Michigan Judgment Renewal: How Long Does a Judgment Last?

Michigan small claims judgments don't last forever, but you have a long runway to collect. Under MCL 600.5809(3), a civil money judgment is enforceable for 10 years from the date it was entered. Miss the renewal deadline and the judgment expires — along with your right to enforce it.

The 10-Year Clock

The countdown starts on the date the judge or magistrate signed the judgment and it was entered into the court register (typically noted on Form DC 85). If your judgment was entered on March 15, 2026, it expires on March 15, 2036 unless you renew.

During those 10 years, you can use any enforcement tool — garnishment, seizure, liens, debtor examinations — as many times as needed. Post-judgment interest accrues the entire time under MCL 600.6013. For subsection (8) judgments, the rate adjusts each January 1 and July 1 based on the five-year U.S. Treasury note rate plus one percentage point, and compounds annually; the 10-year total depends on the rates and payments during that period.

How to Renew

Before the 10-year mark, file Forms MC 390 / MC 391 (Renew Civil Judgment) with the district court where the original judgment was entered. The filing fee is $15. You also need to serve the renewal on the debtor — personal service or by mail, depending on the amount.

Timely renewal extends the judgment for an additional 10 years from the renewal date, giving you up to 20 years of total enforcement time.

Don't Wait Until the Last Month

File the renewal before the expiration date and leave time to complete the court's filing and service requirements.

What Happens to Judgment Liens

A judgment lien recorded with the Register of Deeds (Form MC 94) has its own five-year clock, renewable once for another five years. The lien expires independently of the judgment, but it can never outlast the underlying judgment. If the judgment expires, the lien dies with it.

If you renewed the lien at year four and the judgment itself expires at year 10 without renewal, you lose the lien at year 10 despite the lien's own renewal.

When Debtors Are Judgment Proof — For Now

The 10-year (plus 10-year renewal) window is designed for exactly this situation: debtors who can't pay today but whose circumstances may change. A debtor who is unemployed and living on exempt Social Security income in 2026 might have a job, a bank account, and real estate equity by 2030. The judgment — and its accumulated interest — will be waiting.

Periodic debtor examinations (Form MC 11, $15 each) let you check back on the debtor's financial status every year or two without starting over.

After Collection Is Complete

Once the full balance is paid — principal, all accrued interest, and every enforcement cost — file a Certificate of Satisfied Judgment (Form MC 17) with the court. Release any active garnishments (Form MC 50) and discharge recorded liens with the Register of Deeds. There's no fee for filing Form MC 17.

For a complete enforcement timeline including renewal reminders and balance tracking through the full life of the judgment, the Michigan Judgment Collection Roadmap covers each milestone.

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