Guide
How to Search County Records
Select Your County
Choose a county from the grid below to access that county's official public records portal, court system, and government offices.
Identify the Record Type
Decide what you need: court records, property deeds, vital records, business filings, or tax assessment records, each is held by a different county office.
Search Online or In Person
MiCOURT Case Search covers most Michigan trial courts free, each county register of deeds offers online document search, and birth, death, marriage and divorce records are ordered from the state Vital Records office or the county clerk.
Pay Any Required Fees
A state-issued Michigan vital record costs $34 for the search and first copy, $16 for each additional copy and $12 to rush, or $14 for seniors ordering their own birth record; county clerks charge less, and FOIA copies are capped at 10 cents a page.
Verify Identity if Required
Open records need no ID. Vital records applications must include a copy of your photo ID, and only the person named, parents, legal heirs, guardians and legal representatives may order until a record is 100 years old.
Guide
What Records Are Available
- Court RecordsCivil, criminal, family court, probate, traffic cases
- Property RecordsDeeds, mortgages, tax assessments, liens, transfers
- Vital RecordsBirth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates
- Business RecordsBusiness licenses, DBAs, UCC filings, permits
- Voter RegistrationRegistered voters, party affiliation, districts
- Tax RecordsProperty tax assessments, payment history, exemptions
Guide
Select a County in Michigan
Back to Michigan Public Records
On This Page
State Directory
Popular Searches
Straight answers
Michigan County Public Records, questions
Are county records public information?
Yes. Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, Act 442 of 1976, MCL 15.231 and following, opens county records and requires a response within five business days, extendable by ten. Court records, register of deeds documents and assessment rolls are open. Michigan birth records are restricted until they are 100 years old, when they open to anyone; newer birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates go to the person named, parents, legal heirs, guardians and legal representatives. Juvenile and sealed court files are closed.
How much do certified copies cost?
A certified Michigan birth, death, marriage or divorce record costs $34 from the state Vital Records office, which covers the search and the first copy, with additional copies $16 each and a $12 rush fee; people 65 or older pay $14 for their own birth record. County clerks issue the same records at their own lower rates, and under FOIA copies may not exceed 10 cents a page plus itemized labor costs.
Can I search county records online?
MiCOURT Case Search on courts.michigan.gov lets the public search cases in most Michigan trial courts free, and the Michigan Supreme Court and Court of Appeals publish their dockets and opinions online. Deeds and mortgages are filed with each county's register of deeds, Muskegon and Oakland among them, and most counties offer online document search. ICHAT, the State Police name-based criminal history check, runs online for a fee, and vital records are ordered from the state or the county clerk, not searched.
What identification do I need?
Open records need no ID. Michigan vital records applications must be accompanied by a copy of the applicant's photo identification, and eligible applicants are the person named, parents on the record, legal heirs, court-appointed guardians, attorneys and people holding a power of attorney. Records more than 100 years old are not restricted.
How long does it take to receive records?
The state Vital Records office currently takes 10 to 12 weeks for regular birth, death, marriage and divorce orders and 8 to 10 weeks for expedited ones, and newborn records take up to 30 days to be filed. County clerks are far faster, often issuing certificates the same day. MiCOURT searches and ICHAT results are immediate.