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Clare County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Clare County probate information |
|---|---|
| Court | Clare/Gladwin Probate District 17, Clare County counter |
| Courthouse address | Clare County Courthouse, 225 W. Main Street, Harrison, MI 48625 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 96, Harrison, MI 48625 |
| Phone | (989) 539-7109 |
| Fax | (989) 539-7229 |
| Hours | The county lists general county office hours as Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The probate counter does not publish separate counter hours, so call before making a trip. |
| Filing fee | Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 for a 2026 filing, made up of $150.00 under MCL 600.880 plus the $25.00 electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes an inventory fee under MCL 600.871. |
| Local forms | No Clare County probate cover sheet, checklist, or local decedent-estate packet is published. Use the statewide SCAO estates forms at https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/. |
| E-filing | Clare/Gladwin Probate District 17 is not on the SCAO MiFILE probate court list. File with the Clare County probate register by the court's accepted local methods. |
| Case search | Clare County probate cases are not searchable in MiCOURT. Call the probate court for file-status questions. |
| Remote appearance | No Clare probate Zoom instructions are published. Uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, but the court decides how the hearing will be held under MCR 2.407. |
| Website | Clare County courts page: https://clareco.net/department/courts/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Michigan probate path, make a practical list of the decedent's assets, debts, titles, beneficiary designations, and institutions. In Clare County, that list determines whether you can use a small-estate option, whether full administration is needed, and whether you need authority from the probate register or the shared probate judge.
Sunset's estate settlement tools can help you search across more than 2,300 financial institutions, organize assets and liabilities, and prepare for the filing conversation with the Clare County probate register.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Clare County counter of the Clare/Gladwin Probate District 17 serves Clare County estates from the courthouse in Harrison. Gladwin County has its own courthouse counter in the same district, but it serves Gladwin County estates, not Clare County estates.
Michigan venue is based on the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, if the decedent was not domiciled in Michigan, a Michigan county where the decedent's property was located at death (MCL 700.3201). A Clare County resident's estate is filed in Harrison even though the probate judge serves both Clare and Gladwin counties.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the probate path before filing. If you are opening an informal estate, the starting form is usually PC 558. If a judge must decide a formal matter, the starting form is usually PC 559. If the estate qualifies for assignment of property, use PC 556. The 2026 assignment of property and transfer by affidavit amount is $53,000 for a 2026 death under MCL 700.3982 and MCL 700.3983.
- Gather the required statewide SCAO forms and supporting papers. Common opening papers include the will if there is one, a death certificate, PC 565 testimony to identify heirs, PC 571 acceptance of appointment, and any required protected-information form.
- File the estate papers with the probate register at the Clare County Courthouse, 225 W. Main Street, Harrison, MI 48625, or mail them to PO Box 96, Harrison, MI 48625 if the court accepts the filing by mail for your matter. Clare/Gladwin Probate District 17 is not on MiFILE.
- Pay the opening cost and plan for the inventory fee. A 2026 decedent estate opening costs $175.00, consisting of $150.00 under MCL 600.880 and $25.00 under MCL 600.1986. The inventory fee under MCL 600.871 is separate and is based on the estate's asset value.
- Give required notice. On the informal track, written information of informal probate must be given within 28 days after informal probate is granted (MCL 700.3306). A personal representative must also handle creditor notice and the four-month creditor claim period under MCL 700.3801.
- Attend any hearing the court schedules. No Clare probate hearing-day schedule is published. For uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions, videoconferencing is presumed under MCR 5.140, but the court may decide that a hearing must be in person under MCR 2.407.
- Receive letters of authority if a personal representative is appointed. PC 572 is the Michigan form for letters of authority for personal representative, and certified copies cost $10.00 plus $1.00 per page under MCL 600.2546.
- Administer the estate. The personal representative gathers assets, deals with creditors, keeps interested persons informed, and submits inventory information within 91 days after letters of authority under MCR 5.307.
- Close the estate when administration is complete. An unsupervised estate may close by sworn statement no earlier than 5 months after the original appointment if the statutory requirements are met (MCL 700.3954). If court approval is needed, use the appropriate settlement petition.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Clare County
Clare County does not publish a local decedent-estate cover sheet, checklist, or probate packet for estate filings. Michigan probate courts use the statewide SCAO PC forms, and in an informal, unsupervised estate the court may not require extra documents beyond those required by statute or court rule, except as allowed by MCR 5.307(E).
| Form | Use in Clare County |
|---|---|
| PC 556 | Petition and Order for Assignment, used for assignment of property under MCL 700.3982. The 2026 amount is $53,000 for a 2026 death. |
| PC 598 | Affidavit of Decedent's Successor for Delivery of Certain Assets Owned by Decedent, used for transfer by affidavit under MCL 700.3983. It is presented to the asset holder, not filed with the probate court. |
| PC 558 | Application for Informal Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative. |
| PC 559 | Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative, Testate or Intestate, used for formal proceedings before a judge. |
| PC 565 | Testimony to Identify Heirs. |
| PC 571 | Acceptance of Appointment. |
| PC 572 | Letters of Authority for Personal Representative. |
| PC 577 | Inventory, Decedent Estate. Inventory information is due within 91 days after letters of authority under MCR 5.307. |
| PC 591 | Sworn Statement to Close Unsupervised Administration. |
Forms index: https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/
Local nuance
Clare County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Two-county probate district | Clare shares the 17th Probate District with Gladwin County, but Clare County estates are filed at the Clare County Courthouse in Harrison. |
| Separate Gladwin counter | The Gladwin courthouse has its own probate counter for Gladwin County estates. A Clare County estate is not filed there. |
| No MiFILE probate filing | Clare/Gladwin Probate District 17 is not on the SCAO MiFILE probate court list. |
| No MiCOURT probate lookup | Clare County circuit and district cases may appear in MiCOURT, but Clare probate cases do not. Call the probate court for status questions. |
| District court links are separate | The county courts page includes payment and Zoom links for the 80th District Court. Those links are not probate payment or probate hearing instructions. |
Recent updates
No Clare County probate rule change, local form launch, probate e-filing launch, or probate case-search launch was identified for this page.
Page last reviewed: August 2026.Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Clare County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Confirm how the home is titled before opening probate. If the home passes outside the estate, the probate filing may focus on assets held in the decedent's name alone. If estate authority is needed, file with the Clare County probate register in Harrison. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, and title questions so the spouse can decide whether estate settlement requires a court filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Start by checking whether assignment of property or transfer by affidavit fits. The 2026 amount is $53,000 for a 2026 death under MCL 700.3982 and MCL 700.3983. If a court filing is needed, use the Clare County counter in Harrison, not Gladwin. | Sunset helps organize assets, generate a probate packet, and reduce unnecessary travel by preparing questions for the Clare County probate register. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If real property must be sold through the estate, full administration may be needed so a personal representative can act. File the opening papers in Clare County if venue belongs there under MCL 700.3201. | Sunset helps gather property, mortgage, account, and creditor information and can connect the family with a Michigan probate attorney for sale and title issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Clare/Gladwin Probate District 17, Clare County counter | The filing counter for Clare County estates. | Clare County Courthouse, 225 W. Main Street, PO Box 96, Harrison, MI 48625. Phone (989) 539-7109. Fax (989) 539-7229. Website: https://clareco.net/department/courts/ |
| Michigan Trial Court Directory | State court directory for checking the Clare/Gladwin Probate District 17 listing. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/trial-court-directory/ |
| Estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms | Statewide SCAO forms used for Michigan estate filings. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
| Inventory fee calculator | Michigan Judiciary tool for estimating the inventory fee owed under MCL 600.871. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate and small-estate information and guided tools. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Services of Eastern Michigan, Saginaw office | Free civil legal help for eligible low-income residents of Clare County. Ask at intake whether an estate question fits current priorities. | 301 E. Genesee Ave., 5th Floor of the Commerce Building, Saginaw, MI 48607. Toll free (800) 322-4512. Website: https://lsem-mi.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Michigan probate attorney when Clare County real property must be sold or title must be cleared, the estate is too large for a small-estate option, heirs disagree, a will is challenged, creditors press claims, or the matter needs a judge rather than informal action by the probate register. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families locate accounts, policies, and other assets that may affect the Clare County probate path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the information you gather into an organized estate settlement packet so you can see which Michigan forms and supporting documents are likely needed before filing in Harrison.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Clare County estate needs legal help, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Michigan probate attorney for real estate, creditor, contested, or court-hearing issues.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, track assets and liabilities, and prepare for probate without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for a Clare County resident?
File at the Clare County counter of the Clare/Gladwin Probate District 17 in Harrison. The courthouse address is 225 W. Main Street, Harrison, MI 48625, and the mailing address is PO Box 96, Harrison, MI 48625.
Do I file a Clare County estate in Gladwin because the court is shared?
No. Clare and Gladwin share one probate judge in the 17th Probate District, but each county keeps its own filing counter. A Clare County estate is filed in Harrison under the venue rule in MCL 700.3201.
Can I e-file a Clare County probate case?
Clare/Gladwin Probate District 17 is not on the SCAO MiFILE probate court list. Contact the Clare County probate register at (989) 539-7109 if you need to confirm the court's current filing methods.
Can I look up a Clare County probate case online?
Clare County probate cases are not searchable in MiCOURT. For a probate file-status question, call the Clare County probate court at (989) 539-7109.
Does Clare County have its own probate forms?
No Clare County local decedent-estate form packet, checklist, or cover sheet is published. Use the statewide SCAO estates forms at https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/.
How much does it cost to open probate in Clare County?
For a 2026 decedent estate opening, the court cost to start the estate is $175.00, made up of $150.00 under MCL 600.880 and $25.00 under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes the separate inventory fee under MCL 600.871.
Are Clare County probate hearings remote?
No Clare probate Zoom instructions are published. Michigan court rules presume videoconferencing for uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions under MCR 5.140, but the court decides the manner of the hearing under MCR 2.407 and must tell participants how to appear.
Do I have to travel to Harrison for every probate step?
Not always. Many estate settlement tasks happen by paperwork, mail, phone, or service on interested persons, depending on the case and the court's instructions. Because Clare's probate counter hours are not separately published, call (989) 539-7109 before traveling to the courthouse.
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.