Michigan Divorce Cost Calculator

Filing a divorce petition in Michigan costs $175 ($255 when you have minor children) in every county. Add how the papers will be served, whether you have children and whether you agree, to total the court costs from Michigan's official fee schedules. Runs in your browser; nothing is stored.

Michigan fees checked against official court sources on October 24, 2026.

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Do you have children under 18 together?
Do you and your spouse agree on everything?
How will your spouse get the divorce papers?

Leave blank if you are filing on your own. If a lawyer gave you an estimate of hours, enter it here.

Leave blank to use the Michigan average of $345 an hour, or enter the rate a lawyer quoted you.

Estimated court costs in Michigan

  • Filing fee for the divorce petition Source$175
  • Serving the papers (spouse signs the acceptance form)$0
  • Court costs you pay$175

Also note: Divorces with minor children add $80 when custody or parenting time is decided ($255 total), or $40 if only support is at issue. The statute says these fees are payment in full for clerk, entry and judgment fees, so they are the same in every county.

Scheduled change: from March 1, 2031, the Michigan filing fee is $150. Source

Court costs in Michigan run from about $175 on the cheapest route to $201 or more on a contested case with sheriff service (court costs only, not lawyer fees).

An estimate from official fee schedules, not a bill. The fee your court clerk charges on the day you file is the one that counts. (October 24, 2026)

Michigan divorce filing fee

Filing a divorce petition in Michigan costs $175 ($255 when you have minor children) in every county. (source)

  • Civil action filing fee (MCL 600.2529(1)(a)): $150
  • Electronic filing system fee, circuit court (MCL 600.1986(1)(a)): $25

Divorces with minor children add $80 when custody or parenting time is decided ($255 total), or $40 if only support is at issue. The statute says these fees are payment in full for clerk, entry and judgment fees, so they are the same in every county.

Scheduled change: from March 1, 2031, the filing fee is $150 (MCL 600.1993 (sunset of the $25 electronic filing system fee); MCL 600.2529). (source)

The case is filed in the Michigan Circuit Court, Family Division (county clerk).

Serving divorce papers in Michigan

If your spouse is willing, ask the clerk about a form your spouse can sign to accept the papers, which avoids a service fee.

Service by the sheriff costs $26 (Statewide fee for personal service of a summons and complaint, per defendant, plus mileage (MCL 600.2559)). (source)

Fee waiver in Michigan

If you cannot afford the fees, file the Fee Waiver Request (MC 20) (MCL 600.2529(5); MCR 2.002). Receiving listed means-tested public assistance, being represented by a legal services program because of indigence, or showing inability to pay; the order form uses gross household income under 125% of the federal poverty guidelines, or financial hardship above that level. (source)

The court or clerk decides whether to grant it and which fees it covers; filing the form does not guarantee a waiver.

Lawyer fees in Michigan

Clio reports an average billed family-law rate of $345 an hour in Michigan for 2025. (source) It is an average across lawyers, not a quote. Enter a lawyer's estimated hours above to price them, or enter the rate you were quoted.

Without a lawyer, court costs in Michigan run from about $175 on the cheapest route to $201 or more on a contested case with sheriff service.

What this page does not do

  • It does not file anything. Divorce cases are filed with the Michigan Circuit Court, Family Division (county clerk).
  • It does not quote lawyer fees; it prices only the hours you enter.
  • It does not decide fee-waiver eligibility; the court does.
  • It is not legal advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a divorce in Michigan?

Filing a divorce petition in Michigan costs $175 ($255 when you have minor children) in every county. Lawyer fees are extra; Clio's 2025 average billed family-law rate in Michigan is $345 an hour.

How much does it cost to file for divorce in Michigan?

$175, or $255 with minor children, the same in every county. Divorces with minor children add $80 when custody or parenting time is decided ($255 total), or $40 if only support is at issue. The statute says these fees are payment in full for clerk, entry and judgment fees, so they are the same in every county.

Can I get my divorce filing fee waived in Michigan?

You can ask. File the Fee Waiver Request (MC 20). Receiving listed means-tested public assistance, being represented by a legal services program because of indigence, or showing inability to pay; the order form uses gross household income under 125% of the federal poverty guidelines, or financial hardship above that level. The court or clerk decides whether to grant it.

Sources

Last checked October 24, 2026 against official sources.

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