Mich. Comp. Laws » Michigan Compiled Laws / Chapter 565 / Act 54 of 1875
Michigan Compiled Laws

Mich. Comp. Laws § 565.551 (2026)

Records of register of deeds; inspection and examination; reproduction; social security numbers; removal.

✓ current as of July 2026
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INSPECTION OF RECORDS AND FILES


Act 54 of 1875


565.551 Records of register of deeds; inspection and examination; reproduction; social security numbers; removal.

Sec. 1.

    (1) A register of deeds shall furnish proper and reasonable facilities for the inspection and examination of the records and files in his or her office, and for making memorandums or transcripts from the records and files during the usual business hours, to an individual having a lawful purpose to examine the records and files. However, the custodian of the records and files may make reasonable rules and regulations with reference to the inspection and examination of the records and files as is necessary to protect the records and files and to prevent interference with the regular discharge of the duties of the register of deeds.

    (2) If an individual requests a reproduction of a record or file of a register of deeds, the register of deeds shall do 1 of the following, at the register of deeds' option:

    (a) Reproduce the record or file for the individual pursuant to the records reproduction act, 1992 PA 116, MCL 24.401 to 24.406, using a medium selected by the register of deeds. Unless a different fee is provided for by law, the fee for a reproduction under this subdivision other than a paper copy shall not exceed the reasonable costs to the register of deeds.

    (b) Provide equipment for the individual to reproduce the record or file pursuant to the records reproduction act, 1992 PA 116, MCL 24.401 to 24.406, using a medium selected by the register of deeds. Unless a different fee is provided for by law, the fee for a reproduction under this subdivision other than a paper copy shall not exceed the reasonable costs to the register of deeds.

    (c) Authorize the individual to reproduce the record or file on the premises using equipment provided by that individual. This subdivision does not apply unless the individual requests authorization to reproduce the record or file using equipment provided by that individual.

    (3) A register of deeds may prohibit the reproduction of an instrument temporarily left with the register of deeds to be recorded in the register of deeds' office.

    (4) Unless state or federal law, rule, regulation, or court order or rule requires that all or more than 4 sequential digits of the social security number appear in the record or file, if a record or file that contains a social security number is reproduced for or by an individual under subsection (2), the register of deeds may obscure or remove, or require that the individual obscure or remove all or at least the first 5 digits of the social security number from the reproduction before the individual removes the reproduction from the office of the register of deeds.

    (5) An individual whose social security number is contained in 1 or more instruments in a county's books of record may request that the register of deeds of that county obscure or remove all or at least the first 5 digits of his or her social security number from copies made of those instruments by recording an affidavit identifying the liber and page of those instruments.

History: 1875, Act 54, Imd. Eff. Mar. 26, 1875 ;-- How. 5721 ;-- CL 1897, 9053 ;-- CL 1915, 11786 ;-- CL 1929, 13377 ;-- Am. 1931, Act 112, Eff. Sept. 18, 1931 ;-- CL 1948, 565.551 ;-- Am. 1992, Act 112, Imd. Eff. June 26, 1992 ;-- Am. 1994, Act 51, Imd. Eff. Mar. 31, 1994 ;-- Am. 2007, Act 58, Imd. Eff. Sept. 12, 2007

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases, 1956–2005 · leading case: Lapeer Cnty. Abstract & Title Co. v. Lapeer Cnty. Register of Deeds, 691 N.W.2d 11 (Mich. Ct. App. 2004).
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Lapeer Cnty. Abstract & Title Co. v. Lapeer Cnty. Register of Deeds, 691 N.W.2d 11 (Mich. Ct. App. 2004). · cites it 17× “We hold that a county register of deeds has the authority to enter into such a contract under the statute pertaining to inspection of records in a register of deeds office, MCL 565.551, and related statutes. Further, we hold that the actions by the county of register of deeds…”
Tuscola Cnty. Abstract Co. v. Tuscola Cnty. Register of Deeds, 522 N.W.2d 686 (Mich. Ct. App. 1994). · cites it 4× “The registers of deeds may establish reasonable rules and regulations regarding the inspection and examination of the records as shall be necessary to protect the records and files and to prevent interference with the regular discharge of duties.”
Wheeler v. Shelby Charter Twp., 697 N.W.2d 180 (Mich. Ct. App. 2005). “Much like the photocopying fee for documents authorized by the inspection of records act, MCL 565.551, the fee authorized by this section “cannot be considered a ‘tax’ under any reasonable meaning of the term.”
Tobin v. Civil Serv. Comm'n, 331 N.W.2d 184 (Mich. 1982). “543, MCL 565.551; MSA 26.791. Property tax assessment rolls and indexes may be inspected.”
Kestenbaum v. Michigan State Univ., 327 N.W.2d 783 (Mich. 1982). “543, MCL 565.551; MSA 26.791. Property tax assessment rolls and indexes may be inspected.”
Washtenaw Abstract Co. v. Mayer, 79 N.W.2d 480 (Mich. 1956). · cites it 2× “” CL 1948, § 565.551 (Stat Ann § 26.791), provides: “Sec.”
Burton Abstract & Title Co. v. Martin, 196 N.W.2d 23 (Mich. Ct. App. 1972). “The statute does not say that a fee cannot be charged nor does it make the charging of oiie mandatory.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 565.551(1) — 1 case
Lapeer Cnty. Abstract & Title Co. v. Lapeer Cnty. Register of Deeds, 691 N.W.2d 11 (Mich. Ct. App. 2004). “We hold that a county register of deeds has the authority to enter into such a contract under the statute pertaining to inspection of records in a register of deeds office, MCL 565.551, and related statutes. Further, we hold that the actions by the county of register of deeds…”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 565.551(2) — 1 case
Lapeer Cnty. Abstract & Title Co. v. Lapeer Cnty. Register of Deeds, 691 N.W.2d 11 (Mich. Ct. App. 2004). “We hold that a county register of deeds has the authority to enter into such a contract under the statute pertaining to inspection of records in a register of deeds office, MCL 565.551, and related statutes. Further, we hold that the actions by the county of register of deeds…”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 565.551(2)(a) — 1 case
Lapeer Cnty. Abstract & Title Co. v. Lapeer Cnty. Register of Deeds, 691 N.W.2d 11 (Mich. Ct. App. 2004). “We hold that a county register of deeds has the authority to enter into such a contract under the statute pertaining to inspection of records in a register of deeds office, MCL 565.551, and related statutes. Further, we hold that the actions by the county of register of deeds…”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.