Michigan requires most divorcing parents of children under 18 to complete a parenting class known as the SMILE program (Start Making It Livable for Everyone) before a judge signs the final judgment. There is no statewide statute mandating it; instead, individual county Friend of the Court offices impose it under their authority in Mich. Comp. Laws § 552.505. Most sessions run 1 to 2 hours and cost $0 to $40.
Key Facts: Michigan Divorce at a Glance
| Item | Michigan Requirement |
|---|---|
| Filing Fee | $175 (no minor children) / $255 (with minor children) under Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.2529 |
| Waiting Period | 60 days (no children) / 6 months (with minor children) under Mich. Comp. Laws § 552.9f |
| Residency Requirement | 180 days in Michigan + 10 days in the filing county under Mich. Comp. Laws § 552.9 |
| Grounds | No-fault only (irretrievable breakdown) under Mich. Comp. Laws § 552.6 |
| Property Division Type | Equitable distribution (fair, not automatically 50/50) |
| Parenting Class | SMILE program, required in most counties for parents of children under 18 |
Fee figures as of August 2026. Verify with your local clerk before filing.
What Is the SMILE Parenting Class Requirement in Michigan?
The SMILE parenting class is a divorce-adjustment education program that most Michigan counties require both parents to complete when a divorce or custody case involves children under 18. Administered by the county Friend of the Court, a typical SMILE session lasts 1 to 2 hours and must be documented before a judge approves the final judgment. Counties operate it under Mich. Comp. Laws § 552.505.
SMILE stands for "Start Making It Livable for Everyone." The program is designed to help parents understand how divorce affects children and to reduce the conflict that harms them most. Unlike a general co-parenting class you might find online, the SMILE course is tied directly to your open court case: the Friend of the Court records your completion in the case file, and that record becomes a prerequisite the judge checks before signing your Judgment of Divorce. A parenting class divorce Michigan requirement therefore functions less like optional education and more like a procedural gate built into the county's divorce process.
Because Michigan has no single statewide statute naming the class, the specific name varies. You may see it called SMILE, a "parent education program," a "family stabilization course," or simply a "co-parenting class." All refer to the same category of court-ordered instruction for divorcing parents.
Is a Parenting Class Legally Required in Every Michigan County?
A parenting class is not required by a single statewide law in Michigan, but the large majority of counties require it locally through their Friend of the Court offices. Counties including Oakland, Macomb, Wayne, Washtenaw, Ingham, Saginaw, Berrien, Eaton, and Calhoun mandate completion in essentially all new divorce or custody cases involving minor children, and failure to attend can delay your judgment.
The legal foundation is Mich. Comp. Laws § 552.505, the section of the Friend of the Court Act that lists the office's duties, including developing programs to help families. Because the authority is delegated to counties rather than fixed in one divorce statute, requirements differ by location. Some counties require both spouses to attend before the judge will sign the judgment; a few reserve the class for contested custody disputes only.
This county-by-county structure means the single most important step is to confirm your specific court's rule. Two parents filing in adjacent counties can face different deadlines, formats, and fees for the same divorce class for parents. Contact your county Friend of the Court office or check its website as soon as your case is filed, because the completion certificate is often needed weeks before your final hearing.
Which Michigan Counties Require the SMILE Parenting Class?
Most of Michigan's 83 counties require the SMILE parenting class or an equivalent parent education program for divorcing parents of minor children, though the format, cost, and deadline vary. Below is a snapshot of how several high-population counties structure the requirement. Always verify current details with the specific Friend of the Court office, because policies change and this table reflects general practice as of August 2026.
| County | Parent Education Program | Typical Format |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland | Required for divorces with minor children | Online + in-person options via FOC |
| Macomb | Required in custody/divorce cases | FOC-administered session |
| Wayne | Required by judicial practice | Court-directed program |
| Washtenaw | Required (FOC program) | Online and scheduled sessions |
| Saginaw | Required by court order (SMILE) | One session, in-person or online |
| Berrien | SMILE required in new divorce cases | Online presentation + quiz |
| Eaton | SMILE required for parents | Video + short quiz |
| Calhoun | SMILE (Start Making It Livable for Everyone) | FOC session |
| Grand Traverse | SMILE Online available | Self-paced online module |
The common thread across counties is documentation: each program ends with proof of completion that the Friend of the Court files in your case. Counties such as Berrien, Eaton, and Grand Traverse increasingly offer a fully online co-parenting class required format in which you watch a presentation and pass a short quiz, then receive a certificate to submit. If you and your spouse live in different counties, each of you may need to complete the program required where the case is filed. Understanding your county's rules early helps you build a realistic personalized divorce roadmap for the months ahead.
How the Parenting Class Fits Into the Michigan Divorce Timeline
The parenting class sits inside Michigan's mandatory waiting period, which is 60 days for couples without minor children and 6 months for couples with minor children under Mich. Comp. Laws § 552.9f. Because the 6-month clock and the class run in parallel, completing SMILE early means it rarely adds extra time; skipping it, however, can stall a judgment that is otherwise ready.
Here is how the sequence typically unfolds for a Michigan divorce involving children:
- File the Complaint for Divorce and pay the $255 filing fee for cases with minor children under Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.2529.
- Serve your spouse and open the case with the Friend of the Court, which is when many counties notify you of the SMILE requirement.
- Register for and complete the parenting class within the county's deadline, often within 30 to 60 days of filing.
- Resolve custody, parenting time, child support, and property issues while the 6-month waiting period runs.
- Attend the final hearing, where the judge confirms the class was completed before signing the Judgment of Divorce.
Because Mich. Comp. Laws § 552.9f bars a judge from taking final proofs for at least 6 months when minor children are involved (with a narrow hardship exception no earlier than 60 days), parents almost always have ample time to finish a 1-to-2-hour class. The mistake to avoid is treating the family stabilization course as a last-minute task, since a missing completion record is a documented cause of delayed judgments. To understand how the class interacts with the broader parenting decisions ahead, review how Michigan handles child custody arrangements.
What the Michigan Family Stabilization Course Covers
The Michigan family stabilization course focuses on the emotional and practical effects of divorce on children, giving parents concrete tools to reduce conflict during and after the case. A single SMILE session, usually 1 to 2 hours, covers how children of different ages react to separation, warning signs of distress, and communication techniques that keep kids out of parental disputes.
While curricula vary slightly by county and provider, most Michigan parent education program divorce sessions address a consistent set of topics:
- The developmental stages of children and how each age group processes a parental separation.
- The documented harm of exposing children to ongoing parental conflict, including loyalty binds and being used as messengers.
- Practical co-parenting communication, including neutral exchange routines and business-like scheduling.
- How Michigan's custody framework centers the best interests of the child under the Child Custody Act, Mich. Comp. Laws § 722.23.
- Resources for children showing signs of anxiety, depression, or behavioral change.
The course is educational, not therapeutic, and it does not evaluate your parenting or influence the custody outcome. It will not resolve disagreements about parenting time or support. Instead, it equips both households with a shared vocabulary for cooperation. Parents who also need to estimate financial obligations can pair the class with our child support calculator to see how Michigan's formula may apply to their situation.
How to Register and Complete Your Parenting Class in Michigan
To register for a Michigan parenting class, contact your county Friend of the Court after filing; most counties provide either an online self-paced module or scheduled in-person sessions, and completion typically takes 1 to 2 hours. Counties such as Grand Traverse and Berrien let you watch a presentation and pass a short quiz entirely online, then download a certificate to file with the court.
The registration path depends on the county's chosen format:
- Online programs: You create an account, watch video modules, complete a comprehension quiz, and receive a completion certificate immediately or by email. This is increasingly the default for a co-parenting class required in smaller counties.
- In-person sessions: The Friend of the Court schedules group sessions on set dates. You attend once, sign in, and the office records your attendance directly to the case file.
- Court-approved third-party providers: Some counties accept nationally recognized online courses if they meet the county's content standards. Confirm approval in advance so your certificate is accepted.
After completing the program, make sure the proof reaches the court. In many counties the online provider or Friend of the Court files it automatically, but in others you must submit the certificate yourself before the final hearing. Keep a personal copy. Because a parenting class divorce Michigan requirement is verified at the judgment stage, a lost or unfiled certificate is one of the most common last-minute obstacles parents encounter.
Cost of Parenting Classes in Michigan Divorce Cases
The cost of a required parenting class in Michigan typically ranges from $0 to about $40 per parent, and many county Friend of the Court programs offer the SMILE session at no charge or as part of standard court costs. Online self-paced modules in some counties are free, while court-approved third-party providers may charge $25 to $50.
This class cost is separate from, and much smaller than, the core divorce filing expenses. For context, the Michigan divorce filing fee is $175 without minor children and $255 with minor children under Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.2529. Against those figures, the parenting class is a minor line item. Where a county charges a fee, it is usually collected by the online provider at registration or added to the case's court costs.
Parents facing financial hardship should ask the Friend of the Court whether a fee waiver is available; many counties waive or reduce the parent education program divorce fee for participants who qualify for a filing-fee waiver. If cost is a concern across the whole case, our full breakdown of what a Michigan divorce actually costs can help you plan, and you can also compare attorney options in your area through our directory of firms serving Michigan divorce clients.
What Happens If You Skip the Required Co-Parenting Class?
Skipping a required parenting class in Michigan does not end your case, but it will delay it: the Friend of the Court reports non-completion to the judge, who can decline to sign the Judgment of Divorce until both parents finish the program. In some counties, continued non-compliance can trigger court fines or additional orders, because attendance is treated as a court-ordered obligation.
The practical consequence is timing. A divorce that is otherwise ready after the 6-month waiting period under Mich. Comp. Laws § 552.9f can be pushed back weeks if a parent has not completed the class and cannot show proof at the final hearing. Because both parents are usually required to attend, one parent's delay can hold up the entire judgment, frustrating a spouse who has done everything else correctly.
If your co-parent refuses to complete the family stabilization course, notify the Friend of the Court. The office can send reminders and, if necessary, ask the judge to enter an order compelling attendance. Courts strongly prefer voluntary completion over enforcement, so early registration remains the simplest path. When a co-parent's non-compliance is part of a larger pattern of obstruction, it may be worth discussing strategy with a family-law attorney who handles cases in your county.
Waivers, Exemptions, and Special Situations
Michigan counties generally do not exempt parents from the SMILE class simply because a divorce is uncontested, but courts do recognize special situations, including cases involving documented domestic violence, where separate attendance or an accommodation may be arranged. Because the requirement is county-administered under Mich. Comp. Laws § 552.505, any exemption or accommodation must be requested from that county's Friend of the Court, not assumed.
Several situations commonly prompt questions:
- Domestic violence or safety concerns: Parents are typically not required to attend together. Notify the Friend of the Court so separate sessions or scheduling can be arranged. Safety, not attendance, is the priority.
- Out-of-state or relocated parents: Many counties accept completion of an approved online program, which lets a parent who has moved satisfy the requirement remotely.
- Adult children only: If all children of the marriage are 18 or older, the parenting class requirement generally does not apply, because SMILE targets parents of minor children.
- Uncontested and agreed cases: An agreement on custody does not usually waive the class. Even cooperative parents typically must complete the divorce class for parents before the judgment is signed.
Michigan is a no-fault state under Mich. Comp. Laws § 552.6, so the reason for the divorce never affects the class requirement. Whether a marriage ends amicably or after years of conflict, parents of minor children face the same educational step. Because the specifics turn on local rules, and because property and support issues run alongside the class, confirm your obligations early and consider how the requirement fits into your overall case plan.