Michigan Judgment Lien Release: How to Discharge a Lien at the Register of Deeds

Clearing a Judgment Lien From Your Property Title

A Michigan judgment lien recorded under Form MC 94 sits on the debtor's real property title until it's formally discharged. Even after the judgment is paid in full, the lien doesn't disappear on its own — someone has to record the release with the Register of Deeds.

If you're a creditor closing out a case, or a debtor who just finished paying, here's how to get the lien off the property record.

How Discharge Works

Under Michigan's Judgment Lien Act (MCL 600.2801 et seq.), when a judgment is satisfied in full — principal, interest, and all enforcement costs — the creditor must take two steps to release the lien:

1. File Form MC 17 (Certificate of Satisfied Judgment) with the District Court where the judgment was entered. The creditor signs the certificate that the judgment has been paid, and the clerk enters it into the court record. There's no filing fee.

2. Record the discharge with the Register of Deeds in every county where the original MC 94 was filed. The creditor records either:

• A certified copy of Form MC 17, or
• A formal Lien Discharge document

The Register of Deeds charges a standard statutory recording fee of $30. Once recorded, the lien is officially cleared from the property title.

Who Is Responsible for Filing

The judgment creditor is responsible for both steps — filing MC 17 with the court and recording the discharge at the Register of Deeds. The debtor cannot unilaterally remove the lien.

Creditors should handle this promptly after receiving full payment. A lien that lingers after satisfaction blocks the property owner from selling, refinancing, or transferring the property cleanly. Title companies flag outstanding judgment liens during their search, and they won't close a real estate transaction until every lien is resolved.

If the Creditor Won't Release the Lien

Sometimes the creditor doesn't file the satisfaction — they've moved, lost track, or are simply unresponsive. If you're the debtor and you've paid the judgment in full but the lien is still showing:

File a motion with the court. Use Form MC 326 (Notice of Hearing and Motion) to ask the District Court to issue an Order of Satisfaction. Bring your proof of payment — canceled checks, bank transfer confirmations, garnishment records, or a letter from the creditor acknowledging payment.

Check the lien's expiration. Under MCL 600.2809(1), a judgment lien expires 5 years from the date it was recorded with the Register of Deeds, or when the underlying judgment itself expires, whichever comes first. If the lien has been on the books for more than 5 years and the creditor didn't renew it, it has expired by operation of law. To clear the recorded lien, MCL 600.2809(6) lists a discharge signed by the creditor or attorney, a certified copy of the filed satisfaction, or a certified court order discharging it.

Lien Renewal — What Creditors Should Know

A judgment lien can be renewed once for an additional 5-year period under MCL 600.2809(4). To renew, the creditor must record a second certified Form MC 94 with the Register of Deeds at least 120 days before the initial 5-year lien expires. The lien may be renewed only once — though the underlying judgment may still be enforceable for the remainder of its 10-year life (or 20 years if renewed under MCL 600.5809(3)).

Practical Tips for Both Sides

For creditors: File the lien discharge at the same time you file MC 17 with the court. Do both on the day you confirm full payment. Keep a copy of the recorded discharge for your records.

For debtors: When making your final payment, ask the creditor in writing to confirm they'll file both MC 17 and the Register of Deeds discharge. Get the case number and county where the MC 94 was recorded so you can verify the discharge was actually filed.

For both: The Michigan Judgment Collection Guide covers the full satisfaction protocol — from calculating the final balance through filing MC 17 to discharging liens at the Register of Deeds — with a step-by-step checklist to make sure every enforcement instrument is properly released.

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