County · code 26089
Leelanau CountyMichigan
Leelanau County is a county in Michigan, with Suttons Bay Township as its seat, formed in 1840.
- Founded1840
- County seatSuttons Bay Township
- Named forLeelanau Peninsula, Michigan
- Land area347 sq mi + 2,185 sq mi water
- Population22,301 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped25,223 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Leelanau on the map of Michigan
Michigan has 83 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1840 from Michilimackinac County and Mackinac County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Leelanau County was created from Michilimackinac (now Mackinac) in 1840, but was not fully organized and remained attached to Michilimackinac for judicial purposes. In 1853, Leelanau was detached from Mackinac and attached to Grand Traverse for judicial and municipal purposes, and in 1863 it was fully organized and detached from Grand Traverse following the creation of Benzie County. In 1895, Leelanau gained part of the Manitou Islands and Fox Islands when Manitou County was eliminated.
- 1840Leelanau County created Leelanau created from Michilimackinac (now Mackinac); Leelanau not fully organized, attached to Michilimackinac "for judicial purposes."from Michilimackinacfrom Mackinac· Mich. Acts 1840, ann. sess., no. 119, secs. 20, 35/pp. 198, 200
- 1853Changed Leelanau detached from Mackinac, attached to Grand Traverse "for judicial and municipal purposes." · Mich. Acts 1853, reg. sess., no. 34/p. 43
- 1855Lost territory Leelanau lost the Manitou Islands to creation of Manitou (extinct).to Manitou· Mich. Acts 1855, reg. sess., no. 92/p. 197
- 1863Lost territory Leelanau lost to creation of Benzie; Leelanau fully organized, detached from Grand Traverse. · Mich. Acts 1863, reg. sess., no. 48, secs. 1, 7/pp. 56, 58
- 1865Changed Manitou (extinct) detached from district court jurisdiction of Mackinac, attached to Leelanau for meetings of the circuit court only.ManitouMackinac· Mich. Acts 1865, reg. sess., no. 138/p. 246
- 1869Changed Manitou (extinct) detached from circuit court jurisdiction of Leelanau.Manitou· Mich. Acts 1869, reg. sess., no. 336/p. 661
- 1895Gained territory Leelanau gained part of Manitou (Manitou Islands and Fox Islands); Manitou eliminated.from Manitou· Mich. Acts 1895, reg. sess., loc., no. 362, secs. 1-2/p. 132
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Leelanau
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Official
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 25,223 parcels from Leelanau County, Michigan. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 16 June 2026 · checked 16 October 2026 -
Address points Missing
No public address points layer found for Leelanau County yet.
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Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Leelanau by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
County government
- County government
The official website of Leelanau County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Leelanau County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Leelanau County
- When was Leelanau County founded?
- Leelanau County was founded in 1840, formed from Michilimackinac County and Mackinac County, and named after Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan.
- What is the county seat of Leelanau County?
- The county seat of Leelanau County is Suttons Bay Township.
- Is there an online parcel map for Leelanau County?
- Yes. Leelanau County, Michigan publishes a parcel map of 25,223 parcels, rated official here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Leelanau County's boundary or name changed?
- Leelanau County was created in 1840 from Michilimackinac County and Mackinac County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 6 later changes, chiefly involving Manitou County, Grand Traverse County and Mackinac County.
- Who issues building permits in Leelanau County?
- The county's page on building permits: Apply For Building Permits Online. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Leelanau County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby