Clare County Property Records
Clare County property records are filed and maintained by the Register of Deeds in Harrison, the county seat. This office records deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, plats, and other instruments affecting real property throughout Clare County. The county sits in central Michigan and has a high concentration of recreational properties, lakes, and seasonal homes. Anyone can access Clare County property records in person at the Harrison office, by mail request, or through the county's available online search tools.
Clare County Property Records Overview
Clare County Register of Deeds Office
The Register of Deeds is at 225 W. Main St. in Harrison. The main phone number is (989) 539-9835. The fax is (989) 539-6212. This is the official office for recording and retrieving Clare County property records. The grantor-grantee index here, required by MCL 565.28, covers all instruments recorded with the county going back to its earliest records.
Clare County has a large number of recreational properties and lake lots. Many of these parcels were platted and sold during earlier development periods, and some carry older easements, deed restrictions, and plat notes that affect use and ownership. The Register of Deeds records all of this information, and a thorough search of the index can reveal restrictions that may not be obvious from a parcel lookup alone.
How to Find Clare County Property Records
You can search Clare County property records in three ways. In person at the Harrison office is the most direct. The public index lets you search by grantor or grantee name within a date range. Staff can pull document files and make copies while you wait. This works best for people who need certified copies or want to review complex multi-document chains of title.
Mail requests are a practical alternative. Write to the office with the party names, approximate recording dates, and document type you need. Enclose payment for the applicable fees. The office will search the index and mail copies back to you. Processing times vary.
Online search is available for many Clare County property records. The county's system lets you look up documents by name or document type from your computer. Images are available for many records, which means you can view and download documents without visiting the office. For older records, images may not be available online and will require a mail or in-person request.
It is a useful tool for getting a parcel number and basic ownership information before diving into the deed index.
Note: Clare County lake and recreation properties often have plat-based deed restrictions recorded in older plat books. These restrictions can limit use and construction on the parcel and should be reviewed as part of any title search.
Recording Property Documents in Clare County
Documents recorded in Clare County must meet the formatting requirements of MCL 565.201. The rules call for 8.5" x 11" white paper of at least 20 lb weight, black ink, a 2.5-inch top margin on the first page, and 0.5-inch margins on all other sides. Font size must be at least 10 points. Printed names must appear beneath each signature. Each document can address only one recordable event.
Under MCL 565.201a, the drafter's name and address must be on every document. If this information is missing, the office will return the document. Attorneys and title companies include this routinely, but private parties sometimes overlook it. Double-check before submitting to avoid delays.
The base recording fee is $30 per document. Each additional instrument assigned or discharged adds $3. Documents that fail to meet formatting requirements face a $25 non-standard penalty. Copies are $1 per page. Certified copies cost $5. Transfer taxes are collected when deeds are recorded and total $1.10 per $1,000 (county) plus $7.50 per $1,000 (state).
Michigan Recording Law and Clare County Property
Michigan's race-notice recording statute, MCL 565.29, gives recording priority to the first party who records without prior notice of a competing claim. If you buy a lake property in Clare County, recording your deed right away is the safest course. Delays leave you exposed to subsequent buyers or creditors who might record first.
The Marketable Record Title Act at MCL 565.101 helps clear old title defects from Clare County land records. After 40 years, most clouds on title are extinguished. Mineral rights defects clear after 20 years. This act is particularly useful for older lake lots and recreational parcels that have passed through multiple owners over many decades. A full title history going back to the original plat or patent can reveal easements and restrictions that the act may or may not have cleared.
All Michigan property is assessed at 50% of true cash value. Proposal A caps taxable value increases at the lesser of inflation or 5% per year until the property sells. In Clare County, where recreational property values have risen significantly over time, the gap between taxable and assessed value can be substantial for long-held parcels. A new buyer's taxes will reset to reflect the full assessed value at the time of purchase.
The Michigan State Records portal combines county-level property data from Clare County and across Michigan into a single searchable interface.
Use this portal for a quick overview of Clare County property ownership before requesting official deed records.
Clare County Property Taxes and Assessments
Property taxes in Clare County are billed and collected at the local township level for current-year taxes. The county treasurer takes over delinquent taxes after the local collection period ends. The county equalization department conducts annual studies to ensure all local assessments stay at the 50% true cash value standard.
Clare County has a wide mix of property types. Recreational cottages, undeveloped lake lots, agricultural parcels, and commercial properties all have different assessment approaches based on use and market data. The county's equalization director works with local assessors to maintain consistency across all of these property types.
The Michigan State Tax Commission audits county equalization and handles assessment appeals that are not resolved at the local board of review or Michigan Tax Tribunal level. Property owners who believe their assessment is too high should start the appeal process at the local board of review in the spring.
Unpaid taxes that are formally recorded by the county treasurer create a lien that appears in the Register of Deeds index. Buyers should verify current tax status with the local township treasurer and the county treasurer, not just the Register of Deeds, before closing on any Clare County property.
Note: Seasonal and vacation properties in Clare County typically do not qualify for the Principal Residence Exemption, resulting in a higher millage rate than owner-occupied primary residences in the same township.
Additional Clare County Property Record Resources
The Clare County circuit court holds records of foreclosure actions and civil judgments that create liens against real property. Any judgment properly docketed in the county attaches to all real property the debtor owns there. Title searches should include a check of circuit court records alongside the Register of Deeds index.
Probate court records matter for properties that have passed through estates. The probate court and the Register of Deeds both hold pieces of the record when property transfers through a will or intestate succession. Connecting these records gives a complete ownership history for the parcel.
UCC fixture filings tied to specific Clare County parcels are filed at the Register of Deeds. Statewide UCC filings go through Michigan LARA at 517-322-1144. The Michigan Department of Treasury covers state-level property tax programs and exemptions. For unclaimed funds tied to former property owners in Clare County, check Michigan Unclaimed Property at 517-636-5320.
Cities in Clare County
No cities in Clare County meet the population threshold for a dedicated city page on this site. Harrison serves as the county seat and largest city in the county.
Nearby Counties
Clare County is surrounded by seven other Michigan counties. Each maintains separate property records at its own Register of Deeds office.