St. Joseph County Recorder Mechanics Lien Filing

You can file your mechanic liens in person, by mail or by e-Recording.

In Person

You can submit your documents to the St. Joseph County Register of Deeds Office located at:

125 W. Main St.
Centreville MI, 49032
Historic Courthouse – Second Floor

Phone: (269) 467-5552
Fax: (269) 467-5593

The office is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Real and personal property documents presented after 4:00 p.m. may be recorded or filed on the following working day.

Mail

You can also mail your lien documents to the following address:

County Clerk’s Office – Register of Deeds
PO Box 189
Centreville MI, 49032

e-Recording

You can also submit documents electronically for recording. Now the St. Joseph County Register of Deeds Office has e-Recording available to banks, title and abstract companies, attorneys and customers. They are
accepting all documents types, except documents that require a tax certification. (Warranty Deeds, Covenant Deeds that warrant and defend, Land Contracts, Assignment of Land Contracts, Plats and Condos).

Anyone interested in actually becoming a vendor please contact the Register of Deeds office at (269) 467-5553 .

The four eRecording vendors that will be kicking this off with the St. Joseph County Register of Deeds Office are listed below:

Simplifile
(800) 460-5657
http://www.simplefile.com/

Corporation Service Company
(866) 652-0111
https://www.erecording.com/

eRecording Partners
(888) 325-3365 VISIT WEBSITE

Home

Indecomm Global Services
(651) 766-2369
http://http//www.indecomm.net/

The St. Joseph County Register of Deeds Office does not publicly disclose information on recording backlog. Real and personal property documents presented after 4:00 p.m. may be recorded or filed on the following working day. If necessary, your recorded document can be processed and returned while you wait at the counter. If the customer/attorney hand-delivered the document to the counter, or if the document was sent thru the mail, it will take approximately 2-3 days. If it came to the office through a title company or a bank, the documents will be returned in 2-3 days to the title company or bank. It will be entirely up to the title company or bank when they return it to you.

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

The St. Joseph County Register of Deeds Office’s recording requirements are as follows:

1. All documents must have original signatures. Names must be typed, stamped or printed beneath the original signature or mark of the person. MCLA 565.201 Sec. 1(a), 565.201 Sec. 1(c)

2. No discrepancy in the names shall exist between the names printed (recited) in the notary acknowledgment or jurat and as typed, stamped or printed beneath the original signature or mark of the person. MCLA 565.201 Sec. 1(b)

3. Instruments conveying or mortgaging any interest in real estate property shall state the marital status of all male grantors or mortgagors. MCLA 565.221

4. Name and address of the grantee must appear on instruments that convey or encumber real estate. MCLA 565.201 Sec. 1(d)

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

6. A complete legal description of the property is required. The property tax identification number is requested on the document.

7. Document should contain the complete name, address and zip code of the party to whom the recorded document should be returned.

8. Documents purporting to convey or encumber real estate executed in Michigan must be acknowledged by a notary public, judge, clerk of the court of record. Instruments conveying land or interest in land executed in Michigan acknowledged by a notary shall include the public acknowledgment with signature, county/state of certification, name of party(ies) being acknowledged and commission expiration date of the notary, as well as state and county where the document was executed. MCLA 565.8, 565.47, form 565.265, 565.267

9. A Death Certificate or other proof of death must be recorded or have been recorded and referenced by Liber and Page on said document when “survivor” is indicated on the document. Death Certificates presented for recording must be a certified copy. MCLA 565.48

10. Court orders must be certified and sealed by the clerk of the court. MCLA 565.401, 565.411

11. The document must be legible, black ink, type size 10 point, white 20lb paper, with a blank margin of 2 1/2″ at the top for the first page and 1/2″ on all other margins. Paper size must be 8 1/2″ x 11″ and not larger than 8 1/2″ x 14″. MCLA 565.20 Sec. 1(f)(iv), (e)(iii), (f)(i)

12. 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(h), 565.201 Sec. 3

13. Total value of real property must be stated on the face of the document or a real estate affidavit must be attached. MCLA 207.504, 207.525

14. Unless required by state or federal law or court order, no more than 4 sequential digits of any social security number may appear on the instrument. MCLA 565.201

The St. Joseph County Register of Deeds Office’s page requirements are as follows:

1. The document must be legible, black ink, type size 10 point, white 20lb paper, with a blank margin of 2 1/2″ at the top for the first page and 1/2″ on all other margins. Paper size must be 8 1/2″ x 11″ and not larger than 8 1/2″ x 14″. MCLA 565.20 Sec. 1(f)(iv), (e)(iii), (f)(i)

2. 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(h), 565.201 Sec. 3

3. Total value of real property must be stated on the face of the document or a real estate affidavit must be attached. MCLA 207.504, 207.525

4. Unless required by state or federal law or court order, no more than 4 sequential digits of any social security number may appear on the instrument. MCLA 565.201

The St. Joseph County Register of Deeds Office accepts Cash, Check and Credit Card (credit card in the office is a $1.50 fee for under $25.00).

The St. Joseph County Register of Deeds Office’s recording fees are as follows:

Documents can be recorded in person or by mail. Each document sent by mail for recording should include a completed return envelope and a matching “return to” name and address on the instrument, and proper recording fees.

General Recording: $30.00
Tax Certification: $5.00

Any document that assigns or discharges more than one instrument; $3.00 shall be added to the fee for each instrument so assigned or discharged. If you list re-recording information and assignments for the mortgage you are discharging and you want this information referenced in the grantor/grantee index the $3.00 fee will apply, per reference.

Warranty deeds, land contracts or assignment thereof, or deeds that contain a covenant of warranty must have a tax certificate from the County Treasurer’s Office. The fee for this may be included in your check to the Register of Deeds Office.

Copy Fees

Copy, Real Estate Records, per page: $ 1.00
Copy, State Tax Lien, per page: $1.00
Copy, Federal Tax Lien, per page: $3.00
Certification of any of the above copies, per instrument: $1.00

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

125 W. Main St.
Centreville MI, 49032
Historic Courthouse – Second Floor

Phone: (269) 467-5552
Fax: (269) 467-5593

The office is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

You can also search for documents recorded in the St. Joseph County Register of Deeds Office online at:
https://countyfusion2.kofiletech.us/countyweb/login.do?countyname=StJosephMIDeeds

Indexes are available for free. Printing any image is $1.00 per page and a $1.00 credit card transaction fee. Indexes for Deeds and Miscellaneous records are from Liber 536, 1987 forward.

For frequent users, if you are interested in opening an escrow account with the office to avoid credit card charges, you can call the Register of Deeds Office, 269-467-5552. To purchase a copy on line with a credit card, just click “print image” and follow the directions. You can also request a copy via email, fax or mail or pick up by using the Contact Us page.

Copy fees are as follows:

Online: $1.00 per page (image). $1.00 Credit Card Transaction Fee.
In Office: $1.00 per page (image).
Certification: $1.00 per instrument.

The St. Joseph County Register of Deeds Office accepts Cash, Check and Credit Card (credit card in the office is a $1.50 fee for under $25.00).

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

You can search for documents recorded in the St. Joseph County Register of Deeds Office online at:
https://countyfusion2.kofiletech.us/countyweb/login.do?countyname=StJosephMIDeeds

You can also search for property legal descriptions online with the
St. Joseph County Equalization Department at: https://www.stjosephcountymi.org/landresources_fetchgis.php