How to Search Michigan Public Records

Michigan's court, criminal, vital, property, voter, and licensing records are maintained across state agencies and the 83 counties listed below. Use the tabs to filter by record type, or jump directly to any source.

  • Courts: The Michigan Supreme Court sits at the top of the system; trial-court business is handled by the Circuit Court (57 circuits), District Court, Probate Court. Most courts publish dockets and case lookups online.
  • Criminal history: The state's criminal-history repository handles official background checks. Fees and procedures are set by the state agency — see the linked official source.
  • Vital records: Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are issued by the state Department of Health (or equivalent) and may also be available locally.
  • Property & recorded documents: Maintained at the county level by the Assessor, Recorder, or Clerk's office.
  • Business filings: The Secretary of State (or equivalent) operates the official business-entity search.
Population
10,140,459
Households
4,023,700
Median Income
$68,505
Median Home Value
$199,100

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2024 Population Estimates Program; 2022 ACS 5-year)

Wants & Warrants Databases

14 official Michigan wants & warrants sources.

Wants & Warrants

Allegan County Most Wanted
Official Free
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Crawford County Most Wanted
Official Free
Browse this Crawford County, Michigan list by name for Sheriff's Office Most Wanted.
Department of Corrections Most Wanted Escapees
Official Free
Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) list of most wanted escapees and absconders.
Jackson County Warrants
Official Free
Browse this PDF list of warrants issued by the 12th District Court of Jackson County, Michigan.
Lenawee County | Most Wanted
Official Free
Lenawee County Sheriff Department Most Wanted list.
Madison Heights Most Wanted
Official Free
Madison Heights, Michigan Police Department most wanted fugitives.
Monroe Most Wanted
Official Free
Browse this Monroe, Michigan Police database by name, photo, and crime committed for a list of the most wanted fugitives.
Offender Registry Absconders
Official Free
Michigan offender registry absconders wanted by the State Police.
Van Buren County Most Wanted
Official Free
Browse these most wanted fugitive posters issued by the Van Buren County, Michigan Sheriff's department.
Washtenaw County Most Wanted
Official Free
Browse this Washtenaw County, Michigan Sheriff's database by name, photo, and crime committed for a list of the most wanted fugitives.
Negaunee Warrants
Official Free
Use this City of Negaunee, Michigan Police Department service to browse by name for active arrest warrants.
Wayne Most Wanted
Official Free
Browse these most wanted posters issued by the Wayne, Michigan Police Department.
Oakland County Most Wanted
Official Free
View a list of Oakland County most wanted fugitives.
Sterling Heights Most Wanted
Official Free
Browse this Sterling Heights, Michigan Police Department list of Most Wanted fugitives by name and photo.

Michigan Counties

83 Michigan counties are indexed on SearchSystems.net — top 28 counties shown below. Browse the full directory or click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Frequently Asked Questions

Michigan's official criminal-history repository is operated by the state law-enforcement agency. Free public access to a complete criminal history is generally not available; an official background check typically requires fingerprints and a fee. Countie-level court records can be searched at no cost through individual court websites.

Michigan's court system is headed by the Michigan Supreme Court. Trial-court business is handled by the Circuit Court (57 circuits), District Court, Probate Court. Many Michigan courts publish docket searches and case lookups online — see the Court Records tab above for direct links.

The Michigan Secretary of State (or equivalent agency) operates the official business-entity search. You can typically search corporations, LLCs, LPs, and other registered entities by name or registration number. See the Licenses or Business tab above.

The Assessor determines property values for tax purposes. The Recorder (or Clerk-Recorder) records deeds, mortgages, liens, and other property documents. Some county offices combine these roles, others keep them separate. Check the specific county page for details.

Michigan vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce certificates) are issued by the state Department of Health (or equivalent) and, in many cases, by local county clerks. Fees and ID requirements are set by the issuing agency.

Most county-level property and recorded-document searches are free for basic information through the Assessor or Recorder website. Certified copies of deeds typically have a per-page fee. Direct links are in the Property Records tab above.

The Michigan sex offender registry is maintained by the state law-enforcement agency under the Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act. The registry is searchable by name, ZIP code, or address.

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