Register of Deeds

NOTICE
You can call us for assistance at (231) 592- 0148 or email to khahn@mecostacounty.org. Records are available online with fuII indexing going back to 1/1/1968.  Index books including oil and gas are imaged and available on the county fusion site.  All documents dating back to 1859 are imaged and tagged by Liber and Page.

You can access records online at:
Countyfusion Search: https://countyfusionl.kofiletech.us/
Vanguard Search: https://mecosta.mi.publicsearch.us/
"Public" support number - (888) 608-1808

All documents for recording can be sent via USPS, UPS or Fed Ex to us at 400 Elm Street, Big Rapids, Ml 49307. 


Services

Record and maintain real estate records for every parcel of land in Mecosta county.

Online Land Records & Index Data Searches:
Vanguard Search
CountyFusion Search

Services

  1. You must be a U.S. or Naturalized citizen.
  2. Submit one passport photographs. Passport photos are available at the County Clerk's office for $8.00.
  3. Proof of citizenship in the form of a birth certificate or naturalization certificate must be submitted.
  4. You must show valid picture identification such as a driver’s license or a Michigan State I.D.
  5. Forms are available at the Register of Deeds' Office.
  6. Application for U.S. Passport or Registration (Form DS-11) may be filled out on line, printed and brought to the Register of Deeds' Office.

Fees

Please submit two checks or money orders in the following amounts:

Adult Passport (16 years and over)
  1. $130.00 made payable to:
    Department of State
  2. $35.00 made payable to:
    Mecosta County Register of Deeds
Minor's passport (15 years and under)
  1. $100.00 made payable to:
    Department of State
  2. $35.00 made payable to:
    Mecosta County Register of Deeds

Passport photos are available for $8.00 (payable to Mecosta County Clerk's Office).

Office Hours for submitting applications:

8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

For more passprt information, please call (231) 592-0145

  1. Names must be typed, stamped or printed beneath the original signature or mark of the person.
    MCLA 565.201 Sec. 1(a), 565.201 Sec. 1(c)
  2. No discrepancy shall exist between names recited in the notary acknowledgment or jurat and as typed, stamped or printed beneath the original signature or mark of the person.
    MCLA 565.201 Sec. 1(b)
  3. Instrument conveying or mortgaging property shall state marital status of all male grantors/mortgagors.
    MCLA 565.221
  4. Name and address of the grantee must appear on instruments that convey or encumber real estate.
    MCLA 565.201 Sec. 1(d)
  5. Name and address of the person who drafted the document must be shown on the document.
    MCLA 565.201a Sec. 1(a)
  6. Documents purporting to convey or encumber real estate executed in Michigan must be acknowledged by a judge, clerk of the court of record or by a notary public. Instruments conveying land or interest in land executed in Michigan acknowledged by a notary shall include the public acknowledgement with signature, county of certification, name of party(ies) being acknowledged and commission expiration date.
    MCLA 565.8, 565.47, form 565.265, 565.267
  7. A certified copy of a Death Certificate or other proof of death must be recorded or have been recorded when "survivor" is indicated on the document.
    MCLA 565.48
  8. Court orders must be certified and sealed by the clerk of the court.
    MCLA 565.401, 565.411
  9. The document must be legible, black ink, type size 10 point or larger, white 20lb paper, with a blank margin of 2 1/2" at the top for the first page and 1/2" on all other margins. Paper size must be 8 1/2" x 11" and not larger than 8 1/2" x 14".
    MCLA 565.20 Sec. 1(f)(iv), (e)(iii), (f)(i)
  10. Documents must display on the first line of print on the first page, a single statement identifying the single recordable event that the instrument evidences.
    MCLA 565.201 Sec. 1(h), 565.201 Sec. 3
  11. Total value of real property must be stated on the face of the document or a real estate affidavit must be attached.
    MCLA 207.504, 207.525

For recording and indexing any Deed, Mortgage, Lis Pendens, Affidavit or other instrument:

  • $30.00 *

For any document which assigns or discharges more than one instrument, $3.00 shall be added to the recording fee for each additional instrument so assigned or discharged.

Warranty Deeds, Deeds that contain a covenant of warranty, Land Contracts, or Assignments of Land Contract that contain a warranty clause must have a tax certificate from the County Treasurer's office. MCLA 211.135

  • For up to five (5) descriptions - $5.00 per instrument
  • Each additional description - 20 cents

* This includes the fee required to be collected under 600.2567a and the $5.00 fee to the Automation Fund established under 600.2568.

In addition to fees charged for the recording of documents, the Register of Deeds office also collects Real Estate Transfer Taxes, both County and State. On all instruments subject to tax, the value of the real property transferred shall be stated on the face of the document or a real estate valuation affidavit declaring the total value of the real estate shall be filed. There is no fee for filing the real estate valuation affidavit, but a statement must be made on the face of the instrument that a real estate valuation affidavit is being filed. (MCL 207.511, 207.525)

Transfer tax imposed shall be collected unless the transfer is exempt from either or both taxes (State and/or County). Exemptions must be stated on the face of the instrument presented for recording (MCL 207.505, 207.526).

If the value of the real estate transferred is $100.00 or more, payment of State and County transfer tax is required. The rate of County tax is 55 cents for each $500 or fraction thereof of value of consideration and the rate of State tax is $3.75 for each $500 or fraction thereof of value of consideration. Please call the Register of Deeds if you have any questions at (231) 592-0148.

Act No. 348 P.A. of 2000 as amended, Uniform Commercial Code, MCLA 440.9405 etal, MSA 19.9405.

ALL PERSONAL PROPERTY filings are to be filed with the UCC Division of the Secretary of State. Documents filed for recording with the Register of Deeds include: As-extracted collateral, Timber to be cut and Fixture Filings.

Uniform Commercial Code Fees

Filing a Standard Form; 2 debtor names up to 100 pages - $30.00 (Standard Form is defined as the form adopted by the Secretary of State effective March 1, 2001.) Plus any of the following that apply per document:

  • Additional fee for non-standard form - $7.00
  • Filings which contain more than 100 pages - $12.00
  • Additional name fee for each name over 2 required by law to be indexed (husband and wife are 2 debtor names, each to be indexed) - $10.00

These fees apply to any new filings and amendments. Under Revised Article 9, "amendment" is defined to include changes: new or changed debtor names, secured party names, or collateral; releases of collateral, assignments, terminations and continuations.

Searches for specific documents can be conducted by the Register of Deeds office, but there is no guarantee regarding the search provided. Searches will be conducted as time allows.

  • Copy of real estate records - $1.00 per page
  • Copy of plats of record - $2.00 per page
  • Searching the records and files, per name - 50 cents per year with a minimum fee of $5.00

Financing statement search certificate (UCC)

  • UCC Search - $6.00 per name searched
  • State or Federal Tax Lien Certificates - $3.00 per name searched
  • Copy of UCC filings - $2.00 per page
  • Copy of State or Federal Tax Lien - $1.00 per page

The information disclosed on a UCC search [Personal Property filing] would contain information regarding files in the Register's office through June 30, 2001. Effective July 1, 2001, realty related filings are recorded in the real estate index only and will not appear on searches listed above that are prepared by this office.

  • Certification of any of the above - $5.00 per record copy