Access Cass County Deed Records
Cass County deed records are kept by the combined Clerk and Register of Deeds office in Cassopolis. The office records all land documents for the county, from warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds to mortgages and liens. You can search these records in person on weekdays or contact the office for help locating specific instruments.
Cass County Deed Records
Cass County Clerk and Register of Deeds
The Cass County Clerk and Register of Deeds office is at 120 N. Broadway in Cassopolis. The mailing address includes P.O. Box 355, Cassopolis, MI 49031. Office hours run Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. You can call 269-445-4464 or send a fax to 269-445-4453. The office page at casscountymi.org has contact details and general information about available services.
Because the Clerk and Register functions are combined, the same office that handles deed records also issues marriage licenses, birth and death certificates, assumed business name filings, and notary commissions. It's a busy office that serves multiple county functions from one location.
Deed records in Cass County cover property transfers, mortgage recordings, easements, liens, and other land instruments going back to the county's founding. The office indexes all documents so they can be searched by grantor name, grantee name, or other identifying information.
How to Search Deed Records in Cass County
In-person searches are available at the Cassopolis office during regular hours. Bring the name of the grantor or grantee, the parcel number, or the legal description of the property. Staff can pull the record from the index and print a copy. If you need a certified copy, they can prepare that for you as well.
Mail-in requests should be sent to the office at 120 N. Broadway or P.O. Box 355, Cassopolis, MI 49031. Include a check or money order for the estimated cost, a description of the document you need, and a self-addressed stamped envelope for return mail. Processing times vary depending on office workload.
The official county home page at casscountymi.org provides links to office resources and may have an online search tool. Check the site for current options before making a trip to the office.
The image below shows the Cass County Clerk and Register of Deeds page on the county website.
The department page lists contact information, office hours, and details about the services offered by the combined Clerk-Register office in Cassopolis.
The main Cass County website also links to the Clerk and Register of Deeds from its home page.
From the home page you can navigate to deed records, property tax information, GIS maps, and other county services.
Deed Recording Fees
Recording a deed or other land instrument in Cass County costs $30 per document. This fee is set by MCL 600.2657 and applies uniformly across all Michigan counties. Copies of recorded documents are $1 per page. If you need a certified copy, add $5 for the certification.
Michigan's real estate transfer tax also applies when a deed is recorded. The state collects $3.75 per $500 of consideration under MCL 207.521. Cass County collects an additional $0.55 per $500 under MCL 207.501. The combined rate is $8.60 per $1,000. Exempt transactions include gifts between spouses, certain family transfers, and deeds used to fix errors in prior recordings.
Types of Documents Recorded in Cass County
The Cass County Register of Deeds records a wide range of real property instruments. Warranty deeds are the most common type used in home sales. They transfer title and include the seller's guarantee that the title is clear. Quitclaim deeds transfer whatever interest the grantor holds but make no warranties about the state of the title.
Land contracts are used when the buyer pays the purchase price over time rather than at closing. The seller holds legal title until the last payment is made, at which point a warranty deed or other transfer document is recorded. Mortgages and discharge of mortgage documents are filed to record both the creation and payoff of property loans.
Other document types include easements, affidavits of interest, personal representative deeds from estates, trustee deeds, and court-ordered sheriff's deeds. All of these must comply with the recording requirements under MCL 565.201 before they can be accepted and indexed.
Property Transfer and Tax Impact
Recording a deed in Cass County notifies the local assessor that a change of ownership has occurred. Under Michigan's Proposal A, the taxable value of a property is normally capped at annual inflation increases. But when a deed records a new ownership transfer, the taxable value can reset to the state equalized value, which may be higher.
Michigan Treasury guidelines explain which transfers trigger this uncapping and which don't. Some family transfers and certain other transactions are excluded. The state website at michigan.gov covers the rules in detail. Buyers should review these rules before closing to understand how the deed recording will affect their future property tax bills.
Nearby Counties
These neighboring counties also maintain deed records through their own Register of Deeds offices.