Search Mackinac County Deed Records

Mackinac County deed records are searchable online through a free public index maintained by the Register of Deeds office in St. Ignace, covering instruments recorded from 1949 to the present. The office handles all property transfers, mortgages, liens, and related documents for this Upper Peninsula county, and researchers can search by grantor or grantee name, legal description, or recorded date without any fee or account registration required.

Register of Deeds Office Details

The Mackinac County Register of Deeds is on the first floor of the courthouse at 100 S. Marley, St. Ignace, MI 49781. The main phone number is 906-643-7306 and the fax is 906-643-1178. You can also reach the office by email at msavard@mackinaccounty.net. The county's Register of Deeds page is at mackinaccounty.net/departments/register-of-deeds/.

The office records all instruments affecting real property in Mackinac County. This includes warranty deeds, quitclaim deeds, land contracts, mortgages, discharges, liens, easements, and subdivision plats. If you need to confirm current ownership, research a chain of title, or check for recorded encumbrances on a parcel, this is the starting point. Staff can also assist with passport services, which the office provides as an additional service to county residents.

The screenshot below shows the Register of Deeds page at the Mackinac County website, where you can find the online index link and contact details.

The page links to the free online index, which is open to the public without a login or fee.

Free Online Index Search

Mackinac County offers a free online index search that covers recorded documents from 1949 to the present. You can search by grantor name, grantee name, legal description, or recorded date range. The index returns document type, recording date, liber and page reference, and basic property description. It does not provide images of documents in the free search; to get a copy of the actual document, you would need to contact the office or visit in person.

This free tool is useful for preliminary title research, confirming a recent transfer, or checking whether a specific lien or mortgage has been released. Title companies and attorneys doing work in the Straits area frequently use the index as a starting point for their searches. For records prior to 1949, you will need to visit the office or submit a written request so staff can search older index books.

The image below shows the broader Mackinac County government website where the Register of Deeds department is listed alongside other county offices.

All department contact information and online resources for Mackinac County are consolidated on the main county website.

Property Fraud Alert Program

Mackinac County offers a free Property Fraud Alert service that can help property owners detect potential fraud involving their real estate. When someone records a document using your name or involving your parcel, the system sends you a notification. This can be an early warning if someone records a fraudulent deed or lien against your property without your knowledge.

To sign up, call the Register of Deeds office at 906-643-7306. There is no cost to enroll. This kind of monitoring is especially useful for people who own property in the county but live elsewhere, such as seasonal residents or those with vacation land in the Upper Peninsula. It is also worth setting up if you own land that is not currently subject to active transactions, since vacant or unimproved parcels can be targets for deed fraud schemes.

Recording Fees and Transfer Tax

Michigan sets a flat $30 recording fee per document under MCL 600.2657. This fee applies to most standard deed recordings in Mackinac County. Copies of recorded documents cost $1.00 per page, and certified copies add a $5.00 certification fee on top of the copy cost.

The real estate transfer tax is charged based on the sale price or value of the property being transferred. The combined state and county rate equals $8.60 per $1,000. Specifically, the state levies $3.75 per $500 and the county levies $0.55 per $500. The seller is typically responsible for paying the transfer tax, and a valuation affidavit documenting the consideration must be submitted at the time of recording.

Some transfers are exempt from the transfer tax, including gifts between certain family members, transfers between spouses, sheriff's deeds resulting from foreclosure, and some corporate reorganization transfers. If you believe your transfer may be exempt, bring documentation and be prepared to note the exemption basis on the affidavit submitted with your deed.

E-Recording and Document Submission

Mackinac County accepts e-recording submissions in compliance with Michigan's MURPERA statute at MCL 565.841. E-recording allows title companies, lenders, and attorneys to submit documents electronically rather than mailing paper originals. The document is processed and returned with recording data digitally, cutting turnaround time from days to hours in many cases.

Approved e-recording vendors operating in Michigan include Simplifile (1-800-460-5657), ePN, CSC, and Indecomm. Contact the Register of Deeds office to confirm which vendors are accepted and to get any additional instructions specific to Mackinac County. For those who prefer to submit by mail or in person, that remains an option as well. Mail submissions should go to 100 S. Marley, St. Ignace, MI 49781 with the recording fee check made payable to the Mackinac County Register of Deeds.

Document Formatting Under MCL 565.201

All documents submitted for recording in Mackinac County must comply with the formatting standards set by MCL 565.201. Documents must be on white paper, 8.5 by 11 inches or 8.5 by 14 inches, with legible black print no smaller than 10-point type. The first page must have a 2.5-inch top margin reserved for recording data, and all other margins must be at least 0.5 inches.

Required elements include the grantor and grantee names, the legal description of the property, the drafter's name and address, and the name and address of the party to whom the document should be returned after recording. Deeds also need notarized signatures from the grantor. Documents that do not meet these standards will be returned unrecorded. The office charges a non-standard document fee for submissions that deviate from formatting requirements but still meet the minimum legal standards for acceptance under certain conditions.

Michigan Race-Notice Law and Why Recording Matters

Michigan is a race-notice state. The party that records first, and who took their interest without notice of a prior unrecorded claim, gets legal priority. This makes prompt recording after closing essential. If you purchase property in Mackinac County but do not record your deed right away, a later lien or deed recorded before yours could take priority under Michigan law.

The Register of Deeds office stamps each instrument with the exact date and time of recording and assigns a liber and page number that creates the permanent public record. This timestamp is what establishes priority in a race-notice dispute. Title insurers require a search of the Register of Deeds index before issuing a policy precisely because the recorded record is the controlling source of property ownership information in Michigan.

Nearby Counties

Mackinac County shares borders with several other Michigan counties, each maintaining their own deed records at the county Register of Deeds office.