Ann Arbor Deed Records Lookup

Deed records for Ann Arbor properties are held at the Washtenaw County Register of Deeds, which has maintained a continuous index of real property instruments in the county since 1824. Whether you are buying or selling a home, refinancing, researching ownership history, or checking for liens, this guide explains where to find deed records for Ann Arbor parcels, what recording and copy fees apply, and how the city's assessor and property portals fit into the process.

Washtenaw County Register of Deeds

The Washtenaw County Register of Deeds is located at 200 N. Main St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104. The office phone number is 734-222-2260. You can also find information about the office and its services at washtenaw.org/269/Register-of-Deeds. Washtenaw County's records date back to 1824, making this one of the deeper archives in Michigan for real property history.

The county provides an online search portal at rod.ewashtenaw.org. This tool lets you search recorded instruments by grantor name, grantee name, document type, parcel number, or date range. Subscription options are available for high-volume users such as title companies, but casual researchers can search the index without a subscription. Scanned images of many documents are viewable through the portal.

The Ann Arbor city website at a2gov.org is the hub for city-level property services, including the Assessor's Office, permits, and several programs that are relevant to property owners.

Recording a Deed in Ann Arbor

To record a deed for an Ann Arbor property, bring or mail the signed and notarized original to the Washtenaw County Register of Deeds at 200 N. Main St. in Ann Arbor. E-recording is also available through Simplifile (1-800-460-5657), ePN, CSC, and Indecomm. The office is in Ann Arbor itself, which makes in-person submission convenient compared to counties where the seat is farther from the main city.

Michigan's formatting requirements under MCL 565.201 apply to every deed recorded in Washtenaw County. The first page must have a 3-inch blank top margin. All other margins must be at least 1.5 inches. The text must be at least 10-point font and clearly legible. The document must name the preparer and include a return address for the recorded original. Failing to meet these standards can result in rejection at the counter.

The recording fee is $30 per document regardless of page length, under MCL 600.2657. Multiple documents submitted together are each charged $30. Copies of recorded documents cost $1 per page; certified copies cost $5 each.

Michigan is a race-notice state. The first buyer to record a deed without prior knowledge of another unrecorded claim has priority in a title dispute. Ann Arbor buyers should record their deed immediately after closing to protect their ownership.

Transfer Tax on Ann Arbor Sales

Michigan's real estate transfer tax totals $8.60 per $1,000 of the sale price, combining state and county rates. Ann Arbor's housing market tends to run higher than Michigan's average, so transfer tax amounts can be significant. On a $400,000 sale, the tax would be $3,440. The tax is paid at closing and documented on the deed when recorded at the Register of Deeds.

Exemptions exist for transfers between spouses, correction deeds, and certain trust transfers where the grantor keeps a beneficial interest. An affidavit or notation on the deed must claim any exemption. For questions about a specific transaction, the Washtenaw County Treasurer handles transfer tax inquiries.

Ann Arbor City Assessor

The Ann Arbor City Assessor's Office is at Larcom City Hall, 5th Floor, 301 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104. The phone number is 734.794.6530 and the email is assessor@a2gov.org. The assessor sets the assessed and taxable values for all Ann Arbor parcels at 50% of true cash value under Michigan law. Ownership data in the assessment roll is updated as new deeds are recorded at Washtenaw County.

The assessor's property information portal at a2gov.org/property-information lets you look up a parcel's current ownership, assessed value, tax history, and other details. This is a quick way to verify that a recent deed transfer has been reflected in the city's records. It does not replace a title search at the Register of Deeds, but it gives useful context.

The Ann Arbor Assessor's page at a2gov.org provides detailed contact information and links to the property information portal and other assessment resources.

Property Programs and City Resources

Ann Arbor offers several property-related programs that interact with deed records. When a property changes hands, the buyer must file a Property Transfer Affidavit with the assessor's office within 45 days. This form notifies the city of the transfer and may trigger a taxable value uncapping based on the sale price.

The Principal Residence Exemption reduces the taxable value for owner-occupied homes. You claim this exemption by filing a form with the assessor's office, and your ownership is verified against the recorded deed at the Register of Deeds. The Tax Deferment program is available for certain qualifying property owners who need to delay tax payments.

Ann Arbor also runs an A2ZERO Home Energy Advisor program, which connects homeowners with energy efficiency resources. This program links to permit records through the city's permit portal at stream.a2gov.org. Building permits are separate from deed records but often inform your understanding of a property's improvement history.

The March Board of Review allows Ann Arbor property owners to challenge their assessed values. Deed records from recent comparable sales in the same area can be useful evidence in an appeal. The Register of Deeds index is the place to find those comparable sales transactions.

The Ann Arbor property information portal at a2gov.org is one of the most useful city-level tools for researching parcel data, current ownership, and assessment history.

Chain of Title Research in Ann Arbor

A chain of title traces every ownership change for an Ann Arbor property back through time. The Washtenaw County online portal at rod.ewashtenaw.org is the primary tool for this work. You search the current owner's name as a grantor to find when they received the property, then trace back through each prior owner. The county's records from 1824 onward give you a deep archive to work with.

For documents not yet scanned, a visit to the Register of Deeds office may be necessary. Staff can help you navigate index books for older time periods. Once you identify the documents you need, copies are $1 per page and certified copies are $5 each. A full title search for a complex property can take considerable time, which is why most buyers rely on title companies to handle this work professionally.

Legal Framework

Three Michigan statutes matter most for Ann Arbor deed recording. MCL 565.201 sets the document formatting standards. MCL 600.2657 establishes the $30 flat recording fee. The Michigan Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act at MCL 565.841 authorizes e-recording in Washtenaw County through approved vendors.

All deed types recorded in Ann Arbor follow these same rules, whether you are recording a warranty deed, quitclaim deed, or land contract. If you need help preparing or recording a deed, a licensed Michigan real estate attorney or title company in the Ann Arbor area can guide you through the process. The Washtenaw County Bar Association or the State Bar of Michigan's referral service can help you locate qualified legal help.

Nearby Cities

Other large cities near Ann Arbor where deed records are filed at the county level include the following.