Land Division / Property Transfer

Land Division

Land Division Applications and Combination Requests are administered through the Assessor’s office.

For current fees and further information please contact the Assessor.

The Property Split or Combo Certificate below should be included with both the land division and land combination applications.

2023 Land Value & ECF Studies

Property Transfers

The Property Transfer Affidavit (PTA) (Form 2766) is a result of the Proposal A reforms. The form is used to inform the local assessor of the transfer (sale, inheritance, etc.) of property. Before Proposal A, taxes were based on the Assessed Value of the property. After Proposal A, a new value was added to your property entitled “Taxable Value” which is the value used to calculate your property tax bill.

Proposal A “caps”, or limits, the rate of increase of your property’s “taxable value”. The taxable value cannot rise faster than the rate of inflation * (excepting value added through additions or deletions to the property) until the property is transferred. In the tax year following the transfer of the property, the taxable value will “uncap” and become equal to the current “assessed value”.

Assessed value represents approximately 50% of market value. In order to ensure that this “uncapping” adjustment is made on all transferred property, the law now requires the transferee (buyer, inheritor, etc.) to file this form within 45 days of the transfer.

Title companies generally make the Property Transfer Affidavit available to buyers and sellers at the closing. However, it is in your best interest to be certain that the assessor receives these forms. You may call this office during regular business hours to check your property’s status.

P.A. 497 of 2012 indicated that beginning December 31, 2013, a transfer of residential real property is not a transfer of ownership if the transferee is related to the transferor by blood or affinity to the first degree and the use of the property does not change following the transfer of ownership. See MCL 211.27a(7)(s). This means that the Taxable Value would not be subject to uncapping.

Frequently Asked Questions

The following information was taken from the Transfer of Ownership Guidelines published by the State Tax Commission:

Is a transfer of property from a parent to a child a transfer of ownership?

Beginning with transfers occurring on and after December 31, 2013 only, no but only for property classified residential real and if the use of the real property does not change following the transfer of ownership.

Does this include relatives other than those related by blood?

Beginning with transfers occurring on and after December 31, 2013, only, no but only for property classified residential real and if the use of the real property does not change following the transfer of ownership.

Examples

John and Jane Doe transfer their residential real property to their daughter Judy on December 1, 2013. Is this a transfer of ownership?

Yes, as long as no other exemption provisions apply.

John and Jane Doe transfer their residential real property to their daughter Judy on January 15, 2014. Is this a transfer of ownership?

No, as long as Judy maintains the same use of the property. MCL 211.7a(7)(s).

John and Jane Doe transfer their residential real property to their son Jack on March 1, 2014. Jack decides he wants to turn the house into a vacation rental home. Is this a transfer of ownership?

Yes, as long as no other exemption provisions apply because Jack has not maintained the use of the property.

Beginning December 31, 2014  this exemption was expanded to include mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, adopted son, adopted daughter, grandson or granddaughter and the residential real property is not used for any commercial purpose following the conveyance.

Inflation Rate Multiplier (CPI)

The Inflation Rate Multiplier determined by the State of Michigan for 2015 is 1.6% 

2015 Capped Value Formula:
2015 CAPPED VALUE = (2014 Taxable Value – LOSSES) X 1.016 + ADDITIONS

The Assessor does not have any control over the Inflation Rate Multiplier.  This is statewide and mandated by the State of Michigan. For more information please read the State Tax Commission Inflation Rate.

Previous Inflation Rate Multipliers