Document Recording & Requirements

Documents may be submitted by: 

  • e-Recording 
  • United States Postal Service mail to: Washtenaw County Register of Deeds, PO Box 8645, Ann Arbor, MI 48107
  • FedEx or UPS to: Washtenaw County Register of Deeds, 200 N. Main Street, Suite 110, Ann Arbor, MI 48107.
  • Drop Box located at the Main Street entrance to the building at 200 N. Main St., Ann Arbor, MI 48107.
  • In-Person between 8:30 am - 4:00 pm (no appointment necessary)

Document Recording

Documents can be submitted for recording in person at the Register of Deeds office, by mail, or electronically through a Register of Deeds approved e-recording vendor.

Recording Requirements

  • Signatures must be original; and names must be typed or printed beneath signatures. MCLA 565.201 Sec. 1(a)(c) 
  • No discrepancy shall exist between names printed in the notary acknowledgment and as printed beneath signatures.   MCLA 565.201 Sec. 1(b) 
  • The address of the grantees in each deed of conveyance or assignment of real estate shall contain the street number address or post office address.  MCLA 565.201 Sec. 1(d) 
  • The name and address of the person who drafted the document must appear on documents executed in Michigan.   MCLA 565.201(1)(a); MCLA 565.203
  • Documents purporting to convey or encumber real estate executed in Michigan require an acknowledgment by a judge, clerk of court of record or a notary public within this state. MCLA 565.8
  • A certified copy of the death certificate or proof of death must be recorded or have been recorded and referenced by Liber and Page on said document when “survivor” is indicated on the document. MCLA 565.48 
  • Court orders must be certified and sealed by the clerk of the court. MCLA 565.401 ; 565.411 
  • The document submitted for recording must be legible. MCLA 565.201 Sec. 1(f)(iv) 
  • Documents must have a margin of unprinted space at least 2 ½ inches at the top of the first page and at least ½ inch on all remaining sides of each page. MCLA 565.201 Sec. 1(f)(i) 
  • Documents must display on the first line of print on the first page, a single statement identifying the recordable event that the instrument evidences. MCLA 565.201 Sec. 1(f)(ii) 
  • The type on the form must be printed with black ink; type size at least 10-point type. MCL 565.201(1)(f)(iii) and (iv).
  • The paper on which the document is printed must be white and not less than 20-pound weight. MCL 565.201(1)(f)(iv)
  • The size of the document and any attachments thereto must be at least 8 ½ inches by 11 inches; at most 8 ½ inches by 14 inches. MCLA 565.201 Sec. 1(f)(v)(vi) 
  • Unless required by state or federal law or court order, no more than 4 sequential digits of any social security number may appear on the instrument.  MCLA 565.201 Sec. 1(g) 
  • Instruments shall not purport to evidence more than one recordable event. MCLA 565.201 (3) 
  • When a subdivision plat has been recorded, the lots in the plat shall be described by the caption of the plat and the lot number for all purposes. MCLA 560.255 

These statutes are intended to be used as a guideline. Some documents have additional requirements.

Fees

Payment methods: cash (in-person, only), check, and credit (Visa, MasterCard and Discover, only).

Recording Fees

For entering and recording a Deed, Mortgage, Lis Pendens, UCC / Fixture Filing or any other instrument:

  • $30 per document
  • For any document which assigns or discharges more than one instrument: $3 must be added to the recording fee for each additional instrument assigned or discharged.

Transfer Tax on Total Consideration

  • County Transfer Tax = $1.10 per $1,000
  • State Transfer Tax = $7.50 per $1,000

Tax Certificates

Warranty Deeds, Master Deeds, Land Contracts or Assignment of Land Contracts, which contain a covenant of warrant, must have a tax certificate from the County Treasurer’s Office (MCLA 211.135):

  • Up to 5 Descriptions: $5
  • Each Additional Description: $0.20

Non-Recordable Documents

If the Register of Deeds determines that a document may not be recorded in its current form it will be rejected and returned to the submitter along with the recording fee. The document may be corrected and resubmitted with the appropriate fee by the submitter. 

If a package of documents is submitted for recording with a single check and any one of the documents in the package does not meet the recording requirements, the entire group will be returned with the check.