Can you get your Michigan court filing fee waived?
Michigan decides fee waivers using 125% of the federal poverty guidelines. That gives you a number to compare against, but it is usually a presumption or one route of several, not a hard ceiling.
Compare your income
For a household of 1, 125% of the federal poverty guidelines is $19,950 a year ($1,663 a month). The guideline itself is $15,960.
Ways to qualify in Michigan
- Public benefits. Receiving SSI, or Other means-tested public assistance counts toward qualifying, often without any income showing at all.
- Income. At or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines for your household size.
- Inability to pay. You explain your income, expenses and debts on a sworn form, and the court decides whether paying the fee would leave you unable to cover basic needs. This route has no income cutoff.
Three paths on the form itself: receiving means-tested public assistance, gross household income under 125% FPL, or income above 125% where paying the fee would be a financial hardship. Verified from the MC 20 form text.
What to file
Michigan uses the Fee Waiver Request (MC 20). File it at the same time as your petition or response, not after.
This page explains how Michigan decides fee waivers. It is not legal advice, and it cannot tell you how a judge will rule on your case. Virdix is a document preparation service, not a law firm.
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