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Wayne County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Wayne County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Wayne County Probate Court |
| Courthouse | Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, 2 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226 |
| Mail and drop box | Wayne County Probate Court, 1305 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, 2 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48226 |
| Phone | (313) 224-5706 |
| Fax for new estate filings | (313) 967-4030, probate counter case initiation |
| Hours | Filing hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The customer service counter is open 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., with a 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. closure. |
| Opening charge | $175.00 for a decedent estate for 2026, under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. |
| Assignment of property filing charge | $25.00 for 2026 under MCL 600.880(2), plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871 and the certification formula for the order under MCL 600.2546. |
| Local forms | Yes. Wayne asks filers to use WCPC99, Petitioner Filing Coversheet, and publishes several other local forms alongside the statewide SCAO forms. |
| Filing channels | Email, fax, drop box at the court, or regular U.S. mail. Wayne probate is not on MiFILE. |
| Case search | Wayne County Probate Court Case Access at https://public.wcpc.us/eservices. |
| Remote appearance | Hearings are conducted remotely by Zoom unless the court says otherwise. A request to appear in person uses WCPC247. |
| Website | https://www.wcpc.us/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Wayne County, identify the assets, debts, beneficiary information, possible creditors and whether there is an original will. Wayne's forms ask for interested-person addresses, protected information forms, proof of venue when the decedent was not domiciled in Michigan, and asset value support for some estate settlement paths.
Sunset can start that work before the first filing by helping families look for accounts and assets across more than 2,300 financial institutions. That asset discovery can make the Wayne packet cleaner, reduce follow-up from the probate counter and help you decide whether a small estate path, informal probate or attorney-supported estate settlement is the better next step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
One Wayne County Probate Court serves the county from the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in Detroit. The court serves estates connected to Detroit and Wayne County communities such as Dearborn, Livonia, Westland, Canton Charter Township, Grosse Pointe, Hamtramck, Highland Park, Taylor, Romulus, Plymouth and Wyandotte.
Michigan venue is based on 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). Wayne's own decedent-estate checklist follows that rule by asking for documentation that property was located in Wayne County when venue depends on property rather than domicile.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Wayne path. For an informal opening, Wayne's checklist starts with PC 558, Application for Informal Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative, plus Wayne's local WCPC99 coversheet, MC 505 contact information, interested-person testimony and related forms. A formal petition uses the formal packet. Assignment of property uses PC 556.
- Prepare the packet in Wayne's order. For an emailed or faxed packet, put WCPC99 first, attach one complete PDF and route the filing to the department Wayne identifies. New decedent-estate packets go to the probate counter at [email protected] or fax (313) 967-4030.
- Handle the original will. If there is a will and the packet is submitted by email, the original unredacted will must reach the court by drop box or mail within 14 days, addressed to the probate counter at 1305 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, 2 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48226. Wayne warns that missing that step may result in dismissal.
- Wait for acceptance, then pay. Wayne accepts the filing first, then tells you what to pay. Opening a decedent estate is $175.00 for 2026 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. Nothing is scheduled and no letters of authority issue until the required payment clears.
- Serve notice and file proof. The petitioner is responsible for serving interested persons and filing proof of service before the hearing. If publication is required, Wayne names Detroit Legal News as the publication route, but the filer must submit the affidavit of publication to the records department at [email protected].
- Watch for the hearing notice. After payment, Wayne sends the notice of hearing packet by email when an email address is provided. The packet gives the date, time and Zoom instructions. The court publishes a 4 to 6 week hearing window after payment for pleadings set for hearing.
- Attend the hearing or request in-person attendance. Wayne states that hearings are conducted remotely by Zoom unless otherwise noticed. If you want to appear physically in court, use the court's WCPC247 request form.
- Receive letters of authority after appointment and qualification. After the personal representative accepts appointment and any ordered bond is filed, Wayne sends letters of authority by email with an electronic certification, or by mail if no email address was provided. The certification charge follows MCL 600.2546, $10.00 plus $1.00 per page for 2026.
- Administer and close the estate. File or present the inventory, pay the inventory fee under MCL 600.871, publish and mail creditor notices when required, distribute assets and use the correct closing route. Wayne requires the inventory fee calculation to be marked FULL and paid before closing paperwork is accepted.
Executor duties
In Wayne County, the personal representative has several local process duties beyond the statewide administration tasks. Use Wayne's routing chart so each filing goes to the correct department, keep the original will requirement separate from email submission, file proof of service before the hearing, and send affidavits of publication to the records department rather than assuming the newspaper files them.
Before closing, check Case Access for the inventory fee status. Wayne will not accept closing papers until the inventory fee calculation is supported, marked FULL and paid.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Wayne County
Michigan uses statewide SCAO probate forms, and Wayne County Probate Court also publishes local administrative forms that help route and process filings. Wayne says filers must use SCAO-approved forms where a form exists, and it asks emailed or faxed packets to include WCPC99 as the first page.
| Form | Use in Wayne County |
|---|---|
| WCPC99, Petitioner Filing Coversheet | First page of each emailed or faxed filing packet. |
| MC 505, Contact Information | Wayne asks self-represented filers to include this so the court can send hearing and letter information. |
| PC 558 | Informal opening form for probate and appointment of a personal representative. |
| PC 559 | Formal petition form when a judge must decide the opening or appointment issue. |
| WCPC571 | Wayne's local acceptance of appointment form used in its decedent-estate checklist. |
| PC 565 and PC 566 | Testimony to identify heirs and supplemental testimony for nonheir devisees in a testate estate. |
| PC 572 | Letters of Authority for Personal Representative. |
| PC 556 | Petition and Order for Assignment for assignment of property under MCL 700.3982. |
| PC 598 | Affidavit of Decedent's Successor for Delivery of Certain Assets Owned by Decedent for transfer by affidavit under MCL 700.3983. This is not filed with the court. |
| WCPC98 | Will Filing Coversheet. |
| WCPC96 | Request for emergency hearing, adjournment, rescheduling or withdrawal of a petition. |
| WCPC247 | Request to physically appear in person at court for hearing. |
| MC 97 and MC 97a | Protected personal identifying information forms for Social Security numbers and similar information. |
Use Wayne's probate forms page together with the SCAO estates forms index so you do not reuse an outdated form. Wayne's small-estate checklist specifically warns that older PC 556 versions marked 4/2024 or 5/2024 may be rejected.
Fees
Wayne does not add a local probate surcharge to the statewide opening charges, but it does publish local payment rules. After the court accepts a filing, it tells the filer what to pay. Payments may be made by cash, check, money order, or credit or debit card. The court does not accept out-of-state checks.
Online card payment is available through Wayne's Case Access payment route. As published for August 2026, the ePayment convenience charge is 3.5 percent or $3.00, whichever is greater. Card payments are not processed by phone or by mail.
Plain copies are listed by the court at $2.00 per page as published for August 2026. Certified documents follow the statutory certification formula in MCL 600.2546, $10.00 plus $1.00 per page for 2026.
Timeline
- Document processing after submission: Wayne publishes a 1 to 3 business day processing goal.
- Hearing notice after payment: Wayne publishes a 1 to 3 business day goal after the court receives payment of filing fees.
- Hearing date after payment: Wayne publishes a 4 to 6 week window for a pleading filed with the court and set for hearing.
- Letters of authority after initial appointment: Wayne publishes a 2 to 7 business day window from the hearing date, or from the filing of acceptance and any ordered bond, whichever is later, followed by 1 to 3 business days after payment of the letter fee.
- Order after hearing: Wayne publishes a 2 to 7 business day window for entry of an order following a hearing date, viewable through Case Access.
- Assignment of property order: Wayne publishes a 1 to 3 business day goal after payment for entry and receipt of a certified order on a petition for assignment.
Local nuance
Wayne County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Department routing | Wayne asks filers to use its Where do I file chart. A new decedent-estate packet goes to the probate counter, while affidavits of publication and copy requests go to the records department. |
| WCPC99 coversheet | For email or fax, WCPC99 goes first in the single PDF packet so the court can route the filing. |
| Original will | Email does not replace delivery of the original will. The original unredacted will must arrive by drop box or mail within 14 days of an emailed filing. |
| Pay after acceptance | Wayne accepts the filing, then notifies the filer what to pay. Hearings and letters wait for payment. |
| Zoom practice | Wayne states that hearings for all judges are conducted remotely by Zoom unless otherwise noticed. In-person attendance is requested on WCPC247. |
| Electronic seal | Wayne issues letters of authority and other certified copies with an electronic seal rather than a raised seal. |
| Inventory fee gate | Before closing, Wayne requires the inventory fee calculation to be supported, marked FULL and paid. |
| Midday closure | The customer service counter closes from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. |
| Publication proof | The newspaper does not file the affidavit of publication for you. The filer sends it to the records department. |
Small-estate Alternatives
Wayne publishes a local checklist for assignment of property under MCL 700.3982. The packet starts with WCPC99, then PC 556, then MC 97, the death certificate, the paid funeral contract and value support for the assets. The court says not to complete the order portion of PC 556 because the court completes it.
Wayne's checklist asks for practical documents that matter locally, including a paid funeral contract, a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services burial assistance letter if DHHS paid part of the funeral, and value support for real estate, vehicles, bank accounts or stock. The petition charge is $25.00 for 2026 under MCL 600.880(2), plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871 and the certification formula for the certified order under MCL 600.2546.
Wayne emphasizes that no personal representative is appointed and no letters of authority issue through the petition for assignment path. A will is not admitted to probate through that path.
Recent updates
| Date | Wayne County Probate Court update |
|---|---|
| February 5, 2026 | The court reissued its Where do I file routing chart, which assigns document types to departments and lists the email address and fax number for each. |
| May 1, 2025 | The court introduced local form WCPC96 for requesting an emergency hearing, adjourning or rescheduling a hearing, or withdrawing a petition. |
| July 2020 | The court stopped issuing letters of authority and other certified copies with a raised seal and began validating them with an electronic seal only. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Wayne County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by confirming how the home is titled and whether any assets actually need Wayne probate. If a probate estate is needed, an informal Wayne packet may be appropriate, with the original will delivered separately if one exists. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and title issues before a spouse spends time preparing a full estate settlement packet. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Check whether assignment of property or transfer by affidavit fits the statewide rules. If assignment of property is used in Wayne, use PC 556 with WCPC99, the funeral documentation and asset value support the court asks for. | Sunset helps gather institution information and organize the packet so the out-of-state filer can use Wayne's email, mail or drop box process more efficiently. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale through the estate usually requires a personal representative with letters of authority. In Wayne, that means choosing the correct informal or formal opening packet, serving interested persons and attending the Zoom hearing unless the court orders otherwise. | Sunset helps map assets and liabilities, prepare for the Wayne forms and connect the family with attorney help when a home sale, creditor issue or contested estate settlement needs legal judgment. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Wayne County Probate Court | Filing instructions, fee information, decedent-estate and small-estate checklists, hours, closures and Wayne local forms. | https://www.wcpc.us/ |
| Wayne County Probate Court Case Access | Public case lookup and online payment route. Search by case number, first and last name, or company name. | https://public.wcpc.us/eservices |
| Where do I file, Wayne County Probate Court | Routing chart for which department receives each filing and which email or fax to use. | https://www.wcpc.us/wheredoifile.pdf |
| How to attend a hearing at the Wayne County Probate Court | Zoom hearing instructions for joining by app, browser or telephone. | https://www.wcpc.us/WebStandards/ZoomHearingInfoPage.html |
| Michigan inventory fee calculator | State judiciary calculator for the inventory fee due on a decedent estate. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms | Statewide Michigan probate forms used for estates. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate information and guided help, including small estate topics. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Aid and Defender Association | Civil legal help for qualifying residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. The organization does not state on its site whether it handles decedent-estate administration. | https://ladadetroit.org/ |
| Legal aid list published by the Wayne County Probate Court | The court's own list of legal aid and lawyer referral options for people filing in Wayne County. | https://www.wcpc.us/Info/LegalAid.pdf |
| Michigan Trial Court Directory | State judiciary directory entry for the Wayne County Probate Court. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/trial-court-directory/ |
When to hire an attorney
You do not have to hire a lawyer simply because an estate is filed in Wayne County, and the informal track is designed to be usable without one. Counsel becomes more important when the estate includes a home sale, missing heirs, contested priority for appointment, creditor disputes, publication problems, an out-of-state personal representative or a hearing that may not go forward without corrected service. Sunset connects families with a vetted attorney when legal help is the right next step.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families search for accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property before they file in Wayne County Probate Court. A clearer asset list makes it easier to choose the right estate settlement path and prepare the Wayne packet.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for Michigan probate forms and Wayne's local filing steps, including interested-person information, asset details and the documents the court asks to see.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Wayne County estate involves a home sale, a dispute, creditor issues or a formal hearing, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, understand what comes next and decide whether they need attorney help, without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Wayne County, Michigan?
File with the Wayne County Probate Court at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in Detroit. For mail and drop box filings, the court's filing instructions use 1305 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, 2 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48226. New decedent-estate packets go to the probate counter, and Wayne also accepts filings by email or fax.
Is Wayne County Probate Court on MiFILE?
No. Wayne County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. The court says its filing process is manual, and filings may be submitted by email, fax, drop box at the court, or regular U.S. mail.
Can I email a Wayne County probate filing?
Yes. Wayne accepts filings by email when they follow the court's rules. Use one filing per email, attach one PDF, put WCPC99 first and route the packet to the correct department. A new decedent-estate packet goes to [email protected].
Do I still have to send the original will if I email the probate packet?
Yes. If there is a will and you file by email, Wayne requires the original unredacted will to arrive by drop box or mail within 14 days. The court warns that failure to do so may result in dismissal.
How long does a Wayne County probate hearing take to get scheduled?
Wayne publishes a 4 to 6 week window from payment of filing fees to the hearing date for a pleading filed with the court and set for hearing. The court also publishes a 1 to 3 business day window for processing documents after submission.
Are Wayne County probate hearings on Zoom?
Yes, unless the court says otherwise. Wayne states that hearings for all judges are conducted remotely by Zoom unless otherwise notified. If you want to appear in person, use WCPC247 to request a physical appearance.
How do I look up a Wayne County probate case?
Use Wayne County Probate Court Case Access at https://public.wcpc.us/eservices. The portal can be searched by case number, first and last name, or company name, and it shows case summary, parties, events, docket activity, financial information and other public case details.
What local forms does Wayne County Probate Court ask for?
Wayne asks emailed or faxed packets to start with WCPC99, Petitioner Filing Coversheet. It also publishes local forms such as WCPC571, WCPC98, WCPC96, WCPC247, WCPC81, WCPC30 and WCPC608. Statewide SCAO forms still apply where Michigan has an approved form.
What does it cost to open a Wayne County decedent estate?
For 2026, opening a decedent estate is $175.00 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. The inventory fee is based on the estate's value and is separate from the opening charge.
Do I have to travel to Detroit for a Wayne County probate hearing?
Usually not for the hearing itself. Wayne conducts hearings by Zoom unless otherwise noticed. Travel may still be needed if you choose to use the drop box, need courthouse services, or must physically deliver an original will instead of mailing it.
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.