This office does not provide or prepare blank documents. In addition, our staff is prohibited from providing legal advice. It is the recommendation of this office that you consult with an Attorney or a Title Company in the preparation of your legal documents.


Services Offered

• Recording of legal documents including: warranty deeds, quit claim deeds, mineral deeds, administrator, tax and sheriff's deed's, mortgages, assignment of mortgages, discharge of mortgages, patents, oil and gas leases, subdivisions (plats) and restrictions, rights of way, various liens including State and federal tax liens, circuit court orders, probate orders, certificates of trust, master deeds, surveys, land corner and remonumentation records. 

   

• The Benzie County Register of Deeds now participates with eRecording.  The approved vendors are listed below.
  • Simplifile
  • ePN
  • CSC
  • Indecomm
• If you are submitting a document that requires a tax certification from the County Treasurer's Office, please use ePN as we have a doc router with them.
• There is a fee associated with eRecording on the Vendors side.  The Register of Deeds does not charge a fee to eRecord.
• The Register of Deeds collects the Michigan State Transfer Tax.
• Collection of State Remonumentation Fees.
• Acceptance agent for processing U.S. passport applications.

Description

The Register of Deeds office maintains an index and copy of all recorded documents pertaining to real property located within the county. The Register of Deeds also serves as Chairman of the County Plat Board which reviews and approves all new subdivisions within the County. Duties of the office are defined by State Statue.  All records in the Register of Deeds office are in a grantor/grantee indexing system which is available online with a subscription as well as all images dating back to the mid-1800's.  Please call for an online subscription if so desired.  If you are looking for a specific document, please utilize the Tapestry link below.

Recordings may be done in person, by mail, UPS, Fed-Ex or eRecording with sufficient fees. Copy requests must be accompanied by self-addressed stamped envelopes.

This office is the local acceptance agency for U.S. passports.  See link below for more information and to complete a fillable application.

 Fees:

Recording

 All documents, regardless of the number of pages cost $30.00 to record.  For documents that assign or discharge more than 1 instrument, $3.00 must be added for each instrument so assigned or discharged.  Copies of real estate records are $1.00 per page and an additional fee to certify a document is $5.00.

Warranty Deeds, Deeds containing a covenant of warranty, Land Contracts, Assignments of Land Contract with a warranty clause, Master Deed for Condominium must have a tax certificate from the County Treasurer's Office.  MCLA 211.135

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

Directory of Charges

Documents

• Identity Crime:
  • Identity Crime - What to do if you become a victim.
  • Property Fraud Alert - Sign up now and be notified when a document is recorded in your name. Please read through the FAQs and suggestions on this site before you sign up.
  • Stop Identity Theft - A dozen ways to prevent identity theft

Online Search Function:

• Laredo Online – search land records (subscription based). If interested, please contact Paula or Isabelle at the Register of Deeds Office 231-882-0016.
  
  
• Tapestry - search land records (fee based)

Related Web Links

• Michigan Real Estate Transfer Tax - MCL 207.505 Sec 5 (County) MCL 207.526 Sec. 6 (State)
  
  
• Real Estate Transfer Tax — Exemptions
  
  
• Recording Requirements — Requirements for recording with register of deeds
  
  
• State Real Estate Transfer Tax Act — Written instruments and transfers of property exempt from tax
  
  
• U.S. Department of State: Travel.State.Gov - Passports