Michigan, Wayne County
Where Detroit's records are kept. Detroit has its own city government, police department, clerk's office and fire department; county and state offices keep its other public records.
Start here
The cards below include Detroit's own offices, along with State of Michigan offices; the Wayne County offices are on our Wayne County page. Use the category buttons to narrow the list.
Police & jail
The Offender Tracking Information System lists Michigan prisoners, parolees, probationers, absconders and discharged offenders, searchable by name, offender number, age, race and marks, scars or tattoos.
Open official site Michigan Department of Corrections OTIS Offender SearchState records
The Library of Michigan holds city and county histories, newspaper clippings, vital records, cemetery transcripts and plat maps for use during library hours, plus county guides and FamilySearch affiliate access on site.
Open official site Library of Michigan Family HistoryCounty court
Its clerk's offices in Detroit, Flint and Bay City are open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, and people filing without a lawyer can upload documents electronically.
Open official site U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of MichiganCounty court
Site of Michigan's One Court of Justice: Supreme Court and Court of Appeals news, cases, opinions and orders, a trial court directory, court forms, MiFILE electronic filing and help for people representing themselves.
Open official site Michigan CourtsVital records
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services page for birth, stillbirth, death, marriage and divorce records and affidavits of parentage: order a certified copy, correct or amend a record, or register one.
Open official site Michigan MDHHS Vital RecordsPolice & jail
Michigan State Police steps to take when someone goes missing, from checking with friends and family to filing a missing person report with the local police agency.
Open official site Michigan State Police Missing PersonsPolice & jail
Public registry kept by the Michigan State Police under the Sex Offenders Registration Act, MCL 28.721, listing convicted sex offenders who must register in Michigan.
Open official site Michigan Public Sex Offender RegistryPolice & jail
Michigan State Police checks by name through ICHAT, covering felonies and misdemeanors punishable by more than 93 days from all 83 counties, or by fingerprints where a law requires it.
Open official site Michigan State Police Criminal History Checks (ICHAT)City records
Detroit city government with the Mayor's Office, City Clerk and City Council, department pages, bill payment, license and permit renewals, appeals, city jobs and water service information.
Open official site City of DetroitPolice & jail
The Detroit Police Department and its more than 2,500 officers are responsible for policing Detroit’s 139 square miles. Obtain criminal reports and records 1300 Beaubien Detroit, MI 48226 (313) 596-2200 pubinfo@detroitmi.gov
Open official site Detroit Michigan Police DepartmentState records
Contact and search Detroit clerk office official city records 200 Coleman A. Young Municipal Center Two Woodward Avenue
Open official site Detroit Michigan City ClerkState records
250 W. Larned Detroit, MI 48226 (313) 596-2900 communityrelations@detroitmi.gov
Open official site Detroit Michigan Fire DepartmentEverything else, organized
Secondary links stay collapsed until they are needed, keeping the page useful without turning it into an endless wall of cards.
Local record guide
Useful local context without burying the official record links above.
Local profile
Detroit, a place of 639,111 people, is the seat of Wayne County. Court and property records sit with Wayne County, and birth and death certificates come from the State of Michigan. Detroit's own offices are in the cards above, and our Wayne County page lists each county office.
Straight answers
Open only the answer you need.
Voter registration in Michigan is run by the Michigan Bureau of Elections and local election officials. Its site lists the registration deadline, online registration where Michigan offers it, polling places and the local election office for Detroit.
Deeds for property in Detroit are recorded by the Wayne County Register of Deeds, and the city or town assessor keeps the tax values. Our Wayne County page lists the county offices.
Certified birth and death certificates for events in Michigan come from the state vital records office, Michigan Vital Records. Its site lists who may order a copy, the fee and how to order.
Same county
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.