Service of process in Michigan
Michigan civil service of process is governed by the Michigan Court Rules, principally MCR 2.105 (manner of service), with MCR 2.103 setting who may serve and MCR 2.102 governing summons expiration. An individual may be served by personal delivery, or by registered or certified mail with restricted delivery and return receipt requested; substituted service and service by publication are available by court order under MCR 2.105 and MCR 2.106. A summons generally expires 91 days after the complaint is filed unless extended.
ProcessServerState provides procedural-information-only summaries of state process-server rules. This is not legal advice. Service of process is a critical step in litigation — if you fail to serve correctly, your case can be dismissed. For complex or contested matters, consult a licensed attorney or a court self-help center. Not affiliated with any court or sheriff's office.
Is a license required in Michigan?
No statewide private process server license. Under MCR 2.103, process may generally be served by any legally competent adult who is not a party or an officer of a corporate party; process requiring arrest must be served by a sheriff, deputy, police officer, or court-appointed officer.
Who may serve process in Michigan?
- County sheriff
- Licensed / registered process server
- Any non-party adult (18+)
- Certified / registered mail
- Publication (by court order)
Service deadline (Michigan)
A summons expires 91 days after the complaint is filed (MCR 2.102(D)). On a showing of due diligence, the court may order a second summons extending up to one year from filing.
UIDDA: Michigan has adopted the Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act for interstate service.
Sheriff / Marshal civil-process route
Civil-process fees are set by each county and listed on the local sheriff's civil-process page. Not all counties publish a fee schedule — confirm with the county where service will be made.
Statute / Rule citation
Mich. Ct. R. 2.105 (manner of service); MCR 2.103 (who may serve); MCR 2.102 (summons expiration)
UIDDA: MCR 2.305(E); Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.2201 et seq., eff. Sept. 1, 2012
Verification notes for Michigan: the following could not be fully primary-source-confirmed in our last pass and should be verified against the cited source before you rely on them:
- rule4Url (official courts.michigan.gov MCR 2.105 deep link not directly fetched; content cross-checked via benchbook + michigancourtrules.org)
Interstate service from Michigan
Michigan has adopted the Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act (UIDDA), which provides a streamlined process for issuing an out-of-state subpoena based on one issued in the trial state. Service of an initial summons across state lines follows the receiving state's rules.
Sources for Michigan
Other states with no license requirement
Check a different state
Verified against Michigan primary sources on June 16, 2026. Read how we verify on our methodology page, or browse every citation in the source manifest.
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ProcessServerState provides procedural-information-only summaries of state process-server rules. This is not legal advice. Service of process is a critical step in litigation — if you fail to serve correctly, your case can be dismissed. For complex or contested matters, consult a licensed attorney or a court self-help center. Not affiliated with any court or sheriff's office.