Brighton estate-planning and elder-law practice with meeting offices in Ann Arbor, Bloomfield Hills, Okemos, Livonia and Novi, plus virtual meetings. Prepares wills and trusts meant to keep an estate out of probate and plans for Medicaid and nursing-home costs. Founder Christopher J. Berry is one of 18 Certified Elder Law Attorneys (CELA) in Michigan.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Livingston County, Michigan
How probate works in Livingston County: the Probate Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Livingston County Probate Court
Livingston County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
204 South Highlander Way, Suite 2, Howell, MI 48843
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysThe court has been on the statewide MiFILE system since November 2025, and attorneys must e-file probate filings through it. Self-represented filers may use MiFILE too or file another way. On paper: Self-represented filers may file on paper; e-filing is required of attorneys only (MCR 1.109(G)(3)(f)).
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe court's Estates pages walk through informal, formal and small-estate proceedings and the affidavit of decedent's successor.
Accepted payment
- At the counterCash, Check, Credit card, Debit card.Filing fees for a faxed or emailed filing can be paid by credit card over the phone.
Fax
1-517-552-2510
About the court
- The probate court is in the Livingston County Judicial Center in Howell, and probate cases can be searched online through the state MiCOURT case search. For a case filed before 2004, call the court.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Livingston County
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Livingston County, probate runs through the Probate Court at 204 South Highlander Way, Suite 2, Howell. Livingston County is one of 16 Michigan counties that accept probate e-filing; most probate courts in the state still take filings on paper.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Michigan intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Michigan estates take 7 months to 12 months to move through this process. Creditors have 4 monthsMCL 700.3801, 700.3803, 700.3804, 700.3805, 700.3806; MCR 5.208, MCR 5.106Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Livingston County
What probate costs in Livingston County, Michigan comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Probate Court at 204 South Highlander Way, Suite 2, Howell.
Michigan charges $175MCL §§ 600.880(1), 600.1986(1)(a)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Michigan are negotiated, typically 1.7%Modeled estimate under MCR 5.313(A) (attorney entitled to reasonable compensation; MRPC 1.5(a) factors); MCL 700.3721 (court reviews reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.7%Modeled estimate under MCR 5.313(A) (attorney entitled to reasonable compensation; MRPC 1.5(a) factors); MCL 700.3721 (court reviews reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Michigan allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules payMCL 700.3719 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Michigan requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
Probate in Michigan typically runs 7 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Probate Court
Probate cases in Livingston County, Michigan are filed at the Probate Court.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
In Michigan, informal probate is availableMCL 700.3302Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, and a self-represented executor can usually handle it for a simple, uncontested estate.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Livingston County Self-Filing Assessment.
Livingston County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Filings are accepted in person, in the secure mailbox outside the Judicial Center, by email or by fax.
Put mailbox filings in an envelope labelled "Probate Court"; the box is checked throughout the day. Email filings go to probatecourt@livgov.com and fax filings to (517) 552-2510.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Probate Court: TWO copies of the death certificate (or of alternative documentation of death if no certificate), one of them redacted of protected personal identifying information (MCR 5.302(A)(1); MCL 700.3301, 700.3402); Original will and any codicils, if testate (MCL 700.3301(1)(b)(i), 700.3402(1)(c); MCR 5.302(A)(3)); Testimony to Identify Heirs (PC 565) — mandatory with the commencing application or petition (MCR 5.302(B))MCL 700.3301-700.3311 (informal); MCL 700.3401-700.3414 (formal); MCL 700.3103, 700.3601 (letters)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Livingston County
In Michigan a death is registered locally, and in Livingston County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by County Clerk's Office, Livingston County as well as by Michigan Department of Health and Human Services - Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
County Clerk
Livingston County · County Clerk's Office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
200 East Grand River Avenue, Howell, MI 48843
Website
Order online
Fax
1-517-546-4354
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $30 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $15 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Medical Examiner
Livingston County · Livingston County Medical Examiner
Phone
Office
1322 East Michigan Avenue, Suite 118, Lansing, MI 48912
Website
Serves this county
UM Health-Sparrow Forensic Pathology
Cremation authorization
Signed by this office
Mail and offices
1215 East Michigan Avenue
Lansing, MI 48912
Fax
1-855-300-7312
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Livingston County
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the Register of Deeds.
Deeds and other real property documents for Livingston County are recorded with the Register of Deeds at 200 East Grand River Avenue, Howell, MI 48843. Phone: 1-517-546-0270. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.
The Register of Deeds charges $30 flat, regardless of page count.
Livingston County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN, Indecomm and Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
Register of Deeds
Livingston County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
200 East Grand River Avenue, Howell, MI 48843
Website
Fees
Recording fees
| Flat fee (any length) | $30 |
MCL 600.2567(1)(a); MCL 600.2567a
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Forms that put a death on the title
- Free forms: Affidavit of Death Form · Affidavit of Heirship Form
Probate Attorneys Serving Livingston County
Michigan allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Livingston County without hiring an attorney. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in Michigan are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Livingston County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Probate Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Huntington Woods estate-and-probate firm practicing in the Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston, Monroe, Washtenaw and St. Clair County probate courts. Handles contested and uncontested probate and trust administration, guardianships and conservatorships, and litigation over wills, trusts and breach of fiduciary duty. Offers a free phone consultation.
Fowlerville office on East Grand River Avenue, led by John L. Gormley, serving Livingston, Ingham and Shiawassee counties. Handles probate and trust administration, probate litigation over will contests, disputes among heirs and an executor's handling of an estate, and conservatorship and guardianship petitions. Initial consultations are free.
Plymouth practice of attorney Wade Myers, familiar with Wayne County Probate Court procedures and also serving Oakland, Washtenaw and Livingston counties. Guides personal representatives through unsupervised administration, inventories, accountings and estate tax returns, and can serve as personal representative for heirs out of state. Also assists successor trustees and handles will contests.
Okemos estate planning and elder law office of attorney Tara Peterson, meeting clients from Ingham, Clinton, Eaton and six other mid-Michigan counties in person or by Zoom. Handles estate administration in and out of probate court, including formal and informal probate and trust administration. Also plans for Medicaid and VA benefits when a family faces long-term care costs.
Grand Blanc elder law and probate firm with offices in Rochester and Brighton, citing local knowledge of Genesee County probate proceedings. Assists personal representatives through each step of probate and helps trustees administer trusts under Michigan law, tax rules and fiduciary duties. Also handles guardianships, Medicaid and VA benefits, and special needs planning.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Legal Sources
(9)·
- MCL §§ 600.880(1), 600.1986(1)(a)
- MCL 700.3301-700.3311 (informal); MCL 700.3401-700.3414 (formal); MCL 700.3103, 700.3601 (letters)
- MCL 700.3302
- MCL 700.3719 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)
- MCL 700.3801, 700.3803, 700.3804, 700.3805, 700.3806; MCR 5.208, MCR 5.106
- MCL 600.2567(1)(a); MCL 600.2567a
- Livingston County Probate Court, official page
- Livingston County Register of Deeds, official page
- Livingston County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Michigan statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Michigan
Free tools for settling an estate in Michigan: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Michigan.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Michigan: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 91 daysMCL 700.3706, 700.3707, 700.3708Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsMCL 700.3801, 700.3803, 700.3804, 700.3805, 700.3806; MCR 5.208, MCR 5.106Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 5 months to 7 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Michigan happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeMCL 700.7101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 63 daysMCL 700.7814, 700.7905; MCL 700.7109Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
In Michigan, informal probate is availableMCL 700.3302Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, and a self-represented executor can usually handle it for a simple, uncontested estate.
Get the Answer
Hire a Michigan Probate Attorney
Browse vetted Michigan attorneys handling probate matters.
Browse firms
Notify Banks & Financial Institutions
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
