How Much Does Guardianship Cost in Minnesota

Guardianship in Minnesota is not free, and the costs go beyond the initial filing. Understanding the full financial picture — from filing fees through ongoing annual obligations — helps families make an informed decision about whether court intervention is worth the expense compared to voluntary alternatives.

Court Filing Fees

The base state filing fee for a guardianship or conservatorship petition is $310 under Minn. Stat. § 357.021. Individual counties add a law library surcharge on top of that:

• Hennepin County (Minneapolis): $322 total ($310 + $12 law library fee)
• Ramsey County (St. Paul): similar total — call court administration for the exact law library fee
• Most other counties: $310 base + the county's specific law library assessment

Certified copies of Letters of Guardianship — the document you present to banks, doctors, and agencies — cost $14 per copy. Most families need at least three or four copies for different institutions.

Background Check Fees

Unless the parent exception under Minn. Stat. § 524.5-118 applies, the proposed guardian must complete two background checks:

• DHS Maltreatment Check (Form DHS-8450): $50 non-refundable
• BCA Criminal History Check (Form GAC121 + fingerprints): $32

Total background check cost: $82

The parent exception waives both checks if the proposed guardian is a parent who has raised a proposed ward with a developmental disability in the family home until the time the petition is filed. This is the most common scenario for disability transition guardianships and saves both the cost and several weeks of processing time.

Attorney Fees

This is where costs vary the most.

Uncontested guardianships (everyone agrees) can be filed pro se — without a lawyer — using the court's self-help resources and the free GAC101 Guardianship Manual from the Minnesota Judicial Branch. Many families successfully navigate uncontested filings this way, keeping attorney costs at zero.

If you hire an attorney for an uncontested petition, expect $1,500 to $3,000 for document preparation and hearing representation.

Contested guardianships (the proposed ward objects, family members disagree, or the court visitor raises concerns) typically cost $3,000 to $10,000 in attorney fees. Complex cases involving significant assets, competing petitions, or expert testimony can exceed that range.

Regardless of whether you hire an attorney, the court appoints one for the respondent. If the respondent is indigent, the county pays. If the respondent has assets, the cost of their court-appointed counsel is paid from the respondent's estate.

Ongoing Annual Costs

The financial obligation does not end at the hearing.

MyMNGuardian filing. After appointment, guardians must file an annual Personal Well-Being Report (GAC600) through the MyMNGuardian electronic system. There is no filing fee for the annual report itself, but the time commitment is significant — the report covers health care, residential placement, and overall well-being, and must be served on the ward and all interested persons with a filed Affidavit of Service.

Background check renewals. If the guardianship continues beyond five years and the parent exception did not apply, background checks must be updated at the guardian's expense.

Re-petition at 72 months. Under § 524.5-310(d), guardianships for adults under 30 expire after a maximum of 72 months. Extending it requires filing a new petition — with new filing fees, potentially new physician evaluations, and a fresh hearing.

The Fee Waiver Option

If the proposed ward is low-income or receives public assistance (SSI, Medical Assistance), Form FEE401 requests a waiver of filing fees, background check fees, and certified copy fees. The court evaluates this based on the proposed ward's assets and income, not the parents'.

For many families in the disability transition space, where the young adult's sole income is an SSI check and they have minimal assets, the fee waiver covers every court-imposed cost.

The Cost Comparison That Matters

Before committing to the guardianship expense, consider the cost of alternatives:

• Health Care Directive: Free to prepare; notary fees of $5–$15
• Durable Power of Attorney: Free if using the statutory short form; notary fees of $5–$15
• Supported Decision-Making Agreement: Free (WINGS MN template available online)
• Representative Payee: Free (SSA administrative process)
• FERPA Release: Free (school district provides the form)

A combination of these voluntary documents often covers every domain where a family needs decision-making authority — and costs under $50 total compared to hundreds or thousands for a guardianship that must be re-petitioned after its court-ordered duration, which cannot exceed six years for an adult under 30.

The Minnesota Guardianship & Alternatives Guide includes a side-by-side cost comparison across all options, with worksheets for determining whether voluntary tools cover your family's specific needs before committing to the court process.

See more Minnesota guides →