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Bay County, Michigan Public Records

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Find the right office in Bay County. Court cases, deeds and parcels, sheriff and jail records, vital records and county filings, each linked to the office that keeps them.

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Most requested Bay County records

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Showing 8 official sources

Official

Court records

Bay County Clerk

The Bay County Clerk serves as clerk of the circuit court and keeps court files, birth, death and marriage records, and election records for Bay County, Michigan.

baycountymi.gov
Open official site Bay County Clerk

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More official Bay County record sources

1 more Bay County source not listed above.

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Local record guide

About public records in Bay County

County profile

Bay County at a glance

State
Michigan
County seat
Bay City
Population
103,856
Area
631 sq mi
Founded
1857
Cities and towns
9

Bay County offices and records

Sheriff & Law Enforcement. Bay County Sheriff's Office is responsible for law enforcement services in the unincorporated areas of Bay County.

Police Departments. Bay County is served by several law enforcement agencies, including Bay County Sheriff's Office and municipal police departments.

Law Enforcement & Arrests. Bay County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 503 3rd Street in Bay City, Michigan 48708, is the primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated areas and provides countywide services including jail operations, court security, and civil process. Municipal police departments in Bay County include the Bay City Department of Public Safety (989-892-8571), Essexville Department of Public Safety, Auburn Police Department, and Pinconning Police Department, each serving their respective municipalities. Arrest records in Bay County are considered public records under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), specifically MCL 15.231 et seq.

Arrest Records. Arrest records in Bay County are maintained by Bay County Sheriff's Office and local police departments.

Mugshots & Booking Photos. Mugshots in Bay County are taken and retained by Bay County Sheriff's Office during the booking process. These booking photos are part of the arrest records and can be accessed through the Sheriff's Office. Residents can search for mugshots via the Sheriff's Office website or by submitting a request for public records.

The Bay Jail, located at 503 Third Street, Bay City, MI, provides an online inmate search feature where you can find information about current detainees. You may also contact the jail directly at (989) 895-4066 for assistance with inmate information. Bay County District Court, 1230 Washington Avenue, Bay City, MI 48708, phone (989) 895-4265, handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil matters up to $25,000, landlord-tenant disputes, small claims up to $6,500, and traffic violations.

Abandoned mine records

Old mine workings in Bay County

Where the workings are, and the office that holds the mine maps.

From the old mine records

What is on record in Bay County

Old mine sites
6
Still producing
1
Main minerals
Clay
Holes drawn on the old survey maps
87
Shafts and tunnels
0
What they are
sand pit
Maps surveyed
1967 to 1973
Sources
USGS mineral file and USGS topographic mine features

Is an old working under a property here?

The mine records hold 7 named mine sites inside the county, 6 of them worked out or abandoned; the old survey maps add 87 holes drawn inside the county, 0 of them shafts or tunnels. The mineral the records name is Clay.

A point in either file is a location, not a property line: the sheet shows the opening on the surface, not the rooms under it. The record that shows what runs under a parcel is the mine map. The OSMRE National Mine Map Repository holds scanned underground mine maps and answers requests for a named mine or an area. GeoWebFace shows historic mining sites as points; no agency page with underground workings outlines was found, and the OSMRE National Mine Map Repository holds Michigan maps.

Bay County: the boundary from the Census Bureau, and one dot for each old mine or hole on record inside it. The purple dots come off the old survey maps and the darkest of those are shafts and tunnels; the red, green and orange ones are mine records. Hover a dot for its name.
Michigan mine map and abandoned mine records
Named workings recorded in Bay County (7 shown, 87 unnamed on the map)

Disclaimer: The mine information here is for general information only. Old mine records can be incomplete, outdated or wrong, and finding nothing here does not mean there is nothing there. Check with the mine map office named here before you rely on it, and have a qualified engineer look at any ground you are worried about. PublicRecordCenter.com assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors, omissions, or consequences arising from the use of this information.

Straight answers

Bay County public-records FAQs

Open only the answer you need.

Where can I find mugshots or booking photos in Bay County, Michigan?

Booking photos are kept by the agency that made the arrest, such as the Bay County Sheriff or a city police department in Bay County. Ask that agency for its record.

How do I get a criminal background check in Bay County, Michigan?

The Michigan criminal history record comes from the Michigan State Police, Criminal Justice Information Center. Name search online through the Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT); fingerprint searches only where a state or federal law, executive order or rule requires one. Fee: $10.00 for a name based criminal record check (MCL 28.273).

How can I look up sex offenders in Bay County, Michigan?

Search the Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry (Michigan State Police), or every state at once on the National Sex Offender Public Website run by the U.S. Department of Justice.

How do I register to vote in Bay County, Michigan?

Register with the city or township clerk or through the Michigan Department of State, Bureau of Elections. You can also register online with the state online registration. Same day registration: yes. With 15 or more days before an election you can register online, by mail or in person; within 14 days and on Election Day, only in person at your local clerk's office with proof of residency.

How do I look up property records in Bay County, Michigan?

Deeds and other recorded land documents in Bay County are kept by the Bay County Register of Deeds. Property values are set by the city or township assessor, and tax bills come from the city or township treasurer; taxes unpaid on March 1 go to the county treasurer as delinquent. Source: official state page.

How do I get a birth or death certificate in Bay County, Michigan?

Certified birth and death certificates for Michigan come from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics. Copies of records may also be obtained from the County Clerk in the county where the event occurred. By mail with the signed application and a copy of ID, at the drop box in the lobby of 333 S. Grand Ave., Lansing, online or by phone through VitalChek, the only authorized online service provider, or in person by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Fee: $34 search fee for a standard record ($14 online processing fee); $14.00 for one copy of your own birth record if you are 65 or older.

How do I find business license records in Bay County, Michigan?

Business entity filings are searched with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations Division. Assumed names of sole proprietorships and co-partnership names are filed with the county clerk in each county where business is conducted.

Same county

Cities, towns and neighboring counties

Use the city page when a record was created by a municipal police department or city office; use the county page for courts, deeds, vital records and jail custody.

Bay CityEssexvilleAuburnPinconningBentleyKawkawlinLinwoodMungerUniversity CenterMidland CountyHuron CountyArenac CountyGladwin CountySaginaw CountyTuscola County