Is there a way to avoid probate appointment in Michigan?

Yes. A revocable living trust passes assets to beneficiaries without any court appointment — no petition, no Letters, no bond. A revocable trust built with SimplyTrust takes about 15 minutes.

How Do I Get Appointed as Executor in Michigan?

See the appointing court, the petition that opens the estate, what to file, and bond rules to be appointed in your state.

Got the Letters? Run the whole estate from here.

State

Document Type

Getting Appointed in Michigan

Personal Representative

Where you file

Probate Court (county)

The form that opens the estate

PC 559Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative (Testate/Intestate) · Fillable PDF · View sourceStart this petition for Michigan — we pre-fill it with your information. You review, sign, and file it with the court.

What the court issues (with a will)

Letters of Authority for Personal Representativeissued by Probate register (informal appointment) or probate judge (formal appointment); the court issues Letters of Authority (PC 572) after the representative accepts and qualifies

Letters are an output — the court issues them after granting the petition.

At a glance

UPC adoptedInformal trackE-filingSelf-represented filingLocal/county forms

MiFILE statewide e-filing is rolled out court-by-court; probate e-filing availability and any local mandate vary by county. Once a court is live, attorneys must e-file; a self-represented filer is not required to e-file unless that particular court mandates it, so paper filing generally remains open to a pro se petitioner. Check the specific probate court.

Bond

Required before Letters: No
Waivable by will: Yes
Waivable by beneficiaries: No

Other official forms

Informal application: PC 558View source
Letters form: PC 572View source

What to file with the petition

Certified copy of the death certificate (or documentation of death if no certificate) (MCL 700.3301, 700.3402)
Original will and any codicils, if testate (MCL 700.3301(1)(b)(i), 700.3402(1)(c))
Testimony to Identify Heirs (PC 565)
Acceptance of Appointment (PC 571) before Letters of Authority issue (MCL 700.3601)
Notice of Appointment and Duties of Personal Representative (PC 573) / Notice to interested persons
Bond of Fiduciary (PC 570) only if required by the will, demanded by an interested person, or ordered by the court (MCL 700.3603-700.3605)

Small-estate alternative

Bypasses full Letters: Yes
Form: PC 556 / PC 598View source
Form name: Petition and Order for Assignment (PC 556) / Affidavit of Decedent’s Successor for Delivery of Certain Assets Owned by Decedent (PC 598)

State-specific notes

EPIC (Michigan’s Uniform Probate Code enactment) offers two appointment tracks: informal (application to the probate register, PC 558, with no hearing) and formal/supervised (petition to a probate judge, PC 559). Each of those single forms carries Testate and Intestate checkboxes, so one instrument serves both tracks. Michigan uses one "Letters of Authority for Personal Representative" (PC 572) regardless of testacy, rather than separate Letters Testamentary and Letters of Administration. Two small-estate paths bypass appointment: a petition and order for assignment (PC 556) and an affidavit of the decedent’s successor (PC 598), both keyed to the inflation-adjusted small-estate threshold in MCL 700.1210/700.3982-700.3983. There is NO deadline to open a Michigan probate: MCL 700.3108 (the UPC § 3-108 ultimate-time-limit slot) is repealed, and EPIC’s only three-year period is the creditor bar in MCL 700.3803(1)(c).

A revocable living trust passes assets to your family without this court appointment process — no petition, no Letters, no bond.

Create a Revocable Trust in 15 minutes

This tool provides general information about how a personal representative is appointed and is not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your state for guidance specific to your situation.Data verified 2026-07-15

Frequently Asked Questions

Michigan uses Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative (Testate/Intestate) (PC 559), filed with the Probate Court (county). After the court grants the petition, Probate register (informal appointment) or probate judge (formal appointment); the court issues Letters of Authority (PC 572) after the representative accepts and qualifies issues your Letters of Authority for Personal Representative (with a will) or Letters of Authority for Personal Representative (without a will).

Along with the petition, Michigan generally requires: Certified copy of the death certificate (or documentation of death if no certificate) (MCL 700.3301, 700.3402); Original will and any codicils, if testate (MCL 700.3301(1)(b)(i), 700.3402(1)(c)); Testimony to Identify Heirs (PC 565); Acceptance of Appointment (PC 571) before Letters of Authority issue (MCL 700.3601); Notice of Appointment and Duties of Personal Representative (PC 573) / Notice to interested persons; Bond of Fiduciary (PC 570) only if required by the will, demanded by an interested person, or ordered by the court (MCL 700.3603-700.3605).

Michigan does not require a bond by default before Letters issue, though the court can order one.

Michigan permits self-represented filers to open an estate, using Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative (Testate/Intestate) (PC 559). E-filing is available. The Self-File Probate Assessment compares self-filing and attorney costs for Michigan.

Yes. A revocable living trust passes assets to beneficiaries without any court appointment in Michigan — no petition, no Letters, no bond. A revocable trust built with SimplyTrust takes about 15 minutes.

Getting Appointed in Michigan

Authority to act for the estate comes from Letters issued in Michigan by Probate register (informal appointment) or probate judge (formal appointment); the court issues Letters of Authority (PC 572) after the representative accepts and qualifies, on appointment by the Probate Court (county). The document is Letters of Authority for Personal Representative with a will and Letters of Authority for Personal Representative without. UPC adoption in Michigan: Yes.

The estate is opened by filing Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative (Testate/Intestate) (PC 559) with the court, which carries a filing fee of $150. Whether an informal (registrar) appointment track is available for qualifying estates: Yes.

Michigan does not require a bond by default before Letters issue, though the court can order one where it is needed to protect creditors or heirs.

For smaller estates, Michigan offers a small-estate procedure for estates under $53,000 that can transfer assets without a full appointment or Letters (PC 556 / PC 598). The Michigan self-file probate assessment compares self-filing and attorney costs.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated July 15, 2026

Legal Sources

Data sourced from Michigan statutes and official state code. How we research.

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What an executor actually does: getting appointed, notifying creditors, paying debts and taxes, and where personal liability starts.

Learn more

Michigan Estate Planning Resources

In-depth guides covering Michigan probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.

How Do I Get Appointed as Executor in Michigan?

Getting Appointed in MichiganMCL 700.3301-700.3311 (informal); MCL 700.3401-700.3414 (formal); MCL 700.3103, 700.3601 (letters)Verified Jul 15, 2026View source

At a glance

BondMCL 700.3603-700.3605Verified Jul 15, 2026View source

Other official forms

What to file with the petition

Small-estate alternative

State-specific notes

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this your situation?

Named as Executor

Your kids shouldn't have to do this.

Michigan Estate Planning Resources

Getting Appointed in MichiganMCL 700.3301-700.3311 (informal); MCL 700.3401-700.3414 (formal); MCL 700.3103, 700.3601 (letters)Verified Jul 15, 2026View source

At a glance

BondMCL 700.3603-700.3605Verified Jul 15, 2026View source

Other official forms

What to file with the petition

Small-estate alternative

State-specific notes

Is this your situation?

Named as Executor

Getting Appointed in Michigan

Bond

Getting Appointed in Michigan

Bond