Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. The jail figures are from the Vera Institute of Justice's Incarceration Trends data. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and September 30, 2026.
Chelsea, Michigan, in Washtenaw County, has about 5,400 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). An OWI arrest in Chelsea starts two cases, a criminal case in the District Court and a license case before the Secretary of State, and leaves three records. This guide follows the arrest from the roadside to the court file and the driving record.
This guide covers the law, the arrest, booking, the court case, the license case, the records and common questions.
Related guides: Chelsea public records, Washtenaw County OWI, Chelsea arrest records, Chelsea warrants, Chelsea inmate search, Chelsea criminal records, Michigan arrest records and Michigan inmate search.
The OWI Law in Michigan
Drunk driving is charged as OWI in Michigan, at a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or more.
Driving in Michigan is consent to a breath or blood test when an officer has cause to suspect OWI; the license case that follows a refusal or a failed test is run by the Secretary of State, separately from the criminal case.
For charging and sentencing, Michigan counts prior offenses within 7 years for a second offense; a third is a felony with no time limit.
Who Makes OWI Arrests in Chelsea
The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office and the agency that reports for Chelsea (filed by the FBI as Chelsea Police Department) make the OWI arrests in and around Chelsea.
The FBI's agency list also places one other agency, three campus police departments and one state police unit in Washtenaw County (the arrest records guide names each one); the Washtenaw County State Police makes the arrests on the state highways.
Together, the eight agencies in Washtenaw County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 3,408 arrests to the FBI that year, all offenses together; the FBI's count for Washtenaw County does not break OWI out.
Booking After an OWI Arrest in Chelsea
A driver arrested for OWI and kept in custody goes to the county jail, whichever agency made the arrest. The jail, run by the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office, held about 320 people on an average day in 2023 by the Vera Institute of Justice's count and has a jail page SearchSystems verified at washtenaw.org/sheriff. The Chelsea inmate search guide covers the jail in full.
The Court Case
An OWI charge from Chelsea is brought by the Prosecuting Attorney in the District Court.
The Prosecuting Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at washtenaw.org/prosecuting-attorney.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at courts.michigan.gov/search/?searchQuery=washtenaw+county.
Statewide, MiCOURT Case Search is the Michigan courts' statewide case search; not every court has joined.
The License Case
An OWI arrest starts two cases: the criminal one above and an administrative one over the license, run by the Secretary of State. The driving record, kept by the Michigan Secretary of State, carries the result of both.
The Records an OWI Leaves
- The arrest report: from the agency that made the arrest, under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act.
- The court file: from the District Court, kept by the County Clerk.
- The driving record: from the Michigan Secretary of State.
More on each: Chelsea arrest records, Chelsea police reports and Chelsea court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the OWI limit in Michigan?
0.08 percent blood alcohol.
Where is an OWI case from Chelsea heard?
In the District Court, brought by the Prosecuting Attorney. The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at courts.michigan.gov.
Where is a person arrested for OWI in Chelsea held?
At the county jail, run by the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office, if kept in custody.
Who handles the license after an OWI arrest in Michigan?
The Secretary of State, in an administrative case separate from the court case.
How long does an OWI count as a prior in Michigan?
7 years for a second offense; a third is a felony with no time limit.
Is this the official Chelsea website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.