Searching Michigan Subdivisions

Recently I was asked how to look up a lot in a subdivision on a plat map.  One way is to go to the county office building and pay a visit to the Register of Deeds office. There you could ask for assistance with the plat maps for that county.

The state of Michigan also maintains records of plat maps online that can be searched and viewed from your computer.

The State of Michigan has records of over 66,000 plats on file and the majority of them can be found online. These files go all the way back to 1873. While there is much information online regarding Michigan plats, there may be some information that is not found here.

The process is really pretty easy. You will first be asked to type in the subdivision name. You will then be asked to select the county name from a drop down menu. Then click “Submit”. The subdivision will appear on the screen shortly, depending on the speed of your computer and connection.

If you do not know the subdivision name, there is an advanced search option. You begin by selecting the county name from the drop down menu. A list of all the subdivisions in that particular county will appear. You may then scroll through the list until you come to the subdivision you are looking for. Click on the subdivision name and the subdivision will come up on your screen.

On the advance search option you are able to enter as much or as little information as you have and search for the subdivision. Having the section number, township and range can be very helpful. You can whittle the down the length of the list down considerably.

It is always recommended to also review plats at the County Register of Deeds. Looking for additions, corrections, surveyor’s affidavits, court orders, municipal resolutions and ordinances that may have changed the plat in some way.

When reviewing plats at the County Register of Deeds, don’t hesitate to ask questions if there is something you do not understand.