Access Roscommon County Property Records
Roscommon County property records are held by the Register of Deeds in the city of Roscommon, the county seat in this north-central lower peninsula county known for its lakes and state forest land. The Register of Deeds records deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, plats, and other instruments that affect real property in the county. Roscommon County has a high proportion of recreational and seasonal properties, so the records system handles many land contracts, cabin transfers, and shoreline easements along with standard residential transactions. Records are available in person, by mail request, or through third-party online tools.
Roscommon County Property Records Overview
Register of Deeds Office
The Roscommon County Register of Deeds is the official repository for all real property instruments in the county. It maintains the grantor-grantee index required by MCL 565.28. Staff can help you find documents by party name or parcel identifier during regular office hours.
| Address | 500 N. Lake St., Roscommon, MI 48653 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (989) 275-5929 |
| Fax | (989) 275-0482 |
| Recording Fee | $30 flat per document |
| Copy Fee | $1 per page |
| Certified Copy | $5 per document |
Searching for Property Records
Roscommon County property records can be found through the grantor-grantee index at the Register of Deeds office. You search by the names of parties to a transaction. Sellers are grantors, buyers are grantees. For mortgage records, the borrower is the mortgagor and the lender is the mortgagee.
In person, you can visit the Roscommon office and search the index with help from staff. For a mail request, write to the office, describe what you need, include the names involved and approximate dates, and enclose payment for the copy fees. Allow extra time for mail searches.
Common Property Documents
Roscommon County sees a wide variety of recorded documents tied to its mix of residential, recreational, and forest land. Warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds record ownership changes. Mortgages and their discharges track lending. Land contracts are common for smaller parcels and recreational lots. Easements, particularly for lake access and shared driveways, are frequently recorded. Construction liens, tax liens, and plat maps round out the document types held by the office.
Given the heavy presence of state forest and DNR land in Roscommon County, some property transactions involve special state-issued conveyances or state land sales that require review of state records in addition to county documents.
Michigan State Records provides an online index of property ownership details and recorded document summaries for counties including Roscommon, which is useful for quick ownership checks.
Recording Requirements
Under MCL 565.201, documents submitted to the Roscommon County Register of Deeds must meet specific formatting standards. The first page must have a 2.5-inch top margin. All other margins need to be at least 0.5 inches. Paper must be white and ink must be black, with a minimum 10-point font. Only one recordable event is allowed per document.
Names must be printed or typed clearly beneath every signature. The drafter's name and address are required on the document per MCL 565.201a. The property tax ID number must appear on the first page. Original signatures are required. Documents that miss these requirements may be returned or accepted at a non-standard fee.
Michigan Recording Law
As a race-notice state under MCL 565.29, Michigan protects the buyer who records first and has no notice of a competing prior claim. Recording promptly after any property transaction in Roscommon County is essential to protect ownership rights.
The Marketable Record Title Act at MCL 565.101 means a 40-year chain of title in the county records generally clears older defects. This helps simplify title searches in counties like Roscommon, where properties have changed hands many times and records date back to the 19th century.
Taxes and Assessments
Two transfer taxes apply when Roscommon County property sells. The county charges $1.10 per $1,000 of the sale price. The state adds $7.50 per $1,000. Both are due at closing. Some family transfers and governmental transactions are exempt.
Michigan assesses property at 50% of its true cash value. Proposal A caps taxable value increases each year at the lesser of inflation or 5%. When a property changes hands, taxable value resets and can jump significantly. Roscommon County's equalization office handles assessment questions and parcel data separate from the Register of Deeds.
The Michigan Department of Treasury runs the Principal Residence Exemption program, which can reduce property taxes for owners who use their Roscommon County property as a primary residence.
Cities in Roscommon County
Roscommon County has no incorporated cities above the qualifying population threshold for individual city pages. The city of Roscommon serves as the county seat. Property records for the entire county are filed at the Register of Deeds in Roscommon.
Nearby Counties
Roscommon County borders six other Michigan counties, each with its own Register of Deeds office for local property records.