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 Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (Vital Records) 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

Voter Records Databases

1 official Michigan voter records sources.

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. County-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 Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (Vital Records) 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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