DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS  
LAND CORNER RECORDATION  
GENERAL RULES  
(By authority conferred on the department of licensing and regulatory affairs by section 5 of 1970  
PA 74, MCL 54.205, and Executive Reorganization Order Nos. 1996-2, 1997-12, 2003-1, 2008-  
4, 2011-4, being MCL 445.2001, 445.2002, 445.2011, 445.2025, and 445.2030)  
R 54.251 Definitions.  
Rule 51. (1) As used in these rules:  
(a) “Act” means the corner recordation act, 1970 PA 74, MCL 54.201 to 54.210d.  
(b) “Corner code” means the alphanumeric designation given a corner based on its location  
within the survey township.  
(c) “Survey township” means a standard 6-mile square or fractional public land survey township  
that is designated by a township number and direction north or south of the Michigan baseline and  
a range number and direction east or west of the Michigan meridian.  
(2) Terms defined in the act have the same meanings when used in these rules.  
History: 2016 AACS.  
R 54.252 Land corner recordation certificate; content.  
Rule 52. The land corner recordation certificate shall comply with all of the following:  
(a) Meet the filing requirements for recording documents with the register of deeds under the  
recording requirements of 1937 PA 103, MCL 565.201 to 565.203.  
(b) Be filed on a form titled land corner recordation certificate.  
(c) Identify the legal authority requiring the form and the content.  
(d) Include the printed name of the surveyor responsible for the work.  
(e) Specify the date that the corner was or corners were used or monumented.  
(f) Include not more than 2 original public land survey corners or protracted public land survey  
corners, or a combination of both, each in the same survey township.  
(g) Identify the county in which the corner or corners lie. For a corner that is common to 2 or  
more counties, identify each county on the same form and file a copy of the land corner  
recordation certificate with the register of deeds in each county.  
(h) Include a graphical representation of the survey township.  
(i) Identify the corner or corners that are not accessories based on their definitions in the act.  
(j) Identify the survey township in which the corner lies. For a corner that is common to 2 or  
more survey townships, identify each survey township on the same form.  
(k) Identify the corner or corners based on their corner codes. For a corner that has 2 or more  
corner codes, identify each corner code on the same form.  
(l) Identify the section or sections, and as applicable, the claim, reserve, tract, or other  
alternatively defined original federal area in which the corner lies.  
Page 1  
Courtesy of www.michigan.gov/orr  
(m) Report all of the following on each page:  
(i) Page number.  
(ii) Total number of pages.  
(iii) Survey township.  
(iv) Corner code.  
(n) Include a section labeled part A and titled corner history that contains all of the following:  
(i) The description of the corner as it was monumented, including all of the following:  
(A) The date the corner was monumented.  
(B) The description of the monument placed.  
(C) The name of surveyor responsible for monumenting the corner and the surveyor’s license  
number, if applicable.  
(D) The description of the document recording the monumenting of the corner and the  
document’s recording data, if applicable.  
(ii) The description of subsequent perpetuations or uses of the corner or references to the corner  
and each entry shall include all of the following:  
(A) The date the corner was perpetuated, used, or referenced.  
(B) The description of the monument perpetuated, used, or referenced.  
(C) The name of the surveyor responsible for perpetuating, using, or referencing the corner and  
the surveyor’s license number, if applicable.  
(D) The description of the document recording the perpetuation or use of the corner or references  
to the corner and the document’s recording data, if applicable.  
(iii) If the land corner recordation certificate is being filed for a corner that is being monumented  
under section 3a or 4 of the act, MCL 54.203a or 54.204, the surveyor shall indicate under part A  
that the land corner recordation certificate is being filed for a corner that is being monumented.  
(o) Include a section labeled part B and titled surveyor’s report on perpetuation, restoration,  
reestablishment, or monumentation of corner. In this part, the surveyor shall do both of the  
following:  
(i) Report on the evidence gathered, work performed, and decisions made.  
(ii) Report how the evidence relates to the corner history and how it guided his or her decisions  
to perpetuate, restore, reestablish, or monument the corner.  
(p) Include a section labeled part C and titled field evidence for perpetuation of corner that reports  
how the surveyor left the corner for future use. This part shall include both of the following:  
(i) A description of the monument that includes all of the following:  
(A) The monument material, including the component that generates the magnetic field required  
under section 2(f) of the act, MCL 54.202(f).  
(B) The monument’s dimensions when set, including the length and cross-section measurements.  
(C) The monument’s cross-section measurements when the monument is found in place.  
(D) If capped, a description of the cap, including, but not limited to, the cap material and the  
surveyor’s license number marked on the cap.  
(ii) Accessories for each monument shall be listed with a detailed description for each accessory  
that includes both of the following:  
(A) Type of object or objects making up the accessory and the point to which the measurement  
is made.  
(B) The accessory’s location as it relates to the monument location by reporting both of the  
following:  
(1) Direction, as it is related to north, from the monument to the accessory and identification by  
definition of the basis for north being reported.  
(2) Distance from the monument to the accessory and identification of the unit of measurement  
being reported.  
(q) License number of the surveyor responsible for the work.  
(r) Date that the surveyor signed the form.  
History: 2016 AACS.  
R 54.253 Land corner recordation certificate; form.  
Rule 53. The purpose of this rule is to prescribe the form of the land corner recordation certificate  
as required by the act.  
Land Corner Recordation Certificate  
Authority: 1970 PA 74  
Surveyor’s Name:  
For corner(s) in:  
Original  
Field Survey Date:  
County  
Corner Code  
Public Land Survey Corner  
S
S
S
S
T
T
T
T
R
R
R
R
Property Controlling Corner  
Corner Code  
Corner Code  
S
S
S
S
T
T
T
T
R
R
R
R
Property Corner  
S
S
S
S
T
T
T
T
R
R
R
R
Protracted  
Public Land Survey Corner  
Corner Code  
S
S
S
S
T
T
T
T
R
R
R
R
Part A:Corner History  
Part B: Surveyor’s Report on Perpetuation, Restoration, Reestablishment,  
or Monumentation of Corner  
Part C: Field Evidence for Perpetuation of Corner  
Surveyor’s Signature  
Date  
Surveyor’s Seal/Stamp  
Professional Surveyor’s License No.:  
Prepared By: Name, Address, City, State, Mail Code  
Land Corner Recordation Certificate  
T_____ R_____ Code_____  
Page # of #  
History: 2016 AACS.  
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