About the Oscoda County Clerk / Register of Deeds
The Oscoda County Clerk / Register of Deeds is an elected, four-year partisan office. Libby Marsh-Shephard serves as Clerk and Register. The Michigan Constitution creates the position, and state statutes set its duties. The office sits in the Government Administration Building in downtown Mio, the county seat. Mio lies within the Huron National Forest, in the area the county calls the "Heart of Amish Country," just south of the AuSable River. Residents do not need an appointment to visit during business hours.
A small team runs the daily work in Oscoda County. Diane Hill is Chief Deputy Clerk and Register. Jennifer Cronkright is a Deputy Clerk and Register. Michelle Hengy handles payroll and accounts payable. The Oscoda County office states its mission as maintaining the integrity of local vital records and elections while serving the public with current technology. The counter is closed on most federal holidays, so it helps to call ahead near a holiday week.
The county publishes the full office profile on its official Oscoda County Clerk / Register of Deeds page. It lists the clerk, the staff, the service menu, and the current hours.
The page confirms the same contact details residents rely on for a certified copy or a marriage license. The contact card below gathers those details in one place.
Oscoda County Clerk / Register of Deeds
Clerk: Libby Marsh-Shephard
311 South Morenci Ave
Mailing: P.O. Box 399
Mio, MI 48647
989-826-1110
Fax: 989-826-1136
countyclerk@oscodacountymi.com
Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed for lunch 12 to 1)
What the Oscoda County Clerk Handles
The Oscoda County Clerk's office is the front door for many everyday records. It issues documents, records filings, and provides certified copies from its own vital-record files. It does not hold the county's court case files, which is a common point of confusion. The list below covers the local services the Oscoda County Clerk provides at the counter and by mail.
- Birth records for births that occurred in Oscoda County
- Death records filed with the county
- Marriage license applications and certified marriage records
- Assumed name (DBA) business filings
- Concealed pistol license (CPL) documents
- Military discharge (DD-214) filings
- Notary public services and commissions
Each service sets its own rules for who may request a record and what proof is required. Vital records in particular are protected, so the office asks for identification and a stated reason or relationship before it releases a certified copy.
Oscoda County Vital Records and Certified Copies
Certified copies are the reason most people contact the Oscoda County office. The clerk holds records of births and deaths that occurred in Oscoda County, along with marriages applied for in the county. A certified copy carries an embossed raised seal. That seal is what agencies, courts, and employers accept as proof. A plain photocopy or a screen image does not carry the same weight for legal use.
Access is limited by law. The certified marriage record form warns that Michigan Public Act 452 treats vital records as personal identifying information. Trying to obtain another person's vital record with intent to commit identity theft or another crime is a felony, punishable by up to five years and a fine of up to $25,000. That is why the office asks for identification and a relationship to the record. Marriage license applicants can also review the county's Oscoda County marriage and divorce records guidance for the full requirement checklist before they apply.
The Register of Deeds side of the office keeps recorded county documents. The county describes that role on its Register of Deeds page, which repeats the office hours and the no-appointment notice.
The page confirms the Mio address, the phone line, and the lunch-hour closure, which matters when planning an in-person visit for a certified copy.
Certified copies only. The office supplies certified copies bearing an embossed raised seal. Uncertified images are not accepted for most legal filings, so request the certified version whenever a court or agency requires proof.
How to Request a Certified Copy
Requesting a certified copy from the Oscoda County Clerk follows a clear order. The steps below use the mail process from the Oscoda County certified marriage record application, which mirrors the county's birth and death record applications.
- Confirm the record is held in Oscoda County. The clerk keeps births and deaths that occurred in the county and marriages applied for in the county.
- Get the correct application. Birth, death, and marriage each have their own form on the county website, or pick one up at the counter.
- Complete every required field, including your name, contact details, and your relationship to the record.
- Include a copy of your driver's license or state identification, then sign the application.
- Add payment by check or money order payable to Oscoda County Clerk, plus a self-addressed stamped envelope for a mailed reply.
- Mail the packet to P.O. Box 399, Mio, MI 48647, or apply in person at 311 South Morenci Ave.
If the office cannot find the record, the search fee is kept and the balance is returned. Certified copies then come back with the raised seal, ready for official use.
Note: One applicant may appear in person to apply for a marriage license, and the process usually takes under thirty minutes at the counter.
Certified Record Request Form Fields
The certified marriage record application shows the fields the office collects, and the birth and death forms follow a similar pattern. Knowing them in advance speeds up a mailed request. The table lists the applicant fields, whether they are required, and short notes.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant's Name | Yes | The person requesting the record. |
| Today's Date | Yes | Date of the request. |
| Address, City/State, Zip | Yes | Mailing address for the certified copy. |
| Telephone Number | Yes | Applicant phone for follow-up. |
| Relationship | Yes | Your relationship to the record. |
| Signature | Yes | Affirms compliance with Michigan vital-record statutes. |
| Spouse names at birth | Yes | First, middle, and last name at birth for both parties. |
| Date of Marriage | Yes | The date to search. |
| Number of copies | Optional | One certified copy at the base fee, plus additional copies of the same record. |
| Total Enclosed | Yes if mailed | Full payment; a search fee is deducted if no record is found. |
Oscoda County Clerk Fee Schedule
Fees at the Oscoda County Clerk's office cover marriage licenses and certified vital records. In-office payment can be cash, check, or money order, and card payments are handled through the AllPaid service. Court copy fees are set separately by the Oscoda County court offices and appear further down. The table lists the current clerk and vital-record fees.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license, Oscoda County resident | $20 |
| Marriage license, out-of-state resident | $30 |
| Three-day waiting-period waiver | $15 |
| Certified marriage record, first copy | $15 |
| Additional certified copies, same record | $5 each |
| Search fee kept if no record is found | $10 |
An out-of-state marriage license can be used only for a marriage held in Oscoda County. A resident license issued here is valid in every Michigan county for Michigan residents.
Online and Mail Options for Oscoda County Records
Oscoda County links an online portal for several clerk applications. Through the county-linked FIDLAR vitals portal, applicants can start a Marriage Application, a Notary Application, or a Business Name (DBA) application, then finish and pick up in office. The Oscoda County portal is a starting point, not a full replacement for the in-person or mail process.
Certified copies of recorded county records, such as marriage licenses and in-county birth and death records, can also be ordered and paid for through OfficialRecordsOnline and then processed by the Oscoda County Clerk's Office. OfficialRecordsOnline is the order and payment channel the county links, so treat the official county clerk page as the source of record for services and fees. Mailed requests remain the standard route for anyone who prefers paper, using the P.O. Box 399 address with identification, payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Note: The county advises calling 989-826-1110 for time-sensitive questions, since the general website mailbox is not monitored every day.
Court Records Are Separate From Clerk Records
The clerk's vital-record counter does not hold court case files. That surprises many people who assume one office keeps everything. In Oscoda County, court filings run through the Central Filing Office at 105 Court Street in Mio, reachable at 989-826-1111 for circuit matters. Case documents, dockets, and certified court copies come from the court offices, not the vital-record counter on Morenci Avenue.
Requests for court documents go through the county's court records portal. The Oscoda County Courts NextRequest portal lets a requester ask for a case file, a register of actions, or a certified court copy. Court copy fees differ from clerk fees. A criminal or civil record search that requires a new written record is $10. A certified copy of a conviction, judgment, or filed document is $10 plus $1 per page, and a noncertified copy of a filed document is $1 per page. Anyone unsure where to start can review the county's Oscoda County court records options and match the record to the right office.
The rule of thumb in Oscoda County is simple. Birth, death, and marriage certificates come from the clerk. Case files, judgments, and dockets come from the court.