Shiawassee County Property Records Lookup
Shiawassee County property records are held by the Register of Deeds in Corunna, the county seat in this central Michigan county located between Lansing and Flint. The office records all real property instruments for the county, including deeds, mortgages, land contracts, liens, easements, and plats. Shiawassee County is largely rural with a mix of agricultural land, small cities, and residential areas. You can access property records in person at the Corunna courthouse or through a written mail request to the Register of Deeds office.
Shiawassee County Property Records Overview
Register of Deeds Office
The Shiawassee County Register of Deeds keeps all official real property records for the county. The office is located in Corunna and maintains the grantor-grantee index required by MCL 565.28. Staff assist with document searches, copy requests, and recording submissions.
| Address | 208 N. Shiawassee St., Corunna, MI 48817 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (989) 743-2249 |
| Fax | (989) 743-2395 |
| Recording Fee | $30 flat per document |
| Copy Fee | $1 per page |
| Certified Copy | $5 per document |
How to Search Property Records
To find a deed, mortgage, or other document at the Shiawassee County Register of Deeds, search the grantor-grantee index by party name. Bring the full legal name of the seller or buyer and an approximate year for the transaction. Staff can help narrow results and locate the specific document you need.
For mail requests, send a written description of what you need to the Corunna office. Include party names, approximate dates, and the type of document you are looking for. Enclose payment for the copy fees and a return envelope if you want copies sent back by mail.
Online tools offer a faster first step for many users. aggregate publicly available property data from counties statewide, including Shiawassee County, and let you look up basic ownership and parcel details without a trip to Corunna.
Common Recorded Documents
The Shiawassee County Register of Deeds holds all types of real property instruments. Warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds record ownership transfers. Mortgages and their discharge documents track lending activity. Land contracts are common for seller-financed transactions. Easements, construction liens, federal and state tax liens, plat maps, and condominium documents are also part of the county's permanent records.
Shiawassee County includes several small cities and many townships, each contributing to the variety of property types recorded. Agricultural land transactions often involve drain easements and road right-of-way documents alongside standard deeds and mortgages.
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs handles UCC financing statements and other commercial records at the state level, separate from real property records at the county Register of Deeds.
LARA maintains state-level licensing and regulatory records including UCC filings, which may be relevant to commercial property transactions in Shiawassee County.
Document Recording Standards
All documents recorded in Shiawassee County must comply with MCL 565.201. The first page needs a 2.5-inch top margin. All other margins must be at least 0.5 inches. Text must be black ink, minimum 10-point font, on white paper. Each document is limited to one recordable event.
Names must be typed or printed beneath all signatures. The drafter's name and address are required per MCL 565.201a. The property tax identification number must be on the first page. Original signatures are always required. Documents that miss these standards may be rejected or accepted at a non-standard penalty rate.
Michigan Recording Law
Michigan is a race-notice state under MCL 565.29. The buyer who records a deed first without knowledge of a prior unrecorded claim wins a title dispute. Buyers in Shiawassee County should record their deed as soon as possible after closing.
The Marketable Record Title Act at MCL 565.101 allows a 40-year chain of recorded title to clear older defects. Title companies rely on this act to establish clean title for Shiawassee County buyers without tracing records back to the original land patent.
Transfer Taxes and Property Assessment
Shiawassee County collects a county real estate transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 of the sale price. The state adds $7.50 per $1,000. Both are collected at closing. Certain exempt transfers, such as those between close family members or to qualifying nonprofits, do not require payment of transfer tax.
Property is assessed at 50% of true cash value in Michigan. The Proposal A annual cap limits taxable value increases to the lesser of inflation or 5%. When property sells, taxable value uncaps and resets, often raising taxes for the new owner. The county equalization office and township assessors handle parcel-level assessment questions for Shiawassee County.
The Michigan Department of Treasury manages the Principal Residence Exemption and other property tax programs that may benefit Shiawassee County homeowners.
Cities in Shiawassee County
Shiawassee County has no incorporated cities above the qualifying population threshold for individual city pages on this site. Corunna is the county seat. Other communities include Owosso, Perry, Durand, and Laingsburg. Property records for all parts of the county are filed at the Register of Deeds in Corunna.
Nearby Counties
Shiawassee County borders five other Michigan counties. Each has its own Register of Deeds handling local property records.