Michigan public records
Michigan's MiCOURT search depends on the participating court; county registers of deeds hold land instruments and LARA holds entity filings. State Police ICHAT is a separate criminal-history service. A statewide parcel layer can help locate a property but cannot certify its title.
By DeepSearch · Updated
Agency records law
Freedom of Information Act
Mich. Comp. Laws §§ 15.231–15.246
Official record sources
Choose the document you need before searching. A case index, parcel assessment, recorded deed and certified certificate are different records. The links below lead to the responsible government service or its official directory.
| Record / custodian | How to access | Costs and coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Court recordsMichigan Courts MiCOURT | Choose a participating court and search available public case information. | Public lookup and clerk-certified copies are separate. Coverage varies by court; some courts limit displayed criminal cases to sentences within the last seven years. Contact the court for older or unavailable records. |
| Property and land recordsMichigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget | Use parcel resources to identify the local assessor and county source. | Local copies and recorded instruments can have fees. A statewide parcel layer is reference data; the register of deeds holds recorded property documents. |
| Business recordsMichigan LARA Corporations Division | Follow the current business-entity search and document-order links. | Basic search and certificates have separate charges. Michigan corporate records belong with LARA; business registration does not establish professional licensure. |
| Birth, death, marriage and divorceMichigan Department of Health and Human Services | Choose birth, death, marriage or divorce record ordering. | Search and certified-copy fees apply. Birth access is restricted for recent records; a divorce certification is different from the court's complete judgment. |
| Criminal-history checksMichigan State Police | Choose ICHAT name-based checking or the appropriate fingerprint procedure. | Name searches and fingerprints have separate charges. ICHAT is Michigan public criminal-history information; it is not every case or a nationwide report. |
A criminal charge is not a conviction. A name match does not establish identity. Use the official case disposition and the appropriate authorized record-check process when those distinctions matter.
Requesting agency records in Michigan
Use this process for existing government agency records. Court case copies, vital certificates and criminal-history reports use the separate procedures in the table.
- Who can request
- A person may request public records, but Michigan FOIA excludes incarcerated persons from its requester definition. Submit the required contact information.
- How to submit
- Identify the Michigan agency, municipality or county that maintains the record, then use its published records-custodian contact or accepted request channel. Describe existing documents, identifiers and dates. Keep the submitted request and acknowledgement; court copies and vital certificates use the separate services above.
- Response and delivery
- The agency generally responds within five business days and can extend once by up to 10 additional business days with written notice.
- Fees and estimates
- Permitted copying and labor charges must follow FOIA's calculations. Request an itemized estimate and consider a narrower date range to reduce cost.
- If access is denied
- A requester may appeal a denial to the public body's head or file in court. Excessive-fee disputes have their own appeal procedures.
Michigan records-request example
Replace the brackets, narrow the dates and send this to the agency that holds the records. Use its required form or portal when applicable. This example requests agency documents; it is not a certificate application or court filing.
To: [the agency's designated records custodian] Subject: Michigan public-records request — [record or project identifier] Under the Freedom of Information Act (Mich. Comp. Laws §§ 15.231–15.246), I request electronic copies of the city's final permit decision and inspection reports for [permit number] during [dates]. Please use existing records in their available electronic format. If any material is withheld, identify the legal basis and provide the non-exempt portions. Before incurring charges above [your limit], please send an itemized estimate. Please confirm receipt and the expected response date. [Name and contact details required by the receiving agency] [Requester eligibility or residency information, where required]
Before sending, check requester eligibility above. Keep the submission confirmation, cost estimate, response and any exemption cited so a follow-up or appeal can refer to the same request.
Michigan public records FAQ
Where can I find Michigan court records?
Choose a participating court and search available public case information. Coverage varies by court; some courts limit displayed criminal cases to sentences within the last seven years. Contact the court for older or unavailable records.
Sources: Michigan Courts MiCOURTAre Michigan public records free?
Permitted copying and labor charges must follow FOIA's calculations. Request an itemized estimate and consider a narrower date range to reduce cost. Certificate and court-document services follow the separate charges listed above.
Sources: Michigan official public-records guidance; Michigan Courts MiCOURT; Michigan Department of Health and Human ServicesHow do I get birth, death, marriage or divorce records in Michigan?
Choose birth, death, marriage or divorce record ordering. Birth access is restricted for recent records; a divorce certification is different from the court's complete judgment.
Sources: Michigan Department of Health and Human Services; Michigan Courts MiCOURTIs a Michigan court search a complete criminal-history check?
No. ICHAT is Michigan public criminal-history information; it is not every case or a nationwide report. Choose ICHAT name-based checking or the appropriate fingerprint procedure.
Sources: Michigan State Police; Michigan Courts MiCOURTSources and review
Each link identifies the official custodian or its published directory. Portal coverage and fees can change; confirm the current order details before paying. The date below records the source review, not the date a government record was created.
- Michigan official public-records guidance — checked
- Michigan Courts MiCOURT — checked
- Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget — checked
- Michigan LARA Corporations Division — checked
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services — checked
- Michigan State Police — checked
Browse other jurisdictions
Public-records access rules vary by jurisdiction. Continue through the directory or return to the full list to choose the agency location you need.
All public-records jurisdictions