure is a single statutory charge, not a total assembled from parts. It is shown here with its own provision named, and with the neighbouring charges the Michigan schedule prices separately — the ones a filer is most likely to add to it by mistake, or to be quoted alongside it.
Added together, these come to $150 — the figure this page headlines. If any component changed in the source, the sum would no longer match, and the build withholds the total rather than publishing a number whose parts no longer add up.
These amounts appear in or beside the same Michigan schedule, so a reader can easily mistake one for part of the fee. Each is held out of the figure above for the specific reason given, which is the difference between an honest total and an inflated one.
The Michigan caveats are listed once, on the Michigan overview.
Other costs: probate cost lines.
Michigan Compiled Laws, Probate Court Filing Fees
Except as otherwise provided in this section and section 880a, at the time of commencing a civil action or proceeding in the probate court, the party commencing the civil action or proceeding shall pay a $150.00 filing fee to the probate court register.
Sources rechecked October 3, 2026: Michigan source list · how sources are checked · report a correction