Michigan · Document Recording
Recording a Deed or Document in Lake County, MI
Lake County (population 12,096) records real-property documents through the Lake County Register of Deeds (function performed within County Clerk's office). Below is what it costs and how to submit. Filing a memorandum of contract? We record it with the county for $199, notary included — no trip to the courthouse.
Lake County recorder — contact
- Recording office
- Lake County Register of Deeds (function performed within County Clerk's office)
- Mailing address
- Lake County Register of Deeds, 800 10th Street, Suite 200, Baldwin, MI 49304
- Phone
- (231) 745-2725 (Register of Deeds); (231) 745-4641
- Checks payable to
- Lake County Register of Deeds / Lake County Clerk
- Electronic recording
- Available via Simplifile, CSC, ePN
Lake County recording fees
- First page / base fee
- $30.00 flat fee per document (regardless of page count; includes MI Remonumentation + ROD Automation fees)
- Additional pages
- No per-page fee; $3.00 for each additional instrument assigned/discharged beyond the first
- Other fees
- Tax certification (warranty deeds/land contracts): ~$5.00; copies $1.00/page
Counties change fees without notice. Check with the Lake County Register of Deeds (function performed within County Clerk's office) before you mail a check.
What Lake County requires
- Page formatting
- Michigan statewide standard (MCL 565.201 / MCL 600.2567): min 2.5in blank margin top of page 1, min 0.5in margins all other sides/pages; black ink; min 10-point type; paper white, min 20 lb, size 8.5x11 to 8.5x14; original signatures with printed names beneath
- Submission & return
- Mail-back to name/address indicated as document preparer/return address
Can you e-record in Lake County?
Yes. Lake County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC, ePN, so a properly formatted document can be recorded the same or next business day without mailing paper.
How to record a document in Lake County, Michigan
- Prepare the document so it meets Lake County's formatting rules (above): legal description, grantee address, signature block, and the blank space the recorder reserves for its stamp.
- Notarize it if the instrument requires acknowledgment. Most deeds and affidavits do.
- Submit electronically through Simplifile, CSC, ePN, or by mail to Lake County Register of Deeds (function performed within County Clerk's office).
- Pay the recording fee, payable to Lake County Register of Deeds / Lake County Clerk.
- Receive the recorded instrument back with its book/page or instrument number as proof of record.
Looking up a Lake County property
Owner names, parcel numbers and legal descriptions for Lake County property are searchable at Lake County Equalization Department (BS&A Online property/tax search). A deed or memorandum needs the exact legal description, so pull it from there or from the last recorded deed.
Filing with Jurably in Michigan
Michigan isn't available quite yet — it's coming soon. See the states we file in.