Keweenaw County Deed Records Lookup

Keweenaw County deed records are filed with the County Clerk at 5095 Fourth Street in Eagle River, the county seat at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The office maintains computerized deed records with images from October 2010 forward, and older records are available through in-person or mail requests. Remote access is available through Laredo for subscribers and Tapestry for pay-per-search users. This page covers how to find deed records in Keweenaw County, what the recording fees are, and what protections the county offers against property fraud.

Keweenaw County Clerk and Register of Deeds

The Keweenaw County Clerk and Register of Deeds office is at 5095 Fourth Street, Eagle River, MI 49950. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Phone is 906-337-2229, fax is 906-337-2253, and you can email the office at clerk@keweenawcountymi.gov. The county website at keweenawcountyonline.org has department details and contact information.

Keweenaw is Michigan's smallest county by population, sitting at the northern tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula surrounded by Lake Superior on three sides. Its only land neighbor is Houghton County to the south. Despite its small size, the county maintains a full deed records archive and offers modern e-recording through Simplifile.

The combined Clerk and Register office handles deed recordings, county vital records, elections, and other official county business. If you are calling about deed records specifically, mention that when you reach staff so they can route you to the right person quickly.

The screenshots below show the Keweenaw County Clerk department page and the county home portal.

The Keweenaw County Clerk page lists hours, contact details, and available deed record search options including Laredo and Tapestry.

The main Keweenaw County portal connects users to all county departments and services available in Eagle River.

Online Access to Keweenaw County Deed Records

Two platforms provide remote access to Keweenaw County deed records. Laredo is a subscription service aimed at title professionals, attorneys, and others who run frequent searches. Tapestry is a pay-per-search option that works for occasional users without a subscription. Both connect to the same Keweenaw County index and allow searching by name, instrument type, or recorded date.

Computer images are available from October 2010 to the present. For records before that date, you will need to contact the office at 906-337-2229 or email clerk@keweenawcountymi.gov to request research assistance. Staff can tell you what is available and what it would cost to pull a copy from the older index. Mail requests are also accepted; include a clear property description and approximate date, along with a check for the applicable fees.

Keweenaw County accepts e-recording through Simplifile (1-800-460-5657), which lets attorneys and title companies submit deed documents electronically without a trip to Eagle River. This matters more in a remote county like Keweenaw, where the drive from major population centers in the Upper Peninsula takes time. Electronic recording speeds up the process and is legally valid under Michigan's MURPERA statute, MCL 565.841.

Property Fraud Alert in Keweenaw County

Keweenaw County offers a free Property Fraud Alert notification service. The program monitors the deed index and sends an alert when a new document is recorded that matches a name or property you have registered. This lets you catch unauthorized recordings quickly and take action before the problem compounds.

Property fraud is a real risk for property owners who don't watch their title closely. Someone can record a fake deed or mortgage against your property without your knowledge. By the time you discover it, the record may have been cited in other transactions. The alert service won't stop someone from filing a document, but it gives you a fast notification so you can act.

To sign up, contact the Keweenaw County Clerk at 906-337-2229 or email clerk@keweenawcountymi.gov. Ask about the Property Fraud Alert sign-up process. You will likely need to provide your name and parcel identification number for each property you want to monitor. The service is free.

Recording Documents in Keweenaw County

Michigan's flat $30 recording fee applies to all instruments filed with the Keweenaw County Register of Deeds under MCL 600.2657. This covers deeds, mortgages, discharge of mortgage, liens, easements, and other standard instruments. Page copies are $1.00 each. There is no specific certification fee listed for Keweenaw, so confirm current rates with the office before submitting a request.

Documents must meet the format requirements of MCL 565.201. That statute specifies required margins, font minimums, paper standards, and what must appear on the first page of any instrument submitted for recording. Non-compliant documents may be refused or assessed a non-standard fee. The statute is straightforward, and most title preparers know it well.

For mail submissions, send the document with a check payable to the Keweenaw County Clerk and a self-addressed stamped envelope for return of the recorded instrument. Walk-in recording is available during regular business hours at the Fourth Street office in Eagle River. E-recording through Simplifile is the fastest option for professionals who need same-day or next-day turnaround.

Transfer Tax on Keweenaw County Deed Records

All real property conveyances in Keweenaw County are subject to Michigan's combined transfer tax of $8.60 per $1,000 of sale price. The state portion is $3.75 per $500 under MCL 207.521, and the county adds $0.55 per $500 under MCL 207.501. In practice, the seller pays at closing. Buyers and sellers sometimes negotiate who covers transfer tax in the purchase agreement, but the seller is the default responsible party.

Michigan Treasury publishes change-of-ownership guidelines that explain how a recorded deed affects property tax assessment.

The Michigan Treasury change of ownership page explains the uncapping rules under MCL 211.27a that apply when a Keweenaw County deed transfers ownership to a new party.

Certain transfers are exempt from transfer tax. These include sales between spouses, transfers to a living trust where the grantor stays the beneficiary, gifts to direct family members, and some government conveyances. Even exempt transfers must include a valuation affidavit at recording. The affidavit documents the basis for the exemption so the local assessor has a record.

Deed Record Types Filed in Keweenaw County

Warranty deeds are the standard instrument for real estate sales in Keweenaw County, as in the rest of Michigan. The grantor guarantees clear title in a warranty deed. Quitclaim deeds transfer whatever interest the grantor holds without warranty, and they are common in family transfers, divorces, and estate distributions. Mortgage documents, discharges, and assignments are also recorded in volume.

Other instruments include land contracts, affidavits of survivorship, easements, plat maps, and various liens. The Keweenaw Peninsula has unique land characteristics including mineral rights documents tied to the region's historic copper mining industry. If you are researching property in Keweenaw County that has any mining history, older deed records may include references to mineral rights, leases, or surface rights agreements that are distinct from typical residential title searches.

Easement transactions in Keweenaw County may have transfer tax implications that depend on the nature of the conveyance.

The Michigan Treasury easement page explains when transfer tax applies to easement deeds and what exemptions are available under state law.

Keweenaw County Property Tax and Delinquency Records

Delinquent property tax actions in Michigan can result in forfeiture and foreclosure proceedings, which are recorded with the county Register of Deeds. In Keweenaw County, these actions appear in the deed index and can affect title. Researchers doing title work on older properties should check for any tax forfeiture records in the chain.

The Michigan Treasury delinquent tax letter covers changes to accounting procedures for delinquent tax revolving funds after Public Act 123 of 1999, which affects how tax foreclosures are processed in counties like Keweenaw.

If you suspect a property you are researching has a delinquent tax history, contact the Keweenaw County Treasurer in addition to the Register of Deeds. The Treasurer holds the current tax records, while the Register of Deeds holds the recorded forfeiture or foreclosure instruments.

Nearby Counties

Keweenaw County is connected by land only to Houghton County, which borders it to the south on the Keweenaw Peninsula.