Home Michigan Uncontested Divorce Kit
2026 edition • Verified against MCL 552.6, 552.9, 552.9f & current SCAO formsMichigan Uncontested Divorce Kit
Michigan sorts your paperwork by what your case actually involves — we match the SCAO forms to your track instead of handing you a generic stack.
- SCAO forms matched to your track — with or without minor children
- Friend of the Court paperwork (FOC 23) and the deadline calendar
- Free eligibility check before you pay anything
- Instant PDF download — $129 one-time, no subscription
Takes 2 minutes to check · no commitment
“The guided steps were easy to follow. I didn't need to hire a lawyer at all.”
Isabella X. · Warren, MI
Is This Kit Right for You?
Michigan ordinarily requires 180 days of state residency and 10 days in your filing county before you can file (MCL 552.9).
Use this kit if:
- One of you has lived in Michigan at least 180 days immediately before filing, and in the filing county at least 10 days (narrow exceptions apply — see below).
- You agree there's been a breakdown of the marriage relationship with no reasonable chance of repair.
- You broadly agree on custody, parenting time, support, and how property and debts get split.
- Your spouse will either sign the judgment, accept service, or simply not contest it.
- With or without minor children — the kit adds the Friend of the Court forms your case actually triggers.
Talk to a lawyer if:
- There's domestic violence, stalking, threats, or coercion. Agreement under pressure isn't agreement.
- Neither of you meets the 180-day/10-day rule, or your spouse isn't domiciled in Michigan — that adds a separate cohabitation or one-year-residence proof requirement (MCL 552.9f).
- You disagree about custody, relocation, or the child support amount.
- You're dividing a pension or 401(k) — that needs a QDRO, drafted separately.
- A business, multiple properties, hidden assets, immigration status, or bankruptcy is involved.
One narrow exception to the 10-day county rule: if the defendant was born in or is a citizen of another country, the parties have minor children, and the facts suggest a risk the children could be taken abroad, you may file in any county without waiting 10 days (MCL 552.9(2)). Not sure which column you're in? The eligibility check walks you through it before you pay.
Why Michigan Filings Get Sent Back
Almost never because the couple disagreed. Here's what actually trips people up — and what the kit does about it.
Using the no-children packet when the Friend of the Court needs to be involved
Any case involving a minor child, or a request for child or spousal support, requires a Verified Statement (FOC 23) filed with the Friend of the Court and served on the other party — it isn't a universal intake form, but it also isn't optional once support or a minor child is in the picture. The kit tells you whether your case triggers it.
Never filing a Verified Financial Information Form
Unless it's waived in writing or a signed settlement is already on file when you file, each party must serve this financial-disclosure form within 28 days after the defendant's response (MCR 3.206(C)). Most self-help guides never mention it. The kit flags whether your case needs it and when it's due.
Letting the 91-day summons run out while service is still pending
Your summons expires 91 days after issuance, not 91 days after filing. Miss it without serving your spouse and the case is dismissed as to that defendant, without prejudice — you can refile, but you lose time and, depending on your court, may owe a new filing fee. A second summons can extend the deadline up to a year if you show you've been diligently trying to serve. The kit puts this date on your calendar the day you file.
Skipping the UCCJEA Affidavit in a custody or parenting-time case
Whenever custody or parenting time of a minor is to be decided, Michigan law requires a Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act Affidavit (MCL 722.1209(1)) — a form V1 self-help lists routinely leave out entirely. The kit includes it and explains when it applies.
Guessing at the acknowledgment-of-service paperwork
If your spouse will cooperate, a signed, dated written acknowledgment of receipt of the summons and complaint can substitute for formal service (MCR 2.104(A)(1)) — free, and often faster. Filers who don't know this pay for a process server unnecessarily. The kit's service checklist covers both routes.
Why a Kit Instead of a Lawyer?
If you and your spouse genuinely agree, a Michigan uncontested divorce is a paperwork and deadline problem, not a legal argument. What you need is the right forms for your specific case, in the right order, with a clear view of the dates.
Keep the difference
Michigan family lawyers commonly quote flat fees in the low thousands for an agreed divorce, and hourly rates in the $250–$400 range. Quotes vary widely by county and firm — get your own before you decide.
Don't lose your filing date
Your summons has a hard 91-day expiration once issued (MCR 2.102(D)). The kit puts every deadline on one calendar so you're not tracking it yourself.
Walk in ready
Michigan requires evidence of the marriage breakdown in open court, even when nobody is fighting — so every case ends with some form of hearing. You get the actual questions courts typically ask, so you're not improvising.
What a DIY Michigan divorce really costs
The court fee is a $150 civil filing fee plus a $25 e-filing fee ($175 baseline). If your case decides custody or parenting time of minor children, add an $80 Friend of the Court fee; if it decides only support (no custody/parenting time question), add $40 instead — these two fees are alternatives, not both charged. Add service (roughly $30–$100, or $0 if your spouse signs a written acknowledgment) and certified copies. Both the filing fee and the FOC fee are waivable if you qualify.
What's Actually in the Download
No mystery bundle. Forms are grouped by what triggers them, the way Michigan's own rules do.
Required in Every Case
Every Michigan divorce filing needs these:
If Children, Custody, or Support Is Involved
Triggered by a minor child, or a request for child or spousal support:
The kit tells you which of these your specific case actually triggers.
At Judgment & Special Circumstances
Filed later in the case, or only for some filers:
Drafting Guides
SCAO publishes no statewide Complaint for Divorce or Judgment of Divorce form, so we walk you through both line by line, plus a clause checklist for the terms judges look for.
Deadline Calendar & Hearing Prep
The 91-day summons expiry, your 60-day or 6-month wait, and a hearing-prep guide covering the questions courts commonly ask at an uncontested final hearing.
What this kit does not include
- A guarantee that the court accepts your filing, approves your judgment, or grants a specific hearing format — your Circuit Court and Friend of the Court control that
- The court's own filing, e-filing, and Friend of the Court fees
- Contested cases — disputes over custody, support, property, or a spouse who won't cooperate
- Legal advice about your situation, or review of your completed documents
- Local cover sheets or additional requirements your specific Circuit Court may add
Built around statewide SCAO forms for filing in a Michigan Circuit Court, including Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, and Kent. Counties can add their own local forms or e-filing requirements — check your court's own packet.
How It Works
Four stages from filing to a signed Judgment of Divorce.
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1
File
Complete your Complaint and Summons, then file with the Circuit Court clerk in your county. Some courts now accept e-filing through MiFILE — check whether yours does and whether it's required for self-represented filers.
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2
Serve within 91 days
Your spouse must be served, or sign a written acknowledgment of receipt. The summons expires 91 days after it's issued; miss it and the case is dismissed without prejudice as to them, though a second summons can extend that up to a year on a due-diligence showing.
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3
Wait it out
60 days with no minor children, 6 months with. Statutory exceptions exist (desertion cases, and a court-approved hardship/necessity showing in child cases). Use the time to finish the judgment and any Friend of the Court paperwork.
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4
Final hearing
A short, uncontested hearing — often informally called a “pro confesso” hearing — where the court takes evidence of the marriage breakdown. Format, length, and whether it's remote are up to your judge and court; the judge signs your Judgment of Divorce once satisfied.
Your Three Options
We'd rather you pick the right one than the expensive one.
| Free forms, on your own | PlainDivorce Kit | Hire a lawyer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $0 + court fees | $129 + court fees |
Typically low thousands |
| Forms matched to your case | You figure out which apply | Sorted by trigger | Handled for you |
| Deadline tracking | On you | Calendar included | Handled for you |
| Hearing preparation | None | Question-by-question guide | Attorney appears with you |
| Best for | Confident, patient filers | Agreed cases, no surprises | Any real disagreement |
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
If the kit isn't the right fit for your case, email us within 30 days of purchase and we'll refund you in full. No forms to fill out.
Secure one-time payment · No subscription · Instant download
What Our Customers Say
People who finished their Michigan divorce with the kit.
4.7 out of 5, based on 300+ verified customer reviews
Customer reviews are collected from purchasers and support conversations. Names may be shortened for privacy, and individual results vary by court, case facts, and filing requirements.
“The guided steps were easy to follow. I didn't need to hire a lawyer at all.”
Isabella X.
Warren, MI
“I'm not good with paperwork, but this was foolproof. Easy to navigate.”
Jean N.
Warren, MI
“The instructions were crystal clear. I never felt lost or confused.”
Brian S.
Grand Rapids, MI
“User-friendly and straightforward. Exactly what I needed.”
George I.
Detroit, MI
Individual results depend on your own circumstances and your court's schedule. No outcome is guaranteed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Michigan Legal Help has free forms. Why pay for this?
Fair question, and if you're organized and patient, the free route genuinely works — we'd rather tell you that than pretend otherwise.
What you're paying us for is the assembly: figuring out which forms your specific case triggers (a no-children case needs far fewer than a custody-and-support case), a calendar with the 91-day summons deadline and your 60-day or 6-month wait on it, a checklist of the clauses judges look for in a judgment, and a guide to the questions typically asked at an uncontested hearing. If a rejected filing or a missed summons would cost you more than $129 in time and stress, the kit pays for itself. If not, use the free forms with our blessing.
What is the waiting period in Michigan?
With no dependent minor children, no testimony can be taken until 60 days after filing (MCL 552.9f), except where the ground is desertion or testimony is being taken conditionally to preserve it. With dependent minor children under 18, the wait is 6 months from filing. In a child case, a court can allow testimony after 60 days on a proper showing of unusual hardship or compelling necessity — but never before 60 days, and only the court decides whether that showing has been made.
What is the Verified Statement (FOC 23)?
A form the party seeking relief files with the Friend of the Court and serves on the other party, required whenever the case involves a minor, or child or spousal support is requested. It supplies identifying, employment, income, and health-insurance details for the FOC's records. It doesn't apply to every divorce — only cases that trigger it.
What is the Verified Financial Information Form?
A financial-disclosure form each party normally serves within 28 days after the defendant's initial response (MCR 3.206(C)). It's skipped if both parties waive it in writing, or if a settlement agreement or final order is already signed and on file when you file. It's separate from the Verified Statement and easy to miss if you're working from a generic form list.
Do I have to go to court?
Yes. MCL 552.6(3) requires evidence of the marriage breakdown to be presented in open court, so even a fully agreed divorce ends with a hearing — often informally called a “pro confesso” hearing. How long it takes, whether it's in person or remote, and who needs to testify are up to your judge and Circuit Court, not something we can promise in advance.
What if my spouse won't sign or never responds?
A spouse who is served and simply never responds doesn't stop the divorce — Michigan's default procedure lets you move the case forward, and the kit explains the general steps. You'll still need to prove the statutory ground and get the court's judgment after the waiting period runs, and your Circuit Court's own default practice controls the details. A spouse who actively disputes custody, support, or property makes the case contested, and at that point you want a lawyer, not a kit.
What happens if I can't serve my spouse before the summons expires?
Your summons expires 91 days after it's issued (MCR 2.102(D)). If you show the court you've been diligently trying to serve your spouse, a judge can issue a second summons extending that deadline up to a year. If it simply expires unserved, the case is dismissed without prejudice as to your spouse — not automatically your whole case forever — but you'll need to refile and may owe another filing fee, so don't let it lapse if you can help it.
Are there extra forms if we have minor children?
Yes — typically a Verified Statement (FOC 23), a UCCJEA Affidavit if custody or parenting time will be decided, a Uniform Child Support Order when the judgment sets support, and (if a related family case exists) a confidential case inventory. The kit walks you through which apply to your situation instead of handing you all of them regardless of your case.
What format is the kit, and how fast do I get it?
Downloadable, fillable PDFs, delivered immediately after checkout and emailed to you as a backup. No account, no subscription.
Can I get a refund?
Yes — 30 days, full refund, just email us.
Is PlainDivorce a law firm?
No. We're a self-help publisher. We don't give legal advice, don't review your documents, and don't represent you. If your situation needs judgment calls about your rights, talk to a Michigan family lawyer — many will review a proposed judgment for a flat fee.
Important Legal Disclaimer
PlainDivorce is not a law firm and is not a substitute for one. We do not provide legal advice, do not review your documents for legal sufficiency, and do not represent you in court. The Michigan Uncontested Divorce Kit is a self-help information product. Purchasing it does not create an attorney-client relationship, and we cannot guarantee that a court accepts your filing, approves your judgment, or grants any particular hearing format.
Court forms in this kit are published by the Michigan State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Neither agency reviews, approves, or endorses PlainDivorce or this kit, and we are not affiliated with either.
Court rules, forms, and fees change, and individual Circuit Courts add local requirements. Filing fees are approximately $175–$255 depending on whether custody, parenting time, or support of minor children is decided (both the filing fee and the Friend of the Court fee are waivable if you qualify). You are responsible for verifying current requirements, fees, and form revisions with your Circuit Court Clerk before filing. Content last reviewed: September 2026.