Michigan Criminal Records

This guide explains how to find Michigan criminal records, arrest records, court records, inmate information, and the public sex offender registry, and how Michigan's background-check and record-clearing laws work. It was last reviewed in June 2026 using official Michigan sources, and it points you to the state and county agencies that hold each type of record. You can also start a name search using the tool on this page.

How do I look up a criminal record in Michigan?

There are three main ways to find a Michigan criminal record:

• ICHAT - the state's public name-based search. The Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center (CJIC) operates the Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT), the only public resource for name-based Michigan criminal history searches. It covers felonies and serious misdemeanors (those punishable by more than 93 days) reported by law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and courts across all 83 Michigan counties. A search costs $10, payable by credit or debit card, and requires you to create a free account. Results are available immediately after payment and remain accessible for seven days. Because this is a name-based search rather than a fingerprint check, results can include people with the same name, and some records may be incomplete.
• Court records at the county level. Individual case files are held by the clerk of the circuit court or district court in the county where the case was filed. Many courts are also searchable through the statewide MiCOURT portal (see below).
• An online people-search tool like the one on this page, which compiles public-record data from many sources into one report. These tools are for personal knowledge only and are not a substitute for the official ICHAT search or an FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) compliant background check.

ICHAT does not include federal records, tribal records, traffic records, juvenile records, out-of-state records, or records that have been set aside (expunged). A fingerprint-based check - available only to authorized agencies - is the only way to confirm a record definitively belongs to a specific person.

Are criminal records public in Michigan?

Most adult criminal records in Michigan are public. Felony and serious-misdemeanor conviction records held by the Michigan State Police are public and searchable through ICHAT. Court case records are also generally open under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq. The main exceptions are records that have been set aside under Michigan's Clean Slate laws (they are removed from the public-facing ICHAT database), sealed juvenile records, and certain confidential victim and ongoing-investigation information. Records for misdemeanors punishable by 93 days or less are not included in the statewide ICHAT database, though they may appear in local court records.

Where can I look up arrest records in Michigan?

Arrest records in Michigan are kept by the arresting agency - a city police department or a county sheriff. Michigan law generally treats these as public records subject to FOIA requests (MCL 15.231 et seq.), but there are important limits: records of arrests that did not result in a conviction may not be released to the public except to the person named, authorized employers, or law enforcement. To obtain an arrest record, you typically submit a written FOIA request to the specific police department or sheriff's office that made the arrest. Many county sheriff websites also publish a current jail roster showing recent bookings. An arrest record shows that a person was taken into custody, not that they were convicted of anything.

How do I find court records in Michigan?

Michigan has a statewide online court case portal called MiCOURT Case Search, maintained by the Michigan Supreme Court. It provides free access to docket entries from all 57 circuit courts, the Court of Appeals, the Court of Claims, and the Supreme Court, searchable by name, case number, or attorney. Note that MiCOURT shows docket summaries and indexes only - actual document images are not available online and must be obtained from the clerk's office at the courthouse. District court records (which handle misdemeanors and traffic offenses) may vary by county. To pull a specific file, contact the clerk of the court in the county where the case was filed.

How do I look up warrants in Michigan?

Warrants in Michigan are issued by courts but are tracked by local law enforcement. The easiest starting point is the county sheriff's office or the local court clerk where charges would be filed. Some county sheriffs publish online warrant lists. You can also search case dockets through MiCOURT, where an active warrant may appear as a case entry. ICHAT does not include warrant information - the Michigan State Police has stated that warrant data is excluded from the public ICHAT database. Active warrants can appear on third-party background reports, but the issuing county is the authoritative source.

Do arrests show up on background checks in Michigan?

For employment, tenant, and credit screening run through a consumer reporting agency, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) applies. Under the FCRA, non-conviction arrest records (arrests where no conviction resulted) generally cannot be reported once they are more than seven years old. Convictions can be reported indefinitely under federal law. Michigan's own ICHAT database only surfaces conviction and serious-misdemeanor records; it does not expose arrests that never led to a conviction or serious charge. A background-check company using third-party data, however, may pull additional public sources that show arrest activity. Remember: an arrest is not a conviction and should not be treated as proof of guilt.

How far back does a background check go in Michigan?

Michigan does not have its own state-level limit on how far back a consumer reporting agency may report criminal convictions, so the federal FCRA rules govern. Under the FCRA, non-conviction information (arrests that did not lead to conviction, dismissed charges) generally cannot be reported more than seven years back. Convictions can be reported indefinitely under federal law, with no salary-based exception in Michigan's statutes. Key points:

• Arrests that did not result in a conviction generally cannot be reported after seven years.
• Convictions - including felonies - can be reported beyond seven years unless the record has been set aside under Michigan's Clean Slate law.
• Once a conviction is automatically or manually set aside, it is removed from ICHAT and most consumer background-check databases cannot lawfully report it.
• Michigan has a "ban the box" executive order for state government jobs, but there is no statewide private-employer ban-the-box law as of mid-2026 (some cities, like Detroit, have local ordinances).

How do I find someone in jail or prison in Michigan?

It depends on where the person is being held:

• State prison or MDOC parole/probation. Use the Michigan Department of Corrections' Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS). OTIS is a free public search covering people currently in Michigan state prison, on parole or probation under MDOC, or who have been under MDOC supervision within the last three years. You can search by last name or MDOC number, with optional filters for gender, age, and race. OTIS does not include people held only in county jails or those more than three years past their supervision discharge date.
• County jail. People awaiting trial or serving short sentences are held in county jails. Check the county sheriff's online inmate lookup or call the jail directly.
• Federal custody. For federal cases, use the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator, not OTIS or ICHAT.

How do I find out if someone is on probation or parole in Michigan?

State parole and probation in Michigan are both supervised by the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC). A person's supervision status, including parole or probation, may appear in the OTIS database if they are currently under MDOC jurisdiction or were within the last three years. Probation lets a person serve a sentence in the community under court-set conditions - typically reporting to a parole or probation officer - instead of being incarcerated. If OTIS does not return a result, the person may be on locally-supervised probation, which is handled through the sentencing court's records rather than MDOC.

What crimes are felonies in Michigan?

A felony in Michigan is any crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year, served in state prison rather than a county jail. Michigan uses a letter-based sentencing grid (Classes A through H) for felony sentencing guidelines under MCL 777:

• Class A - life or any term of years in prison (examples: first-degree murder, first-degree criminal sexual conduct).
• Class B - up to 20 years (examples: assault with intent to murder, arson of a dwelling).
• Class C - up to 15 years (examples: armed robbery, manslaughter).
• Class D - up to 10 years (examples: home invasion, human trafficking).
• Class E - up to 5 years (examples: breaking and entering, first-degree retail fraud).
• Class F - up to 4 years (examples: certain drug offenses, credit card fraud).
• Class G - up to 2 years (examples: second-offense domestic violence, certain receiving-stolen-property offenses).
• Class H - the least severe felony class; jail time may be substituted with probation, monitoring, or other sanctions (examples: driving with a suspended license, some low-level property crimes).

The class grid provides maximum sentence ranges; actual punishment depends on prior record, offense details, and judicial discretion under Michigan's sentencing guidelines.

What crimes are misdemeanors in Michigan?

Michigan misdemeanors fall into three tiers:

• 93-day misdemeanor - the least severe; punishable by up to 93 days in jail and/or a $500 fine. Examples: disorderly conduct (MCL 750.167), reckless driving.
• One-year misdemeanor - punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. Examples: first-offense domestic violence (MCL 750.81(2)), larceny under a certain value.
• High court (circuit court) misdemeanor - technically a misdemeanor but tried in circuit court and punishable by up to two years in state prison and/or a $2,000 fine. These carry essentially the same collateral consequences as a felony. Examples: indecent exposure with a prior, second-offense drunk driving, resisting and obstructing.

Note: 93-day misdemeanors are not reported to the state repository and do not appear in ICHAT, but they do appear in local court records.

Are traffic violations crimes in Michigan?

Routine traffic tickets in Michigan are civil infractions - they carry fines but no jail time and are not classified as criminal offenses, so they do not appear on a criminal record or in ICHAT. More serious driving offenses are criminal: Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) is a misdemeanor for a first offense under MCL 257.625, and becomes a felony on a third lifetime offense. Reckless driving is a 93-day misdemeanor. Any traffic offense resulting in serious injury or death is typically charged as a felony. OWI convictions stay on your driving record permanently and are excluded from Michigan's Clean Slate expungement program.

Is the Michigan sex offender registry public?

Yes. Michigan's Public Sex Offender Registry (PSOR) is maintained by the Michigan State Police under the Sex Offenders Registration Act (SORA), MCL 28.721 et seq., and is free to search at mspsor.com. You can search by name, address, zip code, or a map radius. Public records include the registrant's full name, date of birth, current photograph, tier level, physical description, known aliases, current home and employer address, vehicle information, and offense details. The registry also offers email alerts when a registered offender moves or registers near a location you specify.

How long do sex offenders have to register in Michigan?

Michigan's SORA uses a three-tier system. Registration durations under MCL 28.722 are:

• Tier I - 15 years of registration; eligible to petition the circuit court for removal after 10 years if the registrant has not reoffended and the court finds removal is just.
• Tier II - 25 years of registration; eligible to petition for removal after 25 years under similar conditions.
• Tier III - lifetime registration with quarterly in-person verification. Some juvenile adjudications and certain consensual-act situations have exceptions.

In October 2024, a federal court ruling found portions of SORA unconstitutional, potentially moving thousands of registrants from lifetime to 25-year registration; the legal landscape is still developing. Petitions to discontinue registration are filed under MCL 28.728c using court forms MC 406a/406b. Eligibility is fact-specific - consult an attorney.

How do I clear or expunge my criminal record in Michigan?

Michigan calls its expungement process "setting aside a conviction." There are two paths:

• Automatic set-aside (Clean Slate). Under Public Act 193 of 2020 (effective April 11, 2023), the Michigan State Police and courts automatically set aside eligible convictions: most misdemeanors (those punishable by 93 days or more) are set aside seven years after sentencing; eligible felonies are set aside ten years after the later of sentencing or release from MDOC custody. The process is automatic - you do not need to file anything. The limits are a maximum of two felonies and four qualifying misdemeanors automatically set aside. Serious violent offenses, sex offenses requiring registration, and OWI convictions are excluded.
• Application-based set-aside (MCL 780.621). You may also petition the convicting court directly. Waiting periods depend on the offense type: three years for non-serious, non-assaultive misdemeanors; five years for a single felony or serious misdemeanors; and seven years for multiple felony convictions. Up to three felonies (and no more than two assaultive crimes) and an unlimited number of misdemeanors may be set aside over a lifetime. Offenses punishable by life imprisonment, criminal sexual conduct (first, second, or third degree), and certain other serious crimes cannot be set aside by application.

Once a conviction is set aside, it is removed from ICHAT and most public-facing background-check databases. Learn more at the Michigan Clean Slate page from the Michigan State Police.

Do I need a lawyer to clear my record in Michigan?

You are not required to hire an attorney. If your convictions qualify for automatic Clean Slate relief, nothing needs to be filed. For an application-based set-aside, the courts publish forms and instructions, and some legal-aid organizations provide free assistance. That said, eligibility rules are detailed - the wrong offense type, an incomplete waiting period, or a procedural error can delay or block relief entirely. Consulting an attorney, especially for felony set-asides or cases involving multiple convictions, significantly reduces the risk of mistakes.

How long does a felony stay on your record in Michigan?

A Michigan felony conviction stays on your record permanently unless it is set aside through the Clean Slate automatic process or a manual application under MCL 780.621. There is no automatic time limit on how long a felony conviction exists in the court record. The seven-year rule discussed above applies only to what a consumer reporting agency may report for non-conviction items - it does not delete the underlying record. Felonies punishable by life imprisonment and most sex offenses requiring registration cannot be set aside and will remain on your record permanently.

Are juvenile criminal records public in Michigan?

Michigan significantly changed its juvenile records law effective January 1, 2021, under Public Act 362 of 2020. Juvenile delinquency records are now confidential and are not open to the general public. Access is limited to the juvenile and their family, attorneys, law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and others with a demonstrated legitimate interest. Under MCL 712A.18t, most juvenile adjudications are automatically set aside two years after court supervision ends or two years after the juvenile turns 18, whichever is later - with no application required. Serious offenses such as murder, first-degree criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, and offenses that would carry a life sentence if committed by an adult are excluded from automatic set-aside and may remain part of the juvenile's record.

Wayne County criminal records

Wayne County - home to Detroit - is the most populous county in Michigan, with approximately 1.7 million residents. The Wayne County Third Judicial Circuit Court handles felony cases and has an online public case access system at 3rdcc.org/case-search, powered by the Odyssey case management platform. You can search by defendant name, case number, or attorney. Note that the system covers civil and criminal cases but document images are not available online; the records provided are unofficial and the court does not certify the search results. For misdemeanor cases, those are handled by the district courts in Wayne County. For statewide felony conviction searches you can also use ICHAT ($10 per name), and for state-prison inmates you would use the MDOC OTIS search.

Official Michigan criminal record sources

• Michigan ICHAT (Internet Criminal History Access Tool) - the state's public name-based criminal history search; $10 per search, covers felonies and serious misdemeanors statewide.
• MiCOURT Case Search - free statewide court case docket search covering all 57 circuit courts, the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court.
• MDOC OTIS - Offender Tracking Information System - free search for people in Michigan state prison, on parole or probation under MDOC, or within three years of MDOC discharge.
• Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry (PSOR) - free name and address search for registered sex offenders; maintained by the Michigan State Police under MCL 28.721 et seq.
• Michigan Clean Slate - MSP - official information on automatic and application-based conviction set-asides.
• Wayne County Third Judicial Circuit Court case search - online case index for Michigan's most populous county.
• MCL 780.621 - Application to Set Aside Conviction - the Michigan Legislature statute governing manual expungement applications.
• Michigan State Police FOIA - how to submit a Freedom of Information Act request for police records.

Disclosure: criminal.com may earn a commission when you use the people-search tool on this page, which is powered by a third-party background-check service. Results from such tools are for your personal knowledge only and may not be used to make decisions about employment, housing, credit, tenant screening, or any other purpose covered by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). A mugshot or arrest record is not proof of guilt. This page is general information about Michigan public records, not legal advice; for advice about your situation, consult an attorney. Information was last reviewed in June 2026 and laws may change.