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Antrim County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Antrim County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Antrim County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | Antrim County Building, 205 E. Cayuga Street, Bellaire, MI 49615 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 130, Bellaire, MI 49615 |
| Phone | (231) 533-6681 |
| Fax | (231) 533-6600 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed daily from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. |
| Filing fee | Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 for a 2026 filing, using MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. An assignment of property petition costs $25.00 for a 2026 filing under MCL 600.880, plus the inventory fee. |
| Local forms | No local decedent estate packet or cover sheet is published. Use the statewide SCAO estates and trusts forms. |
| E-filing | Antrim County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. Antrim appears on MiFILE for the 13th Circuit Court, but that is a different court and does not e-file decedent estates. |
| Case search | No online probate case lookup is published for Antrim estates. Call the probate court for file questions. |
| Remote appearance | No local remote-hearing instructions are published. Uncontested decedent estate hearings are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, subject to the court's directions under MCR 2.407. |
| Payment options | The court lists payment at the counter, by mail, through the secure drop box, or by its online payment link for open probate cases. A credit card convenience fee applies online. |
| Website | Antrim County Probate Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Bellaire, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, real estate, financial accounts, vehicles and expected creditors. Michigan's estate settlement path depends on what exists, who is entitled to it and whether someone needs letters of authority to act.
Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery can help locate accounts before you choose between an informal estate, a formal petition, assignment of property or transfer by affidavit. That asset picture also helps you avoid paying the wrong fee or starting an estate settlement path that does not fit the Antrim County file.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Antrim County has its own probate court. File Antrim County decedent estate matters with the probate register at the Antrim County Building in Bellaire, not with a neighboring county and not through the 13th Circuit Court e-filing listing.
Venue for the first probate proceeding is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, if the decedent was not domiciled in Michigan, a county where the decedent owned property at death (MCL 700.3201). For an Antrim County resident, that means the Antrim County Probate Court in Bellaire.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the assets and the local filing path. Decide whether the estate needs a full Antrim County probate case, an assignment of property under MCL 700.3982, or a transfer by affidavit under MCL 700.3983. For 2026 deaths, the small-estate figure is $53,000 under MCL 700.3982 and MCL 700.3983.
- Prepare the Michigan SCAO forms. Use the statewide estates and trusts forms. Antrim County does not publish a local decedent estate packet, cover sheet or checklist.
- File with the probate register in Bellaire. Take the papers to the Antrim County Building at 205 E. Cayuga Street, mail them to PO Box 130, Bellaire, MI 49615, or use the secure drop box outside the County Building's SE entrance off M-88. Mark drop-box documents for Probate Court.
- Pay the court charges that apply. A 2026 decedent estate opening costs $175.00 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. If you already have an open probate case, Antrim's online payment link can be used after you ask the court for the exact amount.
- Give required notice. Follow the notice rules for the path you chose. For informal probate, written information of the probate must be given within 28 days after informal probate is granted (MCL 700.3306).
- Watch for hearing instructions. Informal matters may be handled by the probate register without a judge. If a hearing is set, the court will tell you whether to appear in person or by videoconference under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407.
- Receive letters of authority if a personal representative is appointed. The authority document is PC 572, Letters of Authority for Personal Representative. Certified copies cost $10.00 plus $1.00 per page under MCL 600.2546.
- Administer and close the estate. File the inventory information within 91 days after letters of authority under MCR 5.307, pay the inventory fee under MCL 600.871, handle creditor claims, distribute property and close the case using the Michigan closing form that fits the estate.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Antrim County
Antrim County does not publish a local decedent estate packet, local estate cover sheet or local estate checklist. Its documents page lists other court materials, but not a local probate form for opening or closing a decedent estate.
Use the statewide SCAO estates and trusts form index for Antrim filings. Common decedent estate forms include PC 558 for informal probate, PC 559 for a formal petition, PC 556 for assignment of property, PC 598 for transfer by affidavit, PC 565 for testimony to identify heirs, PC 571 for acceptance of appointment, PC 572 for letters of authority, PC 577 for inventory and PC 591 for closing an unsupervised estate.
For a transfer by affidavit under MCL 700.3983, PC 598 is presented to the person or institution holding the property. It is not filed with the Antrim County Probate Court.
Local nuance
Antrim County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for an Antrim filing |
|---|---|
| Lunch closure | The probate counter is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but closes daily from 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. |
| Secure drop box | The court allows documents and payments to be left in the secure drop box outside the County Building's SE entrance off M-88. Mark them for Probate Court. |
| Online payment for open cases | Antrim publishes a GovPayNow link for probate filing fees on open probate cases. The court asks users to get the exact fee amount first, and a credit card convenience fee applies. |
| MiFILE trap | Antrim appears in MiFILE for the 13th Circuit Court, but Antrim County Probate Court is not on MiFILE for decedent estate filings. |
| No probate case lookup | The court publishes no online lookup for Antrim probate cases. The county's circuit-court search is not the probate court's case lookup. |
Recent updates
No Antrim County probate rule change was identified for this page. The local details that matter are the published lunch closure, drop-box option, probate-fee payment link for open cases and the fact that Antrim County Probate Court is not on MiFILE.
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Antrim County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by determining whether the home passes outside probate or whether Antrim County Probate Court authority is needed to clear title, sell the property or handle accounts. If a personal representative is needed, prepare the SCAO opening forms and file in Bellaire. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize title and debt information, generate the probate packet and connect the spouse with a Michigan probate attorney when title or sale issues are involved. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Check whether the estate fits transfer by affidavit under MCL 700.3983 or assignment of property under MCL 700.3982. For a 2026 death, the small-estate figure is $53,000 under MCL 700.3982 and MCL 700.3983. If a court filing is needed, mail the Antrim filing to PO Box 130 or use the drop box if someone local can deliver it. | Sunset helps gather asset information remotely, choose the correct Michigan form set, prepare the packet and find local counsel if the institution or court needs more than a simple form. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale usually requires a personal representative with letters of authority. File the opening papers with the Antrim County Probate Court, follow notice requirements, obtain authority and coordinate the sale through the estate. | Sunset helps build the asset and debt list, prepare estate settlement paperwork, track deadlines and connect the parent with a vetted Michigan probate attorney for real estate and sale authority. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Antrim County Probate Court | The local filing counter for Antrim estate matters. Staff can explain court procedures, but cannot give legal advice. | Antrim County Building, 205 E. Cayuga Street, PO Box 130, Bellaire, MI 49615. Phone (231) 533-6681. Email [email protected]. |
| Pay probate court fees online | Antrim's online payment link for probate filing fees on an open probate case. A credit card convenience fee applies. | Ask the probate court for the exact amount before paying online. |
| Michigan Trial Court Directory | State judiciary directory listing for Antrim County Probate Court contact information. | Use the directory as a court-contact cross-check. |
| Estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms | The statewide SCAO form index used for Antrim decedent estate filings. | Use the index rather than saving old form copies. |
| Inventory fee calculator | Michigan Judiciary calculator for the inventory fee owed under MCL 600.871. | Use after you know the estate's inventory value. |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate and small-estate information, including guided self-help tools. | Online self-help resource. |
| Legal Services of Northern Michigan, Traverse City office | Free civil legal help for eligible Antrim County residents. Ask during intake whether your estate question fits their services. | 735 S. Garfield Ave., Ste. 120, Traverse City, MI 49686. Phone (231) 941-0771. |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families discover accounts, benefits and property so the Antrim filing matches what the estate actually owns. That asset picture is the foundation for estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset uses the information you provide to help assemble the Michigan probate forms for the path you choose, including the documents commonly needed to open, administer and close an estate.
Find a local probate attorney. When an Antrim estate involves real estate, conflict, creditor pressure or a court hearing, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset does not charge families to start organizing an estate, find assets or understand the next probate step.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Antrim County?
File with the probate register at the Antrim County Probate Court in the Antrim County Building, 205 E. Cayuga Street, Bellaire, MI 49615. Mail filings to PO Box 130, Bellaire, MI 49615, or use the secure drop box outside the County Building's SE entrance off M-88 if the documents are marked for Probate Court.
Can I e-file an Antrim County probate case?
No. Antrim County Probate Court is not on MiFILE for decedent estate filings. Antrim appears on MiFILE for the 13th Circuit Court, but that is a different court and does not e-file probate estates.
Does Antrim County have local probate forms?
No local decedent estate packet, cover sheet or checklist is published for Antrim. Use the statewide SCAO estates and trusts forms for probate filings in Bellaire.
How much does it cost to open an Antrim County estate?
For a 2026 filing, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. The inventory fee depends on the estate's inventory value. An assignment of property petition costs $25.00 for a 2026 filing under MCL 600.880, plus the inventory fee.
Can I pay Antrim probate fees online?
Yes, but only for an open probate case. Antrim publishes an online payment link for probate filing fees, a credit card convenience fee applies, and the court asks filers to get the exact amount before using the link.
Is there an online case lookup for Antrim County probate?
Antrim County publishes no online probate case lookup. For file questions, call the Antrim County Probate Court at (231) 533-6681.
Will my Antrim probate hearing be remote?
Antrim does not publish local remote-hearing instructions for probate. Under MCR 5.140, videoconferencing is presumed for uncontested decedent estate petitions and motions, but MCR 2.407 lets the court decide how the hearing will be held and tell participants how to join.
Do I have to travel to Bellaire to handle an Antrim estate?
Not always. Some filings can be mailed to PO Box 130, and the court publishes a secure drop box for documents and payments. If a hearing is required, follow the court's notice for whether you must appear in person or may appear by videoconference.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.