Berrien County Notice of Commencement Form

Last validated June 25, 2026 by our Forms Development Team

Berrien County Notice of Commencement Form

Berrien County Notice of Commencement Form

Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.

Document Last Validated 6/25/2026
Berrien County Notice of Commencement Guide

Berrien County Notice of Commencement Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.

Document Last Validated 6/18/2026
Berrien County Completed Example of the Notice of Commencement Form

Berrien County Completed Example of the Notice of Commencement Form

Example of a properly completed form for reference.

Document Last Validated 6/24/2026

All 3 documents above included • One-time purchase • No recurring fees

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Important: Your property must be located in Berrien County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.

Where to Record Your Documents

Berrien County Register of Deeds

Address:
701 Main St
St. Joseph, Michigan 49085

Hours: 8:30 to 5:00 M-F

Phone: (269) 983-7111 Ext. 8562

Recording Tips for Berrien County:
  • Ensure all signatures are in blue or black ink
  • Ask if they accept credit cards - many offices are cash/check only
  • Verify all names are spelled correctly before recording
  • White-out or correction fluid may cause rejection

Cities and Jurisdictions in Berrien County

Properties in any of these areas use Berrien County forms:

  • Baroda
  • Benton Harbor
  • Berrien Center
  • Berrien Springs
  • Bridgman
  • Buchanan
  • Coloma
  • Eau Claire
  • Galien
  • Hagar Shores
  • Harbert
  • Lakeside
  • New Buffalo
  • New Troy
  • Niles
  • Riverside
  • Saint Joseph
  • Sawyer
  • Sodus
  • Stevensville
  • Three Oaks
  • Union Pier
  • Watervliet

View Complete Recorder Office Guide

Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Berrien County

How do I get my forms?

Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The Berrien County forms will be in your account ready to download to your computer. An account is created for you during checkout if you don't have one. Forms are NOT emailed.

Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Berrien County?

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable formatting requirements used for recording in Berrien County, including margin requirements, font requirements, and other layout standards. This guarantee applies to formatting, not to the legal sufficiency of information entered by the user or the suitability of a form for a particular transaction.

Can I reuse these forms?

Yes. You can reuse the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have multiple properties in Berrien County you only need to order once.

What do I need to use these forms?

The forms are PDFs that you fill out on your computer. You'll need Adobe Reader (free software that most computers already have). You do NOT enter your property information online - you download the blank forms and complete them privately on your own computer.

Are there any recurring fees?

No. This is a one-time purchase. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.

How much does it cost to record in Berrien County?

Recording fees in Berrien County vary. Contact the recorder's office at (269) 983-7111 Ext. 8562 for current fees.

Questions answered? Let's get started!

Using a Notice of Commencement in Michigan

A Notice of Commencement is a form executed by a land owner or lessee before the start of any actual physical improvement to real property. The owner or lessee contracting for the improvements must record a Notice of Commencement in the office of the register of deeds for each county in which the real property to be improved is located. M.C.L. 570.1108(1). Recording a Notice of Commencement also starts the clock ticking for the contractor, subcontractor, or supplier to file his or her Notice of Furnishing.

The notice of commencement must contain the following information: (1) the legal description of the real property on which the improvement is to be made; (2) the name, address, and capacity of the owner or lessee of the real property contracting for the improvement; (3) the name and address of the fee owner of the real property, if the person contracting for the improvement is a land contract vendee or lessee; (4) the name and address of the owner's or lessee's designee; and (5) the name and address of the general contractor, if any. M.C.L. 570.1108(2).

Even if parts of the Notice are inaccurate, any incorrect information contained in the Notice of Commencement furnished by or for an owner or lessee will not harmfully affect the rights of a lien claimant as against the property of that owner or lessee. M.C.L. 570.1108(4).

As a property owner, lessee, or designee, you also have a responsibility to provide a copy of the Notice of Commencement, together with an attached blank Notice of Furnishing form, to the subcontractor, supplier, or laborer requesting a copy of the Notice of Commencement within 10 days after the date of mailing of a written request by certified mail from a subcontractor, supplier, or laborer. M.C.L. 570.1108(5).

The Notice should also be posted on the actual jobsite. The owner, lessee, or designee must post and keep posted a copy of the notice of commencement in a conspicuous place on the real property described in the notice during the actual physical improvement to the real property. M.C.L. 570.1108(6).

As a reminder, this article is posted for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Please contact a Michigan-licensed attorney with questions about the Notice of Commencement or any other issue related to liens.

Important: Your property must be located in Berrien County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.

This Notice of Commencement meets all recording requirements specific to Berrien County.

Our Promise

The documents you receive here are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable Berrien County recording format requirements. If there is a rejection caused by our formatting, we will correct the issue or refund your payment. This guarantee applies to document formatting only and does not extend to information entered by the user, the selection of the form, or the legal effect of the completed document.

Save Time and Money

Get your Berrien County Notice of Commencement form done right the first time with Deeds.com Uniform Conveyancing Blanks. At Deeds.com, we understand that your time and money are valuable resources, and we don't want you to face a penalty fee or rejection imposed by a county recorder for submitting nonstandard documents. We constantly review and update our forms to meet rapidly changing state and county recording requirements for roughly 3,500 counties and local jurisdictions.

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May 11th, 2025

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January 15th, 2022

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