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Kent County, Michigan Public Records

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Find the right office in Kent 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 Kent County records

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Local record guide

About public records in Kent County

County profile

Kent County at a glance

State
Michigan
County seat
Grand Rapids
Population
657,974
Area
872 sq mi
Founded
1831
Cities and towns
17

Kent County offices and records

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

Police Departments. In addition to Kent County Sheriff's Office, several municipal police departments serve the communities within Kent County.

Law Enforcement & Arrests. Kent County Sheriff's Office, headquartered at 701 Ball Avenue NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, provides law enforcement services to unincorporated areas and patrol contracts with several townships. The Sheriff's website at www.kentwacounty.org/sheriff provides inmate lookup functionality through the Inmate Locator system, where users can search by name or booking number to find current inmates, booking dates, charges, and bond information. Arrest records and police reports are public records under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq.

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

Mugshots & Booking Photos. Mugshots in Kent County are taken and retained by Kent County Sheriff's Office during the booking process. These booking photos are part of the arrest record and can be accessed through the Sheriff's Office website or by submitting a request under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Vital Records office in Lansing maintains statewide records and is an alternative source for all Michigan vital records (phone: 517-335-8666). Kent County Probate Court at 180 Ottawa Avenue NW (phone: 616-632-5400) handles estates, wills, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, mental health commitments, and juvenile matters. Kent County court system consists of multiple levels handling various case types. The 17th Circuit Court, located at 180 Ottawa Avenue NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (phone: 616-632-5480), has general jurisdiction over felony criminal cases, civil cases exceeding $25,000, divorce and family law matters, and appeals from lower courts. The 61st District Court (phone: 616-632-5700) serves the greater Grand Rapids area and handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil matters up to $25,000, landlord-tenant disputes, and preliminary examinations for felonies. Kent County Equalization Department (phone: 616-632-7450) provides property assessment information and maintains property tax records in coordination with local assessing officers in each county. Professional licenses (medical, legal, contractors, cosmetology) are regulated by state-level boards under LARA. Building permits and construction-related licenses are issued by individual municipalities within Kent County; commercial building permits for unincorporated areas are handled by Kent County Community Development Department (phone: 616-632-7810). The Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce (phone: 616-771-0300, website: www.grandrapids.org) provides business support services, networking, and economic development resources for Kent County.

Abandoned mine records

Old mine workings in Kent County

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

From the old mine records

What is on record in Kent County

Old mine sites
9
Sites with no status in the records
1
Still producing
30
Worked underground, in the mine records
4
Main minerals
Gypsum-Anhydrite; Fire Clay (Refractory); construction sand and gravel
Holes drawn on the old survey maps
351
Shafts and tunnels
4
What they are
gravel pit, sand pit, mine shaft, adit
Maps surveyed
1958 to 1985
Records behind them
392 records for 391 sites, the rest are the same working written down more than once
Sources
USGS mineral file and USGS topographic mine features

Is an old working under a property here?

The mine records hold 40 named mine sites inside the county, 9 of them worked out or abandoned; the old survey maps add 351 holes drawn inside the county, 4 of them shafts or tunnels. The minerals the records name are Gypsum-Anhydrite; Fire Clay (Refractory); construction sand and gravel.

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.

Kent 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 Kent County (41 shown, 350 unnamed on the map)

Rows taken off the old survey maps open the USGS record of what sits at that spot, because no single feature on those maps has a page of its own. Rows from the mine records open their own USGS page.

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

Kent County public-records FAQs

Open only the answer you need.

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

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

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

Deeds and other recorded land documents in Kent County are kept by the Kent 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 Kent 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 Kent 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.

Grand RapidsWyomingKentwoodWalkerGrandvilleEast Grand RapidsComstock ParkBelmontByron CenterRockfordSpartaCedar SpringsKent CitySand LakeCannonsburgAltoGowenOttawa CountyNewaygo CountyIonia CountyMuskegon CountyBarry CountyMontcalm CountyAllegan County