Oakland County, Michigan public records

In Oakland County, deeds are recorded by the Clerk/Register of Deeds - Register of Deeds; property values come from the Equalization Division; court files are split between the Clerk/Register of Deeds - Legal Records Division and the Oakland County Probate Court.

Last checked against official sources on November 4, 2026.

On this page

Where to get each record
Deeds and land records
Property values, owners and tax bills
Court records: which clerk keeps which case
Marriage records
Divorce records
Birth certificates
Death certificates
Probate records and wills
Business names (DBA)
Historical records
Good to know about Oakland County records
Office addresses, phones and hours
Records that are not online: public records requests
Questions people ask
Official copies vs look-alike sites
Sources

Where to get each record

Record	Office	Search online	Fee
Deeds and land records	Clerk/Register of Deeds - Register of Deeds⁵	Search deeds²³Free search, fee for copies	$1.00 per page⁴
Property values and owners	Equalization Division⁶	—	—
Property tax bills	Oakland County Treasurer's Office⁷	—	—
Court cases	Clerk/Register of Deeds - Legal Records Division⁸ Oakland County Probate Court⁹	6th Judicial Circuit Court¹⁰ Oakland County Probate Court¹¹	Circuit Court copies: regular $1.00 per page; certified $10.00 per case number plus $1.00 per page; online service fee 3.5% card / $2.50 ACH¹⁰
Marriage records	Clerk/Register of Deeds - Vital Records Division¹³	—	$15 first copy, $5 each additional copy of same record¹²
Divorce records	Clerk/Register of Deeds - Legal Records Division⁸	—	Certified: $10.00 per case number plus $1.00 per page; regular $1.00 per page¹⁰
Birth certificates	Clerk/Register of Deeds - Vital Records Division¹³	—	$15 first copy; $10 first copy for seniors 65+ (own record); $5 each additional copy¹⁴
Death certificates	Clerk/Register of Deeds - Vital Records Division¹³	—	$15 first copy, $5 each additional¹⁵
Probate and wills	Oakland County Probate Court⁹	—	—
Business names (DBA)	Clerk/Register of Deeds - Vital Records Division¹³	Search business names¹⁶Free search	$10.00 per Assumed Name or Co-Partnership certificate, discontinuance or change; valid 5 years¹⁶

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Oakland County are recorded by the Clerk/Register of Deeds - Register of Deeds (Property & Land).⁵

Online search: ocmideeds.com²Free search, fee for copies
Cost: Index search free; document images: $5.00 per transaction plus $1.00 for first 2 pages and $1.00 per page after; monthly subscriptions $200-$4,500³
Who runs it: Fidlar (Monarch platform referenced in the county fee schedule)³
Years online: Recorded documents back to January 1, 1964 (except subdivision plat maps)⁵

Copy fee: $1.00 per page⁴
Certified copy fee: $5.00 per document certification (plus $1.00 per page copy)⁴
How to order: Online through the Super Index (pay per document or subscription), or contact the Register of Deeds (248-858-0597, [email protected])⁵
Recording fee: $30.00 per document (includes $4.00 state survey & remonumentation fee), effective October 1, 2016⁴
Acreage book: Acreage Book Search migrated to the Super Index from July 1, 2026, remaining free²
Fraud alerts: Property Records Notification (PRN) alert sign-up¹⁷

How deeds work in Michigan

Property values, owners and tax bills

The Equalization Division (Department of Management & Budget) sets property values⁶; the Oakland County Treasurer's Office bills and collects the tax⁷.

Property search: Assessment is by city/village/township; Oakland County Equalization assesses Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Franklin, Lyon Twp, Novi Twp, Orchard Lake, Pleasant Ridge, Pontiac, Rochester, Royal Oak Twp, South Lyon, Southfield Twp (as listed); others have local assessing offices linked from the Equalization page¹⁸
Parcel search: gis.oakgov.com/propertygateway (Property Gateway: free online land and property information; some products paid)¹⁹
Tax bill search: Current taxes: city or township treasurer; delinquent taxes (unpaid after February 28): Oakland County Treasurer²⁰
Parcel map (GIS): gis.oakgov.com/propertygateway¹⁹
Appealing a value: Local March Board of Review, then Michigan Tax Tribunal (commercial/industrial and personal property may go directly to the Tribunal by May 31)²¹

How property tax works in Michigan

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

Court	Cases	Records kept by	Case search
6th Judicial Circuit Court	Civil over $25,000, domestic (divorce, custody), felony criminal, business court¹⁰	Clerk/Register of Deeds - Legal Records Division (clerk of the 6th Judicial Circuit Court)	courtexplorer.oakgov.com/OaklandCounty Court Explorer: free name/case search and register of actions; documents for purchase; records online from the early 1990s¹⁰Free search, fee for copies
Oakland County Probate Court	Estates, wills and trusts, guardianships/conservatorships, mental health, developmentally disabled	Oakland County Probate Court	micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search State Case Search by name; Court Explorer to order copies by case number¹¹
District Courts (43rd, 44th, 45th, 46th, 47th, 48th, 50th, 51st, 52nd Divisions 1-4)	—	—	Each district court is separate; the 48th and 52nd (Divisions 1-4) are listed under oakgov.com, the others under city websites⁹

Fees: Circuit Court copies: regular $1.00 per page; certified $10.00 per case number plus $1.00 per page; online service fee 3.5% card / $2.50 ACH¹⁰

Criminal records and background checks

Which court: Felony files: Clerk's Legal Records Division / Court Explorer; misdemeanors at the district courts⁸
Crash reports: payments.clemis.org/extservices (accident/crash reports, linked by the county FOIA page)²²

Full Oakland County court guide: each court, its clerk, sealed records and statewide search

How Michigan courts keep their files

Marriage records

Marriages where the license was applied for in Oakland County; pre-1942 in person or by mail only¹²

Fee: $15 first copy, $5 each additional copy of same record¹²
How to order: Online (county's own application), in person same day, or by mail (processed within 3 business days)¹²
Free index: Free Genealogy Research Service search of marriage records (from 1868) and death records (from 1900)²³

Michigan marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Divorce files: Clerk's Legal Records Division (6th Circuit Court); searchable/purchasable on Court Explorer⁸

Fee: Certified: $10.00 per case number plus $1.00 per page; regular $1.00 per page¹⁰

Michigan divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

Births in Oakland County; pre-1935 in person or by mail only¹⁴

Who may order: Confidential: only the person named or a parent named on the record (heirs, guardians, legal representatives with documents)¹⁴
Fee: $15 first copy; $10 first copy for seniors 65+ (own record); $5 each additional copy¹⁴
How to order: Online with ID upload, in person same day with ID, or mail with ID copy and SASE¹⁴

Ordering a Michigan birth certificate

Death certificates

Deaths in Oakland County; pre-1942 in person or by mail only¹⁵

Fee: $15 first copy, $5 each additional¹⁵
How to order: Online, in person (same day), or mail; Express Mail $38.25¹⁵

Ordering a Michigan death certificate

Probate records and wills

Kept by the Oakland County Probate Court.⁹

Certified copies: $10.00 + $1.00 each side²⁴
Will safekeeping: $25.00 (Will for Safekeeping / Trust Registration)²⁴
How to order: Court Explorer by case number; attestations in person or by mail¹¹
Efiling: E-filing required via MiFILE since June 12, 2025 (exceptions incl. deposit of original wills)²⁵

Finding a will or probate case in Michigan

Business names (DBA)

Kept by the Clerk/Register of Deeds - Vital Records Division.¹³

Online search: apps.oakgov.com/crts0003/main¹⁶Free search
About this search: Free Oakland County business name search¹⁶

Fee: $10.00 per Assumed Name or Co-Partnership certificate, discontinuance or change; valid 5 years¹⁶
Contact: 248-858-0569¹⁶

Historical records

Marriage: Archived marriage records back to 1827 and death records back to 1867 available for in-person research²³
Deeds: Online images from January 1, 1964⁵

Good to know about Oakland County records

One elected Clerk/Register of Deeds runs land records, vital records, circuit court files and elections.⁸
Since 11/3/25 UCC filings are recorded with land records at land-record fees.⁵
Equalization covers 52 assessing jurisdictions; the county itself assesses a set of cities, villages and townships under contract.⁶
Free county index of marriage records from 1868 and death records from 1900 (Genealogy Research Service).²³
The county built its own online vital-records ordering application instead of using a third-party vendor.¹⁵

Office addresses, phones and hours

Clerk/Register of Deeds - Register of Deeds (Property & Land)

Address: 1200 North Telegraph Road, Dept 480, Pontiac, MI 48341⁵
Phone: 248-858-0597⁵
Email: [email protected]⁵
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm⁵
Website: oaklandcountymi.gov/…⁵

Clerk/Register of Deeds (combined office)

Address: 1200 North Telegraph Road, Building 12E, Pontiac, MI 48341¹⁷
Phone: 248-858-0581²⁶
Email: [email protected]¹⁷
Website: oaklandcountymi.gov/…¹⁷

Clerk/Register of Deeds - Legal Records Division (clerk of the 6th Judicial Circuit Court)

Address: 1200 North Telegraph Road, Dept 413, Pontiac, MI 48341⁸
Mail: Oakland County Clerk's Office, 1200 N. Telegraph, Dept. 413 (Pontiac, MI 48341)⁸
Phone: 248-858-0582⁸
Email: [email protected]⁸
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm⁸
Website: oaklandcountymi.gov/…⁸

Clerk/Register of Deeds - Legal Records Division (civil and domestic files, 6th Circuit Court)

Phone: 248-858-0582⁸
Website: oaklandcountymi.gov/…⁸

Clerk/Register of Deeds - Vital Records Division

Address: 1200 North Telegraph Road, Dept 413, Pontiac, MI 48341 (Pontiac location); Troy location by appointment¹³
Phone: 248-858-0571¹³
Email: [email protected]¹³
Hours: Pontiac Mon-Fri 8:00 am-4:30 pm, no appointment; Troy Mon-Fri 8:30 am-4:00 pm by appointment only¹³
Website: oaklandcountymi.gov/…¹³

Equalization Division (Department of Management & Budget)

Address: 250 Elizabeth Lake Rd, Suite 1000 W, Pontiac, MI 48341⁶
Phone: 248-858-0740⁶
Email: [email protected]⁶
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm⁶
Website: oaklandcountymi.gov/…⁶

Oakland County Treasurer's Office

Address: 1200 North Telegraph Road, Pontiac, MI 48341⁷
Phone: 248-858-0611⁷
Email: [email protected]⁷
Hours: 8:30am-4:30pm⁷
Website: oaklandcountymi.gov/…⁷

Oakland County Probate Court

Address: 1200 N Telegraph Rd, Dept 457, Pontiac, MI 48341²⁵
Phone: 248-858-0260²⁵
Email: [email protected] (fee questions); unit emails ProbateDE@ (deceased estates), ProbateGC@, ProbateDD@, ProbateMI@²⁴
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm²⁵
Website: oaklandcountymi.gov/…⁹

Clerk/Register of Deeds - Elections Division

Phone: 248-858-0563²⁷
Website: elections.oaklandcountymi.gov/…²⁷

Property Gateway (County Service Center)

Address: 1200 N. Telegraph Rd, Pontiac, MI 48341-0421¹⁹
Phone: 248-858-0810¹⁹
Website: gis.oakgov.com/propertygateway¹⁹

Records that are not online: public records requests

Request page: oaklandcountymi.mycusthelp.com/WEBAPP/_rs (FOIA Request Center)²²
Where to send it: Corporation Counsel [email protected] if unable to file online; Prosecutor: [email protected]²²
Court records excluded: Court records are not available through FOIA²²

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

How do I get a copy of a deed in Oakland County?

The Clerk/Register of Deeds - Register of Deeds (Property & Land) keeps deed records. To order copies: Online through the Super Index (pay per document or subscription), or contact the Register of Deeds (248-858-0597, [email protected]). Plain copies: $1.00 per page. Certified copies: $5.00 per document certification (plus $1.00 per page copy).⁵⁴

Can I search Oakland County land records online for free?

Yes, searching is free; copies cost extra. Index search free; document images: $5.00 per transaction plus $1.00 for first 2 pages and $1.00 per page after; monthly subscriptions $200-$4,500. The official search: ocmideeds.com³²

How much is a birth certificate in Oakland County?

$15 first copy; $10 first copy for seniors 65+ (own record); $5 each additional copy.¹⁴

Where do I get a divorce decree in Oakland County?

Divorce files: Clerk's Legal Records Division (6th Circuit Court); searchable/purchasable on Court Explorer.⁸

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any Oakland County office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Other counties in Michigan with a full guide: Allegan County, Bay County, Calhoun County, Clinton County, Eaton County, Genesee County, Grand Traverse County, Ingham County, Jackson County, Kalamazoo County, Kent County, Lapeer County, Lenawee County, Livingston County, Macomb County, Midland County, Monroe County, Muskegon County, Ottawa County, Saginaw County, St. Clair County, Washtenaw County, Wayne County. Every county in the state: Michigan county list.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from; all 28 sources were checked on November 4, 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

Government Units List 2026US Census Bureau
Property Records (search portal)Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
Updated Fee Schedule for Online Property Records (effective 11/1/2025)Oakland County Register of Deeds
Fees & Forms (Register of Deeds)Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
Property & LandOakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
EqualizationOakland County Management & Budget - Equalization Division
Treasurer's OfficeOakland County Treasurer
Court Records (Legal Records Division)Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
Trial Court Directory - Oakland County, Locations & JudgesMichigan Courts (Michigan Supreme Court)
Court ExplorerOakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
Probate Court Online ServicesOakland County Probate Court
Marriage RecordsOakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
Life Events & ServicesOakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
Birth RecordsOakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
Death RecordsOakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
Assumed Names/Co-PartnershipsOakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
Clerk/Register of DeedsOakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
Local Assessing OfficesOakland County Equalization Division
Property GatewayOakland County
Property TaxesOakland County Treasurer
Equalization FAQOakland County Equalization Division
FOIAOakland County
Genealogy Research ServiceOakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
Fees & WaiversOakland County Probate Court
Probate CourtOakland County Probate Court
Trial Court Directory - Oakland County, County ClerksMichigan Courts (Michigan Supreme Court)
Voter InformationOakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds - Elections
County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureau