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 on September 23, 2026.
Van Buren County, Michigan, has about 76,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). An OWI arrest in Van Buren County 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: Van Buren County public records, Van Buren County arrest records, Van Buren County warrants, Van Buren County inmate search, Van Buren County criminal records, Michigan arrest records and Michigan inmate search.
The OWI Law in Michigan
In Michigan the offense is OWI, and the limit is 0.08.
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 Van Buren County
The Van Buren County Sheriff's Office and the agencies that report for South Haven, Paw Paw, Mattawan, Hartford, Bangor, Lawton and two more cities make the OWI arrests in Van Buren County.
The FBI's agency list also places one more agency in Van Buren County: the Van Buren County State Police (state police); the Van Buren County State Police makes the arrests on the state highways.
Together, the nine agencies in Van Buren County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 713 arrests to the FBI that year, all offenses together; the FBI's count for Van Buren County does not break OWI out.
Booking After an OWI Arrest in Van Buren County
A driver arrested for OWI and kept in custody goes to the county jail, whichever agency made the arrest. The jail, run by the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office, held about 79 people on an average day in 2021 by the Vera Institute of Justice's count and has a custody page SearchSystems verified at vanburencountymi.gov/departments/sheriff/services/jail-inmate-infor..., phone (269) 657-8200. The Van Buren County inmate search guide covers the jail in full.
The Court Case
An OWI charge from Van Buren County is brought by the Prosecuting Attorney in the District Court.
The Prosecuting Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at vanburencountymi.gov, phone (269) 657-8200.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at micourt.courts.michigan.gov/CourtDisplay/Display/public/J39VW7Gr-Ea....
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: Van Buren County arrest records, Van Buren County police reports and Van Buren County court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the OWI limit in Michigan?
0.08 percent blood alcohol.
Where is an OWI case from Van Buren County heard?
In the District Court, brought by the Prosecuting Attorney. The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at micourt.courts.michigan.gov.
Where is a person arrested for OWI in Van Buren County held?
At the county jail, run by the Van Buren 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 Van Buren County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.