Livingston County Recorder Mechanics Lien Filing

You can file your mechanic liens in person at the Livingston County Register of Deeds Office located at:

Court House
200 E Grand River Ave
Howell, MI 48843

Ph: 517.546.0270
Tract Ph: 517.546.2530
Fax: 517.546.5966
E-mail: rod@livgov.com

Monday – Friday
8am – 5pm
Closed County Holidays

The Livingston County Register of Deeds Office does not publicly disclose information on recording backlog.

If your construction project is located in Livingston County, then yes, you should file your lien here.

The Livingston County Register of Deeds Office’s recording requirements are as follows:

1. 2-1/2″ margin at the top of the first page and 1/2″ on remaining sides and additional pages. MCLA 565.201 Sec 3, Sec 1(f)

2. Signatures must be original and names must be typed, stamped or printed beneath all written signatures. MCLA 565.201 (a)(e)

3. No discrepancy in the names shall exist between the printed names of such person, as appears, either in the signature, and the acknowledgment or jurat. MCLA 565.201 (b)

4. The address of grantee must appear on any instrument by which title to any interest therein is conveyed or assigned. MCLA 565.201 Sec 1(d)

5. The name and address of the person who drafted the document must appear on the documents executed in Michigan. MCLA 565.201 Sec 1a, 565.203

6. Documents purporting to convey or encumber real estate executed in Michigan must have an acknowledgement by a notary public. MCLA 565.8

7. Effective 4/01/04 through 5/26/06 acknowledgement must state “Acting in the county of ______________” MCLA 55.287

8. Documents must display on the first line of print on the first page a single statement identifying the single recordable event that the instrument evidences. MCLA 565.201 Sec 1(f)(ii)

9. A certified copy of a death certificate or proof of death (a separate recordable event) must be recorded prior to the instrument of conveyance which states “survivor” in the grantor’s section. MCLA 565.48

10. The recorded death certificate’s Document # MUST then appear on the instrument of conveyance with a grantor/”survivor”; if the two documents are submitted together, allow a blank space for us to insert the Document #. MCLA 565.48

11. Court orders must be certified and sealed by the clerk of the court to be eligible for recording. MCLA 565.401, 565.411

12. The definition of a page: See Document Requirements.

13. The date of the document must appear, and must show in the Notary Acknowledgement if Notarized.

14. Where the document is to be returned to must be indicated on a recorded page of the document.

15. If the property conveyed is unplatted, the following statements are to appear on deeds:

16. “The grantor grants to the grantee the right to make ___ division(s) under section 108 of the land division act, Act No. 288 of Public Acts of 1967. (If no number is inserted, the right to make divisions stays with the portion of the parent tract retained by the grantor; if all of the parent tract is conveyed, then all divisions rights are granted.)

17. This property may be located within the vicinity of farmland or a farm operation. Generally accepted agricultural and management practices which may generate noise, dust, odors, and other associated conditions may be used and are protected by the Michigan Right to Farm Act.”

The Livingston County Register of Deeds Office’s document requirements are as follows:

* Minimum size of page to be recorded: 8.5 x 11 inches
* Maximum size of page to be recorded: 8.5 x 14 inches
* Top margin, first page: Minimum size 2.5 inches blank across full width of top of page
* Subsequent pages: Minimum top margin is .5 inch
* Remaining margins size: .5 inch
* Document Type: Identified on the first line of print (at 2.5 inches down or farther)
* Minimum Font Size: 10 pt. type
* Paper color: White
* Color of ink: Black
* Paper weight: 20 pounds (standard copy paper weight)

The Livingston County Register of Deeds Office accepts cash and check, and credit cards but with an added service fee prorated to the total amount of the Transaction. The Service Fee does not apply to online Credit Card purchases.

The Livingston County Register of Deeds Office’s recording fees are as follows:

Recording Fees

To record and index any deed, mortgage, lien, certified court order, or other instrument: Each new document = $30.00* (regardless of page count).

Any document that assigns or discharges more than one instrument = $3.00 shall be added to the recording fee for each additional instrument cross-referenced by Liber/Page or Document # beyond the first.

* $4.00 of this fee is deposited into the Michigan State Survey & Remonumentation (MSSR) fund as of 3/31/03.

Copy Fees

Copy, real estate record, per page – $1.00
Copy, State or Federal Tax Lien, per page – $1.00
Fee for Certification of any of the above copies, per document – $5.00

You can obtain a recorded copy of your lien in person at the Livingston County Register of Deeds Office located at:

Court House
200 E Grand River Ave
Howell, MI 48843

Ph: 517.546.0270
Tract Ph: 517.546.2530
Fax: 517.546.5966
E-mail: rod@livgov.com

Monday – Friday
8am – 5pm
Closed County Holidays

Copy fees are as follows:

Copy, real estate record, per page – $1.00
Fee for Certification of any of the above copies, per document – $5.00

You can also search Livingston County’s records online at:
https://livingstonlive.livgov.com/Deeds/

Online records are effective from February 1982 through document certified date of: 09/20/2019 and document indexed date of: 09/26/2019

There is no charge to search the Register of Deeds index database. There is a charge of $1.00/page plus a convenience fee to view, print or save documents.

You will be purchasing a copy of the records on file with the Livingston County Register of Deeds. To obtain a certified copy – i.e. for court matters – you will need to select certified copy during checkout. Certified copies will be mailed within 2-3 business days.

General Public Users can also search at Tapestry for a fee of $6.95 (and $1 per page purchased).

You can access Tapestry here: https://tapestry.fidlar.com/Tapestry2/

Note that tapestry cannot search Units in Condominiums.

You can get the property’s legal description from the Livingston County Register of Deeds Office in person.

You can also search Livingston County Register of Deeds index database online at: https://livingstonlive.livgov.com/Deeds/ or at
https://tapestry.fidlar.com/Tapestry2/

You can also search for property legal descriptions online with the Livingston County Equalization Department at: https://livingstonlive.livgov.com/Property/