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Bay County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Bay County probate information |
|---|---|
| Court | Bay County Probate Court |
| Probate office | 1230 Washington Ave., Suite 715, Bay City, MI 48708-5737 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is published. Use the court address and call before sending papers. |
| Phone | (989) 895-4205 |
| Fax | No fax number is published for the probate office. |
| No probate office email address is published. | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed on the county holiday schedule. |
| Filing cost | As of August 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of the statutory $150.00 amount (MCL 600.880) plus the $25.00 electronic filing system fee (MCL 600.1986). The estate also owes an inventory fee based on estate value (MCL 600.871). |
| Local estate forms | No local estate form or cover sheet is published. Bay County uses statewide SCAO probate forms and publishes its own lists of which forms it expects for formal and informal openings. |
| E-filing | Bay County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. Estate papers are filed on paper with the probate court. |
| Case lookup | The Bay County courts calendar includes a probate filter for scheduled hearings. The separate court case-file search covers district and circuit matters, not probate estate files. |
| Remote appearance | No local videoconference instructions are published. Uncontested decedent-estate matters are presumed to use videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, but the court decides the format and will give appearance instructions. |
| Website | https://www.baycountymi.gov/courts_law/probate___family_court/index.php |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a filing path in Bay County, make a working list of the decedent's accounts, debts, vehicles, real estate, beneficiary designations and jointly owned property. Bay County Probate Court's own guidance starts from the same practical point: probate is usually about property left in the decedent's name alone, while beneficiary and co-owned property may pass outside the estate.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across more than 2,300 institutions, then helps organize the probate packet around what the Bay County Probate Court actually asks for. In Bay County, that means planning for paper filing, the court's death-certificate and privacy-form rule, and the inventory deadline that can trigger administrative closing if missed.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Bay County Probate Court at 1230 Washington Ave., Suite 715, in Bay City is the probate filing office for Bay County decedent estates. The same street address also serves other Bay County courts, so use Suite 715 for probate matters.
Bay County includes communities such as Bay City, Essexville, Auburn, Pinconning, Bangor Charter Township and Monitor Township. Venue for the first informal or formal 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's property was located at death (MCL 700.3201).
The jurisdiction process
- List the assets and debts first. Separate property that already has a beneficiary or co-owner from property in the decedent's name alone, then decide whether the matter belongs in Bay County under Michigan's venue rule (MCL 700.3201).
- Choose the Michigan filing path. For a full estate, use the statewide SCAO opening forms for an informal or formal proceeding. For an assignment of property, use PC 556 if the estate fits the statewide small-estate rule, which is $53,000 for a 2026 death and depends on the year of death (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983).
- Use Bay County's opening checklist. The court publishes separate form lists for informal and formal estates. It also asks for a redacted copy and an unredacted copy of the death certificate with the initial pleadings, says a certified copy is not required, and asks for MC 97 and MC 97a with the filing.
- File on paper with Bay County Probate Court. Take or send the packet to Bay County Probate Court, 1230 Washington Ave., Suite 715, Bay City, MI 48708-5737. Bay County Probate Court is not on MiFILE, and the court does not publish whether estate papers may be mailed, so call (989) 895-4205 before sending or travelling.
- Pay the statutory cost. As of August 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of the statutory $150.00 amount (MCL 600.880) plus the $25.00 electronic filing system fee (MCL 600.1986), and the estate also owes an inventory fee (MCL 600.871). A PC 556 assignment petition costs $25.00 as of August 2026 (MCL 600.880), plus the inventory fee.
- Serve interested persons. Bay County Probate Court says the petitioner, or the petitioner's attorney, is responsible for service. If an interested person cannot be located, the court directs the filer to use publication and names the Valley Farmer, the Pinconning Journal and The Bay City Times as publication options, then file the affidavit of publication with the court.
- Attend any hearing as instructed. Bay County publishes a court calendar with a probate filter, but it does not publish standing remote-hearing instructions. Uncontested decedent-estate matters are presumed to use videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, and the court may still require in-person appearance under 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 the statutory $10.00 certification amount plus $1.00 per page as of August 2026 (MCL 600.2546).
- Submit inventory information and pay the inventory fee on time. Bay County Probate Court publishes that an estate will be administratively closed if the inventory is not submitted for calculation or if the inventory fee is not paid after calculation. Re-opening an administratively closed estate requires the $175.00 filing cost again (MCL 600.880), the missing inventory and the calculated inventory fee (MCL 600.871).
- Administer and close the estate. After notice, creditor handling, inventory, distributions and any required accounting, close the estate through the appropriate statewide SCAO closing form or court order.
Executor duties
Bay County adds several practical duties to the statewide work of a personal representative. The petitioner, or the petitioner's attorney, handles service on interested persons. If an address is missing, Bay County points the filer to publication in the Valley Farmer, the Pinconning Journal or The Bay City Times and requires the affidavit of publication to be filed with the court.
The inventory duty is especially important in Bay County. The court publishes that failure to submit the inventory for calculation, or failure to pay the inventory fee after calculation, will administratively close the estate. For an out-of-town personal representative, this is a key estate settlement deadline because re-opening brings another $175.00 filing cost as of August 2026 (MCL 600.880) plus the inventory work and inventory fee (MCL 600.871).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Bay County
Bay County Probate Court does not publish a local decedent-estate form or cover sheet. A Bay County estate is opened on Michigan's statewide SCAO probate forms, available through the Estates, Trusts and Miscellaneous Probate Forms index at https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/.
The local layer is the court's checklist. For a formal opening, Bay County lists PC 559, PC 565, PC 566 when needed, PC 571, PC 569, PC 572 and PC 564. For an informal opening, Bay County lists PC 558, PC 565, PC 566 when needed, PC 571, PC 567, PC 568, PC 572 and PC 564. The court also asks for a redacted and an unredacted copy of the death certificate with the initial pleadings, says a certified copy is not required, and asks for MC 97 and MC 97a.
For informal, unsupervised administration, Michigan court rules limit extra filing demands: except in formal proceedings and supervised administration, the court may not require filings beyond those required by statute or court rule (MCR 5.307). In practice, use Bay County's checklist to assemble the statewide forms, then call (989) 895-4205 if you are unsure how the court wants the packet delivered.
Local nuance
Bay County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means in Bay County |
|---|---|
| Suite 715 matters | The probate office is Suite 715 at 1230 Washington Ave. Other courts share the same street address, so a probate filer should use the suite number. |
| Long public counter day | The court publishes hours of Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed on county holidays. |
| No MiFILE | Bay County Probate Court is not on the statewide MiFILE e-filing system. Estate papers are handled on paper. |
| Death-certificate handling | Bay County asks for both a redacted and an unredacted copy of the death certificate with the first filing, plus MC 97 and MC 97a. |
| Inventory consequence | The court publishes that missing inventory calculation or nonpayment of the inventory fee can cause administrative closing, with a second $175.00 filing cost as of August 2026 to re-open (MCL 600.880). |
| Publication papers | If an interested person cannot be located, the court names the Valley Farmer, the Pinconning Journal and The Bay City Times as publication options. |
| Calendar split | The county calendar search includes a probate filter for hearings, but the separate case-file search does not include probate estate files. |
Small-estate Alternatives
Bay County publishes a practical checklist for assignment of property using PC 556. The statewide eligibility amount is $53,000 for a 2026 death, with the governing amount tied to the year of death (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983). Bay County's page contains older small-estate figures, so use the current Treasury-adjusted amount from Michigan law rather than the older number on the county page.
For a Bay County PC 556 filing, the court asks for a completed petition typed or printed legibly in ink, filed by an heir or by the person who paid the funeral bill. It asks for an itemized funeral bill marked paid in full, or the unpaid bill showing the amount due, a copy of the death certificate, the value of all assets as of the date of death, and documents supporting those values.
The local valuation detail is important. Bay County says bank statements may support account balances, vehicle value can be supported by dealer quotes or online value materials, and real property should be supported by the state equalized value for the year of death, doubled for listing the real-estate value on the petition. As of August 2026, the PC 556 filing costs $25.00 (MCL 600.880), the inventory fee also applies (MCL 600.871), and the court publishes $13.00 for a certified copy, consistent with the statutory certified-copy rate (MCL 600.2546).
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Bay County path | Local steps to watch | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | If the home is truly co-owned with survivorship rights and accounts have beneficiaries, the court's own FAQ notes that beneficiary or co-owned property may transfer outside probate. Any property in the decedent's name alone may still require a Bay County filing. | Start by separating co-owned and beneficiary property from assets in the decedent's name alone. If a filing is needed, use Suite 715 and prepare the death-certificate copies and MC 97 forms Bay County asks for. | Sunset helps identify accounts, beneficiary assets and Bay County filing needs before a spouse starts estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | Assignment of property may fit if the estate qualifies under the statewide $53,000 amount for a 2026 death (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983). Bay County publishes a detailed PC 556 documentation checklist. | Because Bay is not on MiFILE and the court does not publish a mail-filing rule, call (989) 895-4205 before sending papers. Gather the funeral bill, death certificate, asset-value documents and real-property state equalized value if real estate is listed. | Sunset organizes the asset list, prepares the probate packet and can connect the family to Michigan counsel if travel or paper filing becomes difficult. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the home must pass through the estate before sale, full probate in Bay County may be needed so a personal representative can receive letters of authority and deal with title, sale and creditor issues. | Use the formal or informal opening list published by Bay County. Watch the inventory deadline closely because Bay County publishes an administrative-closing consequence for missing inventory calculation or fee payment. | Sunset helps locate accounts, build the opening packet and find a local probate attorney for the sale, title and court steps. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Bay County Probate Court | The office where Bay County decedent estates are opened. The probate register can explain what the court wants filed, but the court says it cannot give legal advice or complete forms. | 1230 Washington Ave., Suite 715, Bay City, MI 48708-5737. Phone (989) 895-4205. Website: https://www.baycountymi.gov/courts_law/probate___family_court/index.php |
| Bay County courts calendar | Free calendar search with a probate filter for scheduled hearings. | https://courtpmt.baycounty.net/c74/c74_calendar.php |
| SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms | Statewide probate form index used for Bay County estate filings. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
| Michigan inventory fee calculator | Helps estimate the inventory fee owed by the estate. This is especially useful in Bay County because an unpaid inventory fee can lead to administrative closing. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| Michigan Trial Court Directory | State directory listing for Bay County Probate Court. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/trial-court-directory/ |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate and small-estate information, including guided tools and articles. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Services of Eastern Michigan, Saginaw office | Free civil legal help for eligible low-income Bay County residents. Ask at intake whether an estate question fits their services. | 301 E. Genesee Ave., 5th Floor of the Commerce Building, Saginaw, MI 48607. Phone (800) 322-4512. Website: https://lsem-mi.org/contact-us/ |
| Bay County holiday schedule | Lists county office closure days, including probate court closure days. | https://www.baycountymi.gov/about/holiday_schedule.php |
When to hire an attorney
Hiring counsel makes sense in Bay County when real property must be sold or title must be cleared, when heirs disagree, when a will is challenged, when creditors press claims, when publication is needed for a missing interested person, when the personal representative lives outside Michigan, or when the inventory and closing steps are likely to be missed. Bay County has one paper-filing probate office, the court says it cannot give legal advice or complete forms, and a missed inventory can lead to administrative closing. Sunset connects families to a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, balances and asset clues before the Bay County packet is prepared.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset uses the asset picture to help assemble the Michigan SCAO forms and Bay County filing checklist items, including the death-certificate copies and privacy forms the court asks for.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Bay County estate needs court strategy, a real-estate sale, publication, creditor handling or help with paper filing, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset is paid by partner institutions and attorney partners, not by families starting estate settlement.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Bay County?
File Bay County probate papers with Bay County Probate Court at 1230 Washington Ave., Suite 715, Bay City, MI 48708-5737. Call (989) 895-4205 before sending papers because the court does not publish whether estate filings may be mailed.
Is Bay County Probate Court on MiFILE?
No. Bay County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. Estate papers are handled on paper with the probate court.
What does it cost to open a Bay County probate estate?
As of August 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of the statutory $150.00 amount (MCL 600.880) plus the $25.00 electronic filing system fee (MCL 600.1986). The estate also owes an inventory fee based on estate value (MCL 600.871).
Does Bay County have its own probate forms?
No local estate form or cover sheet is published. Bay County uses Michigan's statewide SCAO probate forms, but the court publishes local opening checklists for formal and informal filings and asks for both redacted and unredacted death-certificate copies plus MC 97 and MC 97a.
Can I look up a Bay County probate hearing online?
The Bay County courts calendar has a probate filter for scheduled hearings. The county's separate court case-file search covers district and circuit matters and does not include probate estate files.
Can I appear remotely for a Bay County probate hearing?
Bay County Probate Court does not publish local remote-hearing instructions. Under MCR 5.140, uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions are presumed to use videoconferencing, but the court decides the format under MCR 2.407 and will provide appearance instructions.
What happens if the Bay County inventory is late or the inventory fee is unpaid?
Bay County Probate Court publishes that an estate will be administratively closed if the inventory is not submitted for calculation or if the calculated inventory fee is not paid. Re-opening requires the $175.00 filing cost as of August 2026 (MCL 600.880), the missing inventory and the calculated inventory fee (MCL 600.871).
Do I have to travel to Bay City to start probate?
Maybe. Bay County is not on MiFILE, and the court does not publish whether estate filings can be mailed. Call (989) 895-4205 before you travel or send papers to ask how the court wants the packet delivered.
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.