SearchSystems Editorial

Reviewed and updated October 1, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link on this page was opened and checked against the office's own website at review time.

About this guide

Wayne County is a county in Michigan with about 1.8 million residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its public records are not in one place: court cases, jail bookings, deeds, property values, vital records and records requests each belong to a different office. This guide names the office that holds each kind of record, links to its own website and gives the phone number and address where the office publishes them. SearchSystems verified 8 county office pages for Wayne County, every one opened and checked.

In this guide: Where the records live, Jail and arrests, Court records, County Clerk, Deeds and property, Vital records, Prosecuting Attorney, Records requests, Statewide sources, More directory links, Cities and towns, Other counties and Questions.

Where Wayne County public records live

Each kind of Wayne County record is kept by a different office. The list below names the office SearchSystems verified for each one; the sections that follow give its phone, address and hours where the office publishes them.

Arrests, jail and inmate lookups in Wayne County

A person arrested in Wayne County is booked into the jail, and the booking record (name, charges, bond and the next court date) is public in most cases. The office below is the one SearchSystems verified for jail and inmate information in Wayne County.

Jail rosters usually show the people in custody now. Once a person is released, the case continues in the court records below.

Court records and case lookups in Wayne County

Civil, criminal, family, probate and traffic cases filed in Wayne County are kept by the clerk of the court that heard them. Many courts offer an online case search; the page below is the one SearchSystems verified for Wayne County.

County Clerk of Wayne County

The county clerk is the county's record keeper. What the office holds differs by state: in some states it files marriage licenses and vital records, in others deeds, court papers or the meeting records of the governing board. Its own website below says what it holds in Wayne County.

  • Website: waynecountymi.gov/Government/Elected-Officials/Clerk (page title: Clerk | Wayne County, Michigan)
  • Phone: 313-224-5565
  • Address: 6938 Location 2 Woodward Avenue, Suite 201 Detroit, MI 48226
  • Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
  • Checked: September 23, 2026, the page answered.

Deeds, land records and property values in Wayne County

Two offices share property records. The recording office files deeds, mortgages, liens and the other documents that affect title to land in Wayne County. The assessment office sets the taxable value of each parcel and usually offers a free parcel search by address or owner name.

Recorded documents: Register of Deeds

Property values: County Assessor

Birth, death and marriage records in Wayne County

Certified copies of birth and death certificates for events in Wayne County are issued by the office below. The Michigan state vital records office also issues certified copies for any event in the state.

Prosecuting Attorney for Wayne County

The Prosecuting Attorney is the office that prosecutes criminal cases in Wayne County. The case files themselves are court records (above); the prosecutor's office handles victim services and questions about pending prosecutions.

Public records requests to Wayne County

Every state has a public records law that applies to county offices. A record that is not posted online is requested from the office that holds it. Many counties run one request page for every department; it is listed below when SearchSystems verified one for Wayne County.

  • Website: waynecountymi.nextrequest.com (page title: FOIA RequestNextRequest | Modern FOIA & Public Records Request Software)
  • Checked: September 23, 2026, the page answered.

Statewide Michigan sources

Some records are kept by the state rather than the county. These are the Michigan state offices SearchSystems verified; each link opens the state office's own page.

More Wayne County links from the SearchSystems directory

These links come from the SearchSystems directory for Wayne County and were opened again on October 1, 2026. Each one still answers.

Court records

Criminal records

Property records

Recorded documents

Vital records

Wants and warrants

Cities and towns in Wayne County

Wayne County has 33 incorporated cities and towns (2024 Census Bureau count, population in parentheses). City records such as council minutes, permits, business licenses and police reports are kept by each city; the records on this page are county records whatever the city.

  • Detroit (645,705)
  • Dearborn (106,377)
  • Livonia (93,113)
  • Westland (82,745)
  • Taylor (61,544)
  • Dearborn Heights (61,040)
  • Lincoln Park (38,774)
  • Southgate (29,081)
  • Allen Park (27,604)
  • Hamtramck (27,424)
  • Garden City (26,410)
  • Inkster (25,108)
  • Romulus (24,652)
  • Wyandotte (24,214)
  • Trenton (17,957)
  • Wayne (17,129)
  • Grosse Pointe Woods (15,897)
  • Harper Woods (14,936)
  • Woodhaven (12,575)
  • Melvindale (12,401)
  • Riverview (12,011)
  • Grosse Pointe Park (11,158)
  • Flat Rock (10,249)
  • Grosse Pointe Farms (9,794)
  • Plymouth (9,185)
  • Ecorse (8,938)
  • Highland Park (8,390)
  • River Rouge (6,877)
  • Grosse Pointe (5,526)
  • Gibraltar (4,819)
  • Belleville (3,874)
  • Rockwood (3,148)
  • Village of Grosse Pointe Shores (2,555)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the official Wayne County website?

No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records directory, online since 1997. It links to the official offices listed above; SearchSystems does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.

How do I find out if someone is in jail in Wayne County?

Use the jail or inmate page SearchSystems verified for Wayne County at sheriffconnect.com. Rosters usually show the people in custody now; after release, the case continues in the court records.

Where do I look up a court case in Wayne County?

The court records page SearchSystems verified for Wayne County is at courts.michigan.gov. A case number finds a case fastest; a name search returns every case with that name.

Who records deeds in Wayne County?

The Register of Deeds, at waynecountymi.gov. Deeds, mortgages and liens on land in Wayne County are filed there.

How do I get a birth or death certificate for Wayne County?

From the office SearchSystems verified for Wayne County vital records at detroitmi.gov, phone 313 224-0270, or from the Michigan state vital records office.

How do I request a public record from Wayne County?

Through the records request page at waynecountymi.nextrequest.com. A record that is not covered there is requested from the office that holds it.