When the State of Michigan was authorized under specific federal laws to sell land and use the proceeds for specific purposes, the first purchaser of such land was given a numbered certificate as proof of purchase.  These certificates were then surrendered and a land patent issued which could be entered in the County Register of Deeds records.

When certificates were issued, the number was recorded in the corresponding plat book; when patents were issued, the volume and page number were recorded by the certificate number.

Requests for certified copies of the land patents are received from members of the public and from petroleum companies or others interested in either recording the patent or for personal records.

As of March 1, 1994, all land patent records were transferred to the State Archives, a division of the History, Art and Libraries Department.  All requests for land patent records should be referred to that agency at (517) 373-1408.