Chippewa County Deed Records
Chippewa County deed records are kept by the Register of Deeds in Sault Ste. Marie and include deeds, mortgages, liens, and land contracts recorded for property in the county. The office has a dedicated land records portal at rod.chippewacountymi.gov where you can search document indexes and view instrument types online. GIS mapping is also available for parcel-based research.
Chippewa County Deed Records
Chippewa County Register of Deeds
The Chippewa County Register of Deeds is located at 319 Court Street in Sault Ste. Marie. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. You can reach the office at 906-635-6312, by fax at 906-635-6855, or by email at rod@chippewacountymi.gov. The main county website is at chippewacountymi.gov.
The Register of Deeds maintains all recorded land instruments for Chippewa County. This includes deeds of all types, mortgages, discharge of mortgages, land contracts, liens, easements, and other documents that affect real property title. Chippewa County is one of Michigan's Upper Peninsula counties, and the office serves property owners throughout a large geographic area.
The county also offers GIS mapping tools that let you view parcel boundaries and ownership information on a map. This can be useful for identifying adjacent properties or confirming the boundaries of a parcel before searching the deed index.
Chippewa County Land Records Portal
Chippewa County runs a dedicated land records portal at rod.chippewacountymi.gov. This system lets you search the deed index by name, document type, parcel, or other criteria. Document types available in the portal include deeds, mortgages, liens, and land contracts. The portal makes it possible to find and view recorded instruments without coming to the office in person.
For certified copies of deed records, you must contact the Register of Deeds office directly. Copies cost $1 per page and certified copies carry an additional $5 fee. Staff can be reached by email at rod@chippewacountymi.gov if you want to ask about a specific record before submitting a formal request.
The image below shows the Chippewa County land records portal where deed records and other instruments can be searched online.
The land records portal provides access to the county's deed index and lets you view document images for property research in Chippewa County.
Fees for Recording and Copying Deed Records
Recording a deed or other land document in Chippewa County costs $30 per document under MCL 600.2657. Copies cost $1 per page. If you need a certified copy, the certification fee is $5 on top of the copy cost.
Michigan's transfer tax applies to most deed transactions. The state portion is $3.75 per $500 of consideration under MCL 207.521. The county adds $0.55 per $500 under MCL 207.501. The total combined rate is $8.60 per $1,000 of sale price. Some transfers are exempt from the tax, including gifts between spouses, corrective deeds, and certain transfers to family members.
E-Recording Deed Documents in Chippewa County
Chippewa County accepts electronic recording of land documents under Michigan's URPERA statute, MCL 565.841. E-recording is widely used by title companies, lenders, and attorneys who submit documents frequently. The process eliminates the need to mail paper originals and can speed up the time between document submission and recording.
Approved e-recording vendors for Michigan counties include Simplifile (1-800-460-5657), ePN, CSC, and Indecomm. Contact the Register of Deeds at rod@chippewacountymi.gov to confirm which vendors are currently accepted and for any specific requirements for Chippewa County submissions. First-time users should contact the vendor directly to set up an account before submitting.
Document Requirements Under MCL 565.201
All deeds recorded in Chippewa County must comply with the Michigan recording requirements of MCL 565.201. The law specifies minimum margins, print legibility, and the information that must appear on the first page. Required items include the grantor's name and address, the grantee's name and address, the legal description of the property, the consideration or value, and the grantor's notarized signature.
Documents that fail to meet these requirements will be returned without recording. This causes delays and may require the document to be redrafted. If you are preparing a deed yourself, review the MCL 565.201 requirements carefully before signing and notarizing. An attorney or title company can review the document for compliance before it is submitted.
The consideration amount stated on the deed is also used to calculate the transfer tax. If the deed states the wrong amount or uses a nominal consideration like "$1 and other valuable consideration," the Register of Deeds may require additional documentation to verify the actual sale price for tax purposes.
Property Tax Impact of Deed Recording
Recording a deed in Chippewa County can affect the property tax assessment for the parcel. Michigan's Proposal A limits annual taxable value increases, but a transfer of ownership can reset this cap. When a deed is recorded, the local assessor is notified and may adjust the taxable value to the state equalized value. For properties that haven't transferred in many years, this can result in a significant increase in the property tax bill.
Michigan Treasury provides detailed guidance on change of ownership rules. Some transfers don't trigger an uncapping, including certain family transfers and corrective deeds. You can review the full list of exempt transfers at the Michigan Treasury change of ownership page at michigan.gov.
Nearby Counties
These Upper Peninsula counties are close to Chippewa County and maintain their own deed records offices.