Michigan Free Criminal Records Search: Public Record Lookup
Michigan Free Criminal Records Search: Public Court Cases & Background Checks
Looking for a free public criminal record check in Michigan? You can search participating Michigan trial courts through the official MiCOURT Case Search without paying for a commercial background report.
However, Michigan’s official statewide criminal-history service, operated by the Michigan State Police through ICHAT, costs $10 per ordinary public name-based search. It is not the same service as the free court lookup.
Can You Check Michigan Criminal Records for Free?
Yes, some Michigan criminal records can be searched for free. Public court cases are available through participating Michigan court systems, including the MiCOURT Case Search and certain county-operated court portals.
What is not generally free is a standard statewide Michigan State Police name-based criminal-history search. ICHAT currently charges $10 per ordinary public search.
| What you want to find | Official source | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Criminal court cases, case numbers and dockets | MiCOURT Case Search | Free public search for participating courts |
| Public Michigan statewide criminal-history information | Michigan State Police ICHAT | $10 per standard search |
| Your complete Michigan fingerprint-associated criminal-history record | Michigan State Police CJIC | $30 processing fee, plus fingerprint-taking costs if charged |
| Detroit 36th District Court docket information | 36th District Court Case Inquiry | Free |
| Wayne County Circuit Court criminal cases | Third Judicial Circuit Odyssey Public Access | Public online case search |
| Michigan state prison and supervision information | Michigan DOC OTIS | Free |
| Public sex offender registration | Michigan State Police Public Sex Offender Registry | Free |
These sources answer different questions. A court docket may show a charge that never resulted in a conviction. Conversely, a state criminal-history report may contain reportable information from multiple courts that would otherwise have to be checked separately.
How to Search Michigan Criminal Court Records Using MiCOURT
The Michigan judicial branch operates MiCOURT Case Search, an online search service used by participating trial courts. Depending on the selected court, users may find criminal, civil, traffic, family or probate case information.
Unlike an ordinary statewide background-check report, MiCOURT searches are tied to the court location you choose. It is important to identify the court that handled the criminal case.
Step-by-step criminal case lookup
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Open the Michigan MiCOURT website.
Visit the official
micourt.courts.michigan.govcase-search portal. Review the public-access terms before selecting Continue. -
Choose the court location.
Select the county and participating District or Circuit Court associated with the filing. Not every Michigan court uses the same online case-management system.
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Search by a person’s name or case number.
Use the supported party-name or case-number search fields. A complete case number helps reduce the possibility of matching another person with a similar name.
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Locate the criminal case.
Review the case type and the displayed parties. If the system offers additional filters, narrow the results using accurate information rather than guessing.
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Open the case information.
Check the criminal charges, available court events, hearing history, case status and other publicly displayed details.
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Check for the final disposition.
Look for a conviction, dismissal, acquittal, sentence, diversion outcome or other final court action. A case marked closed does not automatically mean the defendant was convicted.
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Contact the filing court when necessary.
If the record is missing, incomplete, old or needed for official documentation, ask the court clerk for its original record or a certified copy.
What does MiCOURT show?
The level of detail varies by participating court and case. Publicly displayed information can include case identification, filing information, parties, charge information, scheduling and disposition-related entries.
MiCOURT is not a reliable way to establish that a person has no criminal history throughout Michigan. It does not combine every independent court-management system into one comprehensive report.
Why Michigan’s Seven-Year Criminal Sentence Filter Matters
One of the most easily overlooked parts of Michigan’s court search is the 7-Year Criminal Sentence Filter.
Michigan’s official MiCOURT terms explain that certain participating courts show criminal-conviction case numbers and information only when sentencing occurred within seven years of the search date.
The courts using this rule are marked with a check under the 7-Year Criminal Sentence Filter column of the court-selection page.
To investigate an older case, contact the particular court clerk and provide the person’s name, approximate case year and any known case number.
Another limitation: attempted felony charges
The Michigan courts’ public-search disclaimer also identifies a display problem involving certain attempted felony offenses under MCL 750.92.
The system may label an attempted offense as a felony even when the applicable statute treats that particular attempted offense as a misdemeanor.
If the distinction matters, verify the actual statute, original offense and judgment with the court rather than relying solely on MiCOURT’s displayed charge-level label.
These Michigan-specific limitations are important reasons to avoid interpreting an online search result as a final legal conclusion.
Michigan ICHAT Criminal Background Check: Cost and Instructions
The Internet Criminal History Access Tool (ICHAT) is operated by the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center. It provides name-based access to criminal-history information that is publicly releasable under Michigan law.
Unlike MiCOURT, ICHAT searches Michigan State Police’s criminal-history repository rather than the public docket of one selected court.
Standard ICHAT search
Current ordinary public name-based criminal-history search fee, payable through the ICHAT system.
All 83 Michigan counties
Michigan’s felony and serious-misdemeanor reporting requirements apply statewide. Actual results depend on reportable records and legal disclosure restrictions.
How to run an ICHAT background check
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Open Michigan State Police ICHAT.
Start at michigan.gov/ichat to reach the official service.
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Follow the account instructions.
Register or sign in as required by the current ICHAT interface. Use the public request process unless you have approved organizational access.
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Prepare identifying information.
You generally need the person’s first and last name, date of birth and other demographic information required by the search form.
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Enter accurate names.
Former names and aliases can affect name-based criminal-history results. Use accurate and lawfully obtained information.
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Submit and pay for the search.
The ordinary fee is $10 per search. Review your entries before final submission to avoid paying for an incorrect query.
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Review the returned criminal-history information.
Read any available charge, arrest, conviction and disposition information carefully. Check the reporting court or agency when something is unclear.
What records are included in ICHAT?
According to Michigan State Police, law-enforcement agencies, prosecutors and courts are required to report felonies and serious misdemeanors punishable by more than 93 days to the state repository.
ICHAT can provide public criminal-history information relating to reportable Michigan felony arrests, convictions and qualifying misdemeanor records.
What is excluded from ICHAT?
- Federal criminal records
- Criminal history from other states
- Tribal criminal records
- Juvenile records that are not publicly releasable
- Traffic records
- Local misdemeanors outside the statewide repository’s reporting scope
- Suppressed or otherwise nonpublic information
- Outstanding warrant information
An ICHAT search that returns no publicly releasable record is not a guarantee that the person has never been arrested, charged or convicted in any jurisdiction.
How to Get Your Own Complete Michigan Criminal-History Record
If you need to review your own complete Michigan criminal-history information, including records not publicly visible through ICHAT, the Michigan State Police provides a separate fingerprint-based personal record-review procedure.
This may be useful when investigating a possible reporting error, preparing a record set-aside request or checking information that no longer appears in public searches.
State processing fee
The Michigan State Police fee for the fingerprint-based personal criminal-history record review.
Published processing estimate
Michigan State Police’s approximate processing and mailing period for the personal record-review request.
Steps to request your own criminal-history record
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Review the official MSP personal-record instructions.
Use the Search, Expunge, Modify, or Update Criminal History Records page, rather than applying for an employment Live Scan check.
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Obtain the appropriate fingerprint card.
Michigan residents can contact a local law-enforcement agency about fingerprints on the appropriate Michigan applicant card. Out-of-state residents should follow MSP’s specified fingerprint-card requirements.
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Include an explanatory cover letter.
State that the request is for your personal record review. Include return contact information.
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Include the processing fee.
Prepare the $30 payment according to the current MSP instructions. Fingerprint-taking agencies may charge their own fee.
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Mail the completed package.
Send the fingerprint card, letter and payment to the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center.
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Review the certified response.
Compare the criminal-history entries with available court records. If you find an error, follow the correction procedure described by MSP.
Lansing, MI 48909-7766
Criminal History Help Desk: (517) 241-0606
Official Personal Criminal-History Request Instructions ↗Michigan District and Circuit Court Criminal Records
Michigan has different trial-court levels. Knowing which one handled the prosecution can make the search significantly easier.
District Courts
Michigan District Courts handle misdemeanors, traffic cases, criminal arraignments and preliminary proceedings in felony cases.
If a felony begins in District Court, the preliminary case and the later Circuit Court prosecution may be recorded separately.
Circuit Courts
Circuit Courts handle felony criminal trials and sentencing, as well as other matters within their jurisdiction.
If a District Court docket shows a felony case was bound over, search the Circuit Court for the later prosecution and judgment.
Important local search alternatives
Not all Michigan courts publish case records through the same system. Some of the larger court systems maintain separate public-access websites.
| Location and court | Use this official service | Local search detail |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit — 36th District Court | 36th District Court Case Inquiry ↗ | Free public Register of Actions search covering public cases from 1990 onward. Document images are not available in the inquiry system. |
| Wayne County — Third Judicial Circuit | Odyssey Public Access ↗ | Separate case system for publicly available Circuit Court records. Original filings are not supplied as downloadable documents through the public case search. |
| Oakland County — Sixth Judicial Circuit | Oakland Court Explorer ↗ | Search felony case information and registers of actions. Public records generally date to the early 1990s; document orders are available. |
| Other Michigan counties | MiCOURT Case Search ↗ | Select the participating court. If the filing court does not appear, use that court’s official local records service. |
Detroit-specific detail: 36th District Court records
Detroit’s 36th District Court says its public inquiry service is free and covers public cases filed from 1990 to the present.
It also explains that users cannot retrieve document images directly from the system. If you need a certified court document, the court publishes a $10 certified-copy charge.
For cases that are no longer available through its public online search, contact the court rather than concluding that a criminal filing did not exist.
Oakland County criminal record copies
Oakland County’s Court Explorer allows users to search the Circuit Court register of actions and purchase qualifying filed documents.
Its published fees include $1 per page for a regular copy and a $10 certification charge per case number plus $1 per page for certified copies. Additional transaction fees may apply.
Other Michigan counties can have different copy, research and certification charges.
How to Request a Certified Michigan Criminal Court Record
A screenshot from MiCOURT is not necessarily accepted as proof of a conviction, dismissal or sentence. When a government agency, attorney, licensing authority or other recipient requests official documentation, you may need a certified copy from the court.
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Locate the case number.
Search MiCOURT or the court’s own public portal. Record the full case number and filing court.
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Identify the exact document.
Common requests include a certified judgment of sentence, dismissal order, register of actions or final disposition.
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Contact the court clerk.
Ask whether the document is available electronically, by mail or in person, and whether it can be certified.
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Confirm the fees.
Copy and certification charges vary among District and Circuit Courts. Ask for the complete fee before ordering.
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Verify whether later orders exist.
An amended judgment, set-aside order or later correction may change the legal meaning of an older document.
For an accurate background-check explanation, request the final disposition rather than only a charging document.
Michigan DOC OTIS: Free Prisoner and Parole Record Search
The Michigan Department of Corrections Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) is another free official source. It is intended for information about people under Michigan DOC jurisdiction or recently discharged from supervision.
OTIS may contain information about prisoners, parolees, probationers and persons discharged within the previous three years.
What can you find through OTIS?
- Offender identifying information
- MDOC offender number
- Correctional location or supervision status
- Available sentencing and conviction details
- Information on qualifying parole and probation supervision
Why a person might not appear
OTIS does not provide complete lifetime criminal histories. The Department of Corrections specifically excludes people who were sentenced only to county jail, people outside its jurisdiction and most people discharged from supervision more than three years ago.
An absence from OTIS therefore does not establish that someone has never been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor.
Michigan State Police Sex Offender Registry Lookup
Michigan State Police also provides free public access to information about qualifying registrants under the state’s Sex Offenders Registration Act.
The public registry allows searches using names, registration numbers, addresses and other available geographic criteria.
Registry information is not a substitute for ICHAT, MiCOURT or a complete court record. A person with a criminal conviction may not appear in the registry because the offense does not require public registration or because of legal registration limitations.
Important Michigan registry change in 2026
In September 2026, Michigan State Police announced it was removing certain people from the registry following a Michigan Supreme Court ruling concerning the retroactive application of the 2021 registration-law amendments.
The department explained that a person’s removal under that ruling does not itself invalidate the underlying criminal conviction, which may still be reflected in other official criminal or court records.
For the current legal explanation, see the September 11, 2026 Michigan State Police statement.
Why a Michigan Criminal Conviction May No Longer Be Public
Michigan’s Clean Slate laws have changed public access to qualifying criminal convictions. Some convictions may be set aside automatically without a separate application, while other cases require a court petition.
The automatic set-aside process began April 11, 2023, under Michigan’s qualifying eligibility rules.
| Eligible conviction category | Typical automatic waiting period | Important condition |
|---|---|---|
| Certain misdemeanors punishable by 92 days or less | 7 years | Eligibility, statutory exclusions and record-processing requirements apply. |
| Certain misdemeanors punishable by 93 days or more | 7 years | Subject to eligibility conditions and a limit on qualifying convictions. |
| Certain felony convictions | 10 years | Period generally runs from sentence or completion of applicable imprisonment, whichever is later; other eligibility restrictions apply. |
Certain offenses—including specified assaultive crimes, serious misdemeanors, crimes of dishonesty and other statutory exclusions—cannot receive automatic relief under these rules.
A conviction that was set aside may no longer be available in an ordinary public criminal-history search. Authorized agencies may have different access rights under Michigan law.
Michigan State Police provides an eligibility guide and instructions for determining what remains on a person’s public and nonpublic criminal-history records.
Michigan Criminal Records Search Fees
| Service | Fee | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| MiCOURT Case Search | Free public lookup | Finding cases in participating Michigan courts. |
| Detroit 36th District Court public inquiry | Free | Public Detroit District Court cases from 1990 onward. |
| Michigan State Police ICHAT | $10 per search | Name-based public statewide Michigan criminal-history information. |
| MSP personal fingerprint-based record review | $30 processing fee | Reviewing your own fingerprint-associated Michigan criminal-history record. |
| Fingerprint-taking services | Provider-specific | Obtaining fingerprints where required by the application. |
| Detroit 36th District Court certified copy | $10 per certified copy | Official document from a 36th District Court case. |
| Oakland County Circuit Court regular copy | $1 per page | Copying qualifying Oakland County filed documents. |
| Oakland County certified copy | $10 per case number plus $1 per page | Certified Oakland County Circuit Court documents; transaction fees may apply. |
| Michigan DOC OTIS | Free | State corrections and qualifying supervision information. |
| Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry | Free | Public information concerning qualifying registrants. |
The fees above apply to specific state or local services. A private background-check provider may charge a different amount and may not provide the same records as an official state agency.
Why Does a Michigan Criminal Records Search Show No Results?
A missing result can have several explanations. Check the original court, repository reporting requirements and public access restrictions before assuming that no criminal record exists.
| Problem | Likely explanation | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Court does not appear in MiCOURT | It may use an independent case-management system. | Search the court’s official local website. |
| Older conviction is missing | Selected court may apply the seven-year criminal sentence filter. | Ask the court clerk for older case information. |
| District Court felony case shows no final sentence | The case may have been bound over to Circuit Court. | Search the corresponding Circuit Court. |
| ICHAT returns no record but a court case exists | The record may be outside ICHAT’s reporting or public-release scope. | Verify the court docket and record classification. |
| Case has been set aside | Michigan Clean Slate or a court order may restrict public access. | Follow authorized record-review procedures. |
| Person absent from OTIS | Person may be in county jail, outside MDOC supervision or discharged more than three years ago. | Use the appropriate county jail or court record system. |
| Traffic or minor municipal offense missing from ICHAT | ICHAT excludes traffic records and some local misdemeanors. | Contact the District Court or other filing court. |
| Federal or out-of-state record missing | Michigan’s repository is not a nationwide criminal-history database. | Use the appropriate state repository, federal court or authorized FBI process. |
How to correct an inaccurate Michigan criminal-history entry
Michigan State Police explains that corrections generally must be verified with the agency that originally submitted the data.
- Incorrect arrest information: Contact the arresting police or sheriff’s agency.
- Incorrect charging information: Contact the prosecuting attorney’s office.
- Incorrect conviction or court disposition: Contact the court that submitted the judicial information.
The Michigan State Police Criminal History Help Desk can provide guidance about the process at (517) 241-0606.
Michigan Free Criminal Records Search FAQs
1. How can I check Michigan criminal records for free?
2. Is Michigan State Police ICHAT free?
3. Can I search Michigan criminal court records by someone’s name?
4. Why are older Michigan criminal convictions missing from MiCOURT?
5. Does Michigan ICHAT show all misdemeanors and arrests?
6. How much does it cost to request my own complete Michigan criminal history?
7. Can I search Michigan prison inmates for free?
8. Does Michigan Clean Slate remove convictions from public searches?
Official Michigan Criminal Records Search Links
Use the following Michigan courts and government agencies for current searches, instructions, forms and official record requests.
- Michigan Judiciary — MiCOURT Case Search
- Michigan State Police — Criminal History Records
- Michigan State Police — ICHAT Criminal Background Check
- MSP — Search, Expunge, Modify or Update Criminal Records
- Michigan State Police — Clean Slate Program
- Michigan State Police — Find What Remains on Your Record
- Detroit 36th District Court — Free Case Inquiry
- Detroit 36th District Court — Record Copies and Certification
- Wayne County Third Judicial Circuit — Odyssey Public Access
- Oakland County Circuit Court — Court Explorer
- Michigan Department of Corrections — OTIS Offender Search
- Michigan State Police — Public Sex Offender Registry
- Michigan State Police — September 2026 Registry Update
- PACER — Federal Criminal Court Cases