The Clerk and Register's Role
The Washtenaw County Clerk / Register of Deeds is the county's records keeper. The office was created under the Michigan Constitution of 1835. The county elected officials page shows the Clerk / Register seat as a constitutional office. The image below is from that page.
The page describes the Clerk / Register and the other elected county officials, including the courts, prosecutor, sheriff, treasurer, and water resources commissioner.
The office runs four main service lines: vital records, register of deeds, elections, and court-clerk functions tied to the 22nd Circuit Court. Each line has its own counter and its own form set.
Search and Request Washtenaw County Records
The Clerk's search and request landing page links the main record categories. The image below shows that page.
The page at washtenaw.org/302 covers land records, birth certificates, marriage licenses, and other public records request routes. Most requests can be started online; certified copies and some restricted records need a counter visit or a mailed request.
Register of Deeds
The Register of Deeds keeps the county's land records. The official page at washtenaw.org/298 links the online land record search, recording requirements, fee schedule, transfer tax, Fraud Guard alerts, eRecording, and the deed restriction discharge process.
The Register page is the front door for land record work in Washtenaw. The online land record search portal sits at ssclerk.ewashtenaw.org/web.
The Register's online search allows users to search the document index for free. The official page states that login is required to purchase copies.
Vital Records
The Clerk's Vital Records section issues certified copies of Michigan births, deaths, and marriages for events in Washtenaw County. Access is set by Michigan law. Birth records for living people are restricted. Death and older birth records may be open to a broader set of requesters.
Bring a photo ID and the relevant date or name when requesting a vital record at the counter. The state vital records office at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also issues Michigan certified copies for events anywhere in the state.
Marriage Licenses
The Clerk issues marriage licenses through Vital Records. The county marriage license page is below.
The page at washtenaw.org/286 links certified copies, ceremonies, correction steps, and selected Michigan marriage laws. The full marriage and divorce record framework is on the marriage and divorce records page.
Acting as Clerk of the Circuit Court
Under Michigan law, the County Clerk also serves as Clerk of the Circuit Court for many court-record functions tied to the 22nd Circuit. Court Services at the Trial Court at 101 E. Huron Street is the practical counter for filing, document inspection, and certified court copies. Trial Court records may be viewed at the main office of Clerk of the Court-Court Services per the Trial Court general info page.
Importantly, the judiciary is excluded from Michigan FOIA by MCL 15.232(d)(v). Court records use Michigan Court Rule 8.119 and court procedures, not FOIA. The District Court has its own clerk team at the 14A District Court service locations.
How to Request a Certified Copy
Most certified copies in Washtenaw County run through the Clerk's office. The steps below cover the basic flow.
- Identify the record you need (deed, marriage license, vital record, election filing).
- Pick the right office route on the search and request page.
- Confirm the current fee on the office's posted schedule.
- Bring or send a photo ID and the case or document number if you have it.
- Pay the certified copy fee at the counter or by mail.
- Pick up the copy at the counter, or wait for the mailed copy.
- For court records, use Court Services at 101 E. Huron Street; for land or vital records, use the Clerk's office at 200 N. Main Street.
County Request Records and Reports
The county runs a single request hub that links most office-level FOIA and records routes. The page is shown below.
The hub at washtenaw.org/1670 links Sheriff accident reports, vital records, FOIA, marriage records, and other county record categories. Each office still answers its own requests; the hub is a navigation page.
Records Request Form Fields
The Washtenaw Clerk's office and the broader county offices use a similar set of fields on a records request form. The table below lists the common ones.
| Field | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Requester name | Text | Used to send the response. |
| Address or email | Text | Choose preferred contact route. |
| Record type | Dropdown | Deed, vital, court, election, other. |
| Description | Text | Be specific; include dates and names. |
| Certified copy | Checkbox | Raised seal needed for legal uses. |
| Signature / date | Signature | Required. |
Clerk and Register Fees
Fees in the Clerk's office are set by statute and the office fee schedule. Some land record fees are uniform across Michigan; some are local. Always confirm before mailing payment.
| Item | Source |
|---|---|
| Land record recording fee | Register of Deeds fee schedule |
| Land record copy | Online tool requires login to purchase copies |
| Marriage license fee | Marriage license page (washtenaw.org/286) |
| Certified vital record | Vital Records section |
| Transfer tax | Set by Michigan statute; collected by the Register |
| FOIA copy fees (non-court records) | Set under MCL 15.234 |
Washtenaw County Clerk Contact
The Clerk's main office is at 200 N. Main Street in Ann Arbor. Court Services is at 101 E. Huron Street. Use the cards below.
County Clerk / Register of Deeds
200 N. Main Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Vital, land, marriage, election
Court Services (Clerk of the Court)
101 E. Huron Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Court files and copies
Elections and the County Clerk
The Clerk's office runs the county-level part of Michigan elections. It posts results, handles candidate filings for some races, and supports local clerks across the 25 local units of government in the county. The county elected officials page links the Clerk and the broader election infrastructure.
Voter registration in Michigan runs through the Secretary of State and the local city or township clerk. The County Clerk's role is at the county level, including coordination, results, and certain certified copies of election records and absentee ballot reports tied to the county's role.
Fraud Guard and Deed Alerts
The Register of Deeds offers a Fraud Guard service that alerts a property owner when a new document is recorded against their name or property. The tool is set up through the Register of Deeds page at washtenaw.org/298. The alert helps catch a fraudulent deed or lien filing fast.
Construction lien rules are also handled at the Register. Notices of commencement, notices of furnishing, and claims of lien follow the Michigan Construction Lien Act and are recorded at the Register of Deeds.
eRecording at the Register of Deeds
The Washtenaw Register of Deeds supports eRecording for approved submitters. eRecording lets title companies and other regular filers submit recorded documents electronically rather than by paper. The Register's page at washtenaw.org/298 links the eRecording setup route.
Members of the public usually do not have an eRecording account. Single recordings can still come in by mail or in person at the counter at 200 N. Main Street.
Documents recorded electronically still need to meet Michigan recording requirements: clean margins, the right paper size, the right names, and the right legal description. The Register's page lists the recording requirements in plain language.
Recording Requirements for Land Documents
Michigan land documents must meet recording rules before the Register of Deeds accepts them. The basic rule set includes paper size, font size, margin space, return-to address, and a property description that matches the official record. The Register's recording requirements page sets out the current rules.
Wrong-format documents can be rejected at the counter, which costs the submitter time and rerecording fees. Title companies and lawyers know the standards well; individuals filing a deed should review the requirements page before bringing in a document.
Once a Washtenaw deed is recorded, it shows in the online land record index within a short window. The Fraud Guard alert can be set up on the property at the same time to flag future filings, which adds another layer of protection against tampering.