Michigan Arrest Records Search | Jail Roster & Inmate Lookup
Michigan · County jails, MiCOURT, MSP ICHAT, OTIS and Clean Slate
Find the Right Michigan Arrest, Jail, Court or Criminal-History Record
Michigan does not place every arrest, booking, court case and prison record in one public database. Use this guide to locate current county custody, verify filed charges, run an ICHAT search, find state-prison supervision, request police reports, check bond, correct errors and determine whether a conviction should be automatically or manually set aside.
MICHIGAN RECORD BEACON
VERIFYING
STATE RECORD ROUTER
LIVE
JAIL
COURT
ICHAT
MICHIGAN CASE FILE
OUTCOME FOUND
IDENTITY + CASE VERIFIED
An arrest is not a conviction. A booking charge records an allegation. Prosecutors can decline, amend or reduce it, and a court may dismiss the charge or find the defendant not guilty.
No single jail searchCounty sheriffs operate Michigan county jails.
ICHAT price$10 for each public name-based search.
Personal record$30 fingerprint-based MSP review.
OTIS limitNo county-jail or jail-only sentences.
MI-VINEFree custody and case-status notifications.
Which Michigan record answers your question?
COUNTY SHERIFF OR CITY LOCKUP
Is the person in local custody?Current booking, jail location, charges, bond and release information when the county provides it.
Search the county where the person was physically booked.
ARRESTING POLICE AGENCY
What allegedly happened?Incident report, arrest report, probable-cause narrative, evidence references and releasable media.
Request the report from the agency whose officer made the arrest.
MICOURT OR LOCAL COURT
What charge was filed?Complaint, warrant, hearings, bindover, dismissal, plea, judgment and sentence.
The court record controls the legal outcome.
MSP ICHAT
What public statewide history appears?Public Michigan criminal-history data reported to the state repository.
It is a $10 name search and does not include every local or nonpublic record.
MDOC OTIS
Is the person in state custody or supervision?Prison, parole, probation and recent supervision-discharge information.
OTIS is not a county-jail or complete criminal-history search.
Most reliable sequence: Find the booking, save every identifier, identify the arresting agency, search the correct district or circuit court and use ICHAT only for the statewide public-history question.
Find someone in a Michigan county jail
Michigan does not operate one statewide county-jail roster. Each county sheriff controls its own jail records, search fields, release information and service rules.
Identify the booking county
Search where the arresting agency took the person—not only the county where the person lives.
Open the county sheriff’s official website
Look for inmate search, jail roster, corrections, current inmates or recent bookings.
Search the legal last name first
Add the first name, birth date or booking number when available.
Open every plausible result
Similar names can belong to different people.
Save the booking or inmate number
It may be required for visits, mail, telephone accounts and deposits.
Record the arresting agency
The sheriff may hold the person even when city police or Michigan State Police made the arrest.
Record every court and case number
Felony proceedings can begin in district court and continue in circuit court.
Call the jail when no online roster exists
Ask whether the person is in intake, released, transferred or listed under another name.
Michigan insider tip: A person arrested by a municipal police department may spend time in a city lockup before transfer to the county jail. Check both agencies during the first hours after arrest.
Use MI-VINE for participating jail and case notifications
MI-VINE is a free, confidential, 24-hour service that can provide participating offender custody information, case information and notifications of events such as release, transfer or escape.
Open Michigan VINELink
Search the person’s name and participating custody location.
Open MI-VINE online
Compare the birth and custody information
Do not register for a same-name offender without verification.
Register for available notifications
Choose telephone, email or text options displayed by the service.
Create and protect the notification PIN
The telephone system may require the PIN to confirm receipt.
Do not rely on VINE as the only safety plan
System and agency updates can be delayed.
MI-VINE toll-free:
800-770-7657
Search Michigan criminal cases through MiCOURT
Open MiCOURT Case Search
Use the official Michigan Judiciary system.
Search MiCOURT cases
Select the correct court
Choose the district or circuit court serving the arrest location.
Search the case number first
This is safer than a common-name search.
Otherwise search the defendant’s name
Compare the court, filing year, charges and participant role.
Read the newest register-of-actions entries
Look for arraignment, probable-cause conference, preliminary examination, bindover, plea, dismissal and sentencing.
Check every associated case
One arrest can create multiple case numbers or charges in different courts.
Contact the court for older criminal cases
Some courts apply a seven-year criminal-sentence display filter.
Request certified proof from the court
Online information does not replace the official court file.
MiCOURT is informational. It does not display every Michigan court, every nonpublic case or every older conviction.
Know which Michigan court holds the criminal record
District Court
- Initial arraignment on felony and misdemeanor complaints.
- Misdemeanor cases generally remain in district court.
- Probable-cause conferences and felony preliminary examinations.
- Initial bond and release orders.
- Traffic and local ordinance matters when applicable.
Circuit Court
- Felony cases after district-court bindover.
- Felony arraignment, pretrial motions and trial.
- Felony plea, judgment and sentencing records.
- Applications to set aside many felony convictions.
- Appeals from certain district-court decisions.
Do not stop at the district-court case. A felony can begin in district court under one case number and continue in circuit court under another number.
Run an MSP ICHAT search without overreading the result
| Feature | Current rule | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $10 per name search | The charge applies to each submitted search. |
| Search type | Name based | A result is not a fingerprint-confirmed identity match. |
| Statewide reporting | Felonies and serious misdemeanors punishable by more than 93 days are reported from all 83 counties | Reporting and disposition completeness still depend on source agencies. |
| Warrants | Not included | Use the issuing court for warrant verification. |
| Suppressed records | Not included | A no-result response does not prove no nonpublic history exists. |
| Local misdemeanors | Not included | Check the local district court. |
| Juvenile and traffic records | Not included | Use the legally authorized record source for those matters. |
| Federal, tribal and other states | Not included | Search those jurisdictions separately. |
Confirm that a paid statewide search is necessary
Use free jail and court systems first when the county and case are known.
Open ICHAT
Create or use the required Michigan account.
Open MSP ICHAT
Enter the exact legal name
Add accurate identity information requested by the system.
Pay the $10 search charge
Review the entry before checkout because a variation can require another search.
Compare every returned record
Match birth information, physical descriptors, arresting agencies and court locations.
Verify the disposition with the court
Obtain certified proof when a decision depends on the outcome.
Name-match warning: ICHAT is not fingerprint based. A common name, incomplete birth information or alias can produce a false association or missed result.
Obtain your fingerprint-based Michigan criminal history
Use Personal Record Review for
- Reviewing your public and nonpublic Michigan history.
- Checking identity accuracy before employment or licensing.
- Preparing a record-correction request.
- Checking what remains after a set aside.
- Visa, immigration or personal-record purposes.
Do not substitute it for
- An employer-required statutory Live Scan submission.
- An FBI nationwide Identity History Summary.
- A certified local court disposition.
- Another person’s complete nonpublic record.
- A current county-jail custody search.
Get the correct fingerprint card
Michigan residents should request an RI-008 Applicant Fingerprint Card from a local law-enforcement agency.
Use an FD-258 card when living outside Michigan
Ask a local law-enforcement agency to take the fingerprints.
Complete the fingerprint card fully
Include identity information, signature and the reason for the request.
Prepare a cover letter
Explain that the submission is for a Michigan Personal Record Review and provide the return address, telephone number and email.
Include the $30 processing payment
Use a check or money order payable to the State of Michigan.
Mail the complete packet
Send the fingerprint card, cover letter and payment to MSP CJIC.
Allow three to five weeks
The response is mailed to the fingerprinted person.
Request extra originals when needed
MSP charges $1 for each additional original certified or notarized response.
Michigan State Police CJIC
P.O. Box 30266
Lansing, MI 48909-7766
Use OTIS only for the records it actually covers
OTIS includes
- Current Michigan state prisoners.
- Current parolees.
- Current probationers under MDOC supervision.
- People discharged from supervision within the previous three years.
- MDOC numbers, status and facility information when public.
OTIS does not include
- County-jail inmates or city-lockup detainees.
- People sentenced only to county jail.
- Arrested and convicted people who have not been sentenced.
- People off supervision for more than three years.
- Information exempt from Michigan FOIA.
Open OTIS Offender Search
Use the official Michigan Department of Corrections system.
Open OTIS
Search the MDOC number when known
A unique number is safer than a name.
Otherwise search the full legal name
Compare available age, status and conviction details.
Record the current facility or supervision office
This controls visits, mail and local contact.
Return to the sentencing court
OTIS does not replace a certified judgment or sentence.
Use ICHAT for older public history
OTIS normally stops displaying people more than three years after supervision discharge.
Understand common Michigan arrest and court fields
| Field | What it identifies | What it does not prove | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booking or inmate number | A local jail custody record. | The final filed charge. | Use it for jail services and records requests. |
| Incident or report number | A police-agency investigation record. | A prosecutor authorized every allegation. | Request the report from the arresting agency. |
| District-court case number | The initial criminal court case. | A felony remained in district court. | Check for circuit-court bindover. |
| Circuit-court case number | The filed felony case after bindover. | Every arrest charge was prosecuted. | Read each count and final disposition. |
| MDOC number | A person in the Michigan corrections system. | Current county-jail custody. | Use OTIS and the assigned facility. |
| Booking charge | An allegation entered at arrest or intake. | The final prosecutor-authorized count. | Read the complaint or information. |
| Bond | A current or prior release condition. | Payment clears another hold. | Confirm every case with the jail and court. |
| Disposition | How a charge or case ended. | Every count ended identically. | Obtain certified proof when required. |
Verify the person before relying on a Michigan record
Full legal name matches
Middle name, alias or suffix is consistent
Date or year of birth matches
Booking date fits the known event
County and arresting agency match
Booking, case or MDOC number matches
District and circuit cases connect correctly
Disposition belongs to the correct count
Minimum standard: Confirm at least two independent identifiers before sending money, publishing an allegation or making a legal, housing or employment decision.
No Michigan record found? Check these causes
The arrest is too recent
Booking, jail, prosecution and court systems update at different times.
The person remains in a city lockup
Municipal custody can occur before county-jail transfer.
The wrong county was searched
Search where the person was booked, not only the home address.
The person was cited and released
Not every criminal allegation creates continuing jail custody.
The felony moved to circuit court
Search both the initial district-court case and the circuit-court case.
The court does not participate in MiCOURT
Contact the court directly through the Trial Court Directory.
The court applies a seven-year filter
Older sentenced criminal cases may require a clerk request.
The record is outside ICHAT coverage
Local misdemeanors, juvenile, traffic, federal, tribal and out-of-state records are excluded.
The conviction was set aside
Expunged or suppressed information should not appear publicly.
The person is beyond OTIS coverage
OTIS generally omits people discharged from MDOC supervision more than three years ago.
The person uses another legal name
Check maiden names, former surnames, aliases and suffixes.
The person is in federal custody
Michigan county, MiCOURT and OTIS systems do not replace federal searches.
Missing-custody call script
I am trying to confirm the custody status of [full legal name], date of birth [date]. The arrest may have occurred on [date] through [agency] in [city or county]. Can you confirm whether the person is in intake, released, transferred or listed under another booking identifier?
What happens after a Michigan arrest?
Police arrest, citation or warrant execution
The law-enforcement agency creates its incident and arrest records.
Booking and fingerprinting
The person may be processed in a city lockup or county jail.
Prosecutor authorization
The local prosecutor reviews the police submission and decides which charge to authorize.
District-court arraignment
The court advises the defendant of the charge, rights, counsel and release conditions.
Probable-cause conference
A felony case can involve negotiations, discovery issues and preliminary-examination planning.
Preliminary examination or waiver
The district court decides whether sufficient evidence supports sending the felony to circuit court.
Circuit-court bindover
A qualifying felony continues under a circuit-court case number.
Plea, trial or dismissal
Charges may be amended, dismissed, resolved by plea or decided at trial.
Judgment and sentence
The sentence may include jail, prison, probation, fines, costs, restitution or another condition.
Correction or Clean Slate relief
Inaccurate data may be corrected, and eligible convictions may be set aside automatically or by application.
Request a Michigan arrest or incident report
Identify the arresting agency
The county jail may hold the person even though another police department wrote the report.
Name the specific document
Request the arrest report, incident report, probable-cause affidavit, warrant affidavit or identified media.
Add exact locating details
Provide the report number, full name, event date, address and court case.
Request electronic delivery
Ask for digital copies when available.
Set a cost ceiling
Require a written estimate before processing exceeds a stated amount.
Send the request to the local agency
Use that city, township, county or university police department’s FOIA process.
Use MSP FOIA only for MSP-created records
Michigan State Police incident, body-camera and dash-camera records use the MSP portal.
Open MSP FOIA instructions
Do not submit duplicate MSP requests
Use one portal, email, fax or mail method.
Copy-ready Michigan FOIA request
Under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, I request an electronic copy of the releasable arrest report, incident report, probable-cause affidavit, warrant affidavit and specifically identified audio, video or photographic records concerning [full legal name], date of birth [date], for the event on or about [date] at [location]. Known identifiers are report number [number], booking number [number] and court case number [number]. Please provide a written estimate before processing if the cost will exceed $[amount], and identify the statutory basis for any denial or redaction.
Michigan State Police Records Resource Section
Email: MSPRecords@Michigan.gov
Phone: 517-241-1934
Fax: 517-241-1935
P.O. Box 30634, Lansing, MI 48909
Michigan FOIA allows inspection or copies of many public records, but active investigations, private information, juvenile material and records protected by another law can be withheld or redacted.
Obtain a certified Michigan criminal disposition
Identify the court of record
Use MiCOURT, release paperwork or the complaint.
Record every case number
A felony may have both district- and circuit-court numbers.
Name the document required
Common requests include the complaint, register of actions, order of dismissal, judgment of sentence or set-aside order.
Ask whether certification is required
Employers, immigration counsel, licensing agencies and courts may require certified proof.
Contact the clerk directly
Copy fees, payment methods and delivery options vary by court.
Keep the certified judgment or dismissal
It is stronger proof than a booking record or ICHAT summary.
When an ICHAT record has no disposition or shows an outdated result, obtain certified court proof before starting the MSP correction workflow.
Check a Michigan warrant without relying on ICHAT
ICHAT does not provide warrant information.
Identify the issuing court
Use the citation, old court notice, complaint or case number.
Search the current MiCOURT docket
Look for warrant, bench warrant, recall, cancellation, arraignment or execution events.
Read the newest entry
An older warrant entry may have been recalled or resolved.
Contact the issuing court clerk
Ask how the defendant or attorney can verify and address the matter.
Contact a Michigan criminal-defense lawyer
Counsel can advise on surrender, arraignment and a request to recall the warrant.
Do not confront or detain anyone
A name match or old docket does not authorize private enforcement.
Scam warning: Independently call the court before paying a caller who demands gift cards, cryptocurrency, QR-code payment or an instant money transfer to clear a warrant.
Understand Michigan personal, conditional and money bond
Personal recognizanceRelease without an upfront cash deposit, subject to appearing and obeying all conditions.
Unsecured bondA stated amount can become due if the defendant violates the bond.
Ten-percent depositThe court may allow deposit of 10% of the full bond amount.
Full cash or suretyThe order may require full cash, property with approval or an approved surety bond.
Confirm the court’s written release order
The jail booking screen may not show every condition.
List every case, warrant and hold
Posting one bond may not release the person.
Ask which bond option the judge authorized
Ten-percent, full cash and surety options are not interchangeable in every order.
Confirm the payment location
Payment may be accepted through the jail, district court or another designated office.
Ask what identification and payment are accepted
County and court procedures vary.
Keep the bond receipt and order
Record the depositor’s identity and case number.
Follow every release condition
No-contact, travel, testing, monitoring and reporting conditions can continue after payment.
Attend every court date
Failure to appear can cause a warrant and forfeiture.
When a 10% deposit bond is successfully completed, the court may return 90% and retain 10%. Different rules can apply when the defendant is not convicted of the charged crime or when money must be applied to lawful obligations.
Request an appointed Michigan criminal-defense lawyer
At arraignment, the court must advise a defendant of the right to a lawyer and the right to appointed counsel when the defendant wants a lawyer but cannot afford one.
Ask for a lawyer before answering case questions
Clearly state that counsel is requested.
Do not discuss the facts on ordinary jail calls
Personal calls can be monitored and recorded.
Complete the local indigency screening
The court or local appointing authority may review income, expenses, debts, public assistance and available property.
Request counsel at first appearance
The local indigent-defense system assigns qualifying representation.
Save the lawyer’s name and contact information
Use the court case number in all communications.
Ask for separate counsel when a conflict exists
Jointly charged indigent defendants require conflict-free representation.
Michigan’s appointed-defense system is local. Depending on the county, counsel may come from a public-defender office, managed assigned-counsel system or approved private-attorney roster.
Register for custody, court and MDOC notifications
Keep the police and court identifiers
Save the report number, booking number and court case.
Contact the prosecutor’s victim advocate
Ask about court dates, release conditions, impact statements, restitution and safety planning.
Register with MI-VINE
Receive available county-jail custody and case notifications.
Register for MI-VINE
Register separately with MDOC when applicable
Written MDOC notification can cover qualifying prison, parole and release events.
Update contact information promptly
Notification services cannot reach an outdated telephone number or address.
Keep a separate safety plan
Do not rely only on automated notification.
Check local rules before visits, mail, calls or deposits
| Service | What to verify | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Visitation | Approval, scheduling, visitor ID, age limits, visit length and remote fees. | Assuming another Michigan county uses the same vendor or schedule. |
| Exact inmate name, booking number, mailing address, postcard or scanned-mail rules. | Mailing to the physical jail address without checking. | |
| Telephone | Approved provider, account type, rates and blocked-number support. | Paying an unofficial company claiming to reduce jail-call rates. |
| Money | Deposit vendor, inmate number, maximum amount, kiosk and transaction charge. | Depositing after release or transfer. |
| Commissary | Approved package vendor, spending limit and order frequency. | Mailing food or hygiene products directly. |
| Medical concern | Facility medical contact and internal sick-call procedure. | Mailing prescription medication to the inmate. |
Never send money or personal information through a link supplied by an unknown caller claiming to represent a Michigan jail. Open the county sheriff’s official website independently.
Become approved and schedule an MDOC visit
Find the prisoner through OTIS
Record the MDOC number and current facility.
Ask the prisoner to add you to the visiting list
Immediate family, approved clergy, attorneys and up to ten designated people may qualify.
Complete the visiting application
Apply through MiLogin or mail the paper form to the facility.
Open MDOC visiting instructions
Allow up to four weeks for processing
Wait for approval before trying to schedule.
Create the ViaPath visitor account
Use the MDOC visitation-scheduling system after approval.
Schedule 48 hours to seven days ahead
A visit cannot be scheduled inside the 48-hour cutoff.
Check the facility’s live visiting schedule
Housing-unit schedules and quarantines can change.
Bring approved identification and follow the dress code
Revealing, hooded, graphic or tightly fitted clothing can cause denial.
| Visit type | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Application processing | Can take up to four weeks. |
| Scheduling window | At least 48 hours and no more than seven days ahead. |
| Maximum in-person group | Up to five visitors at one time. |
| Weekday visit block | Generally three hours. |
| Weekend visit block | Generally two hours. |
| Video visit | Up to 20 minutes at $0.16 per minute, with a $3.20 advance hold. |
Address Michigan state-prison mail correctly
USPS format
Prisoner Full Name, #MDOC Number
Current Michigan Correctional Facility
Facility Street or Mailing Address
City, MI ZIP Code
Confirm the current facility through OTIS
Use the full name and MDOC number
Include the sender’s complete return address
Send copies rather than irreplaceable originals
Understand that personal mail is photocopied in black and white
Understand that the original is shredded after processing
Use JPay when a color image is important
Follow separate confidential legal-mail rules
Soft-cover books must come directly from an approved vendor. Effective February 9, 2026, MDOC no longer accepts newly delivered hard-cover books.
Set up Michigan state-prison telephone calls
Approved numbersA prisoner can maintain up to 20 personal telephone numbers on the Personal Allowed Numbers list.
Current providerGlobal Tel Link or ViaPath provides MDOC telephone services through ConnectNetwork.
Published rateMDOC lists a rate of $0.0735 per minute for prisoner telephone calls.
Confirm the prisoner’s facility and MDOC number
Stop if the displayed person does not match.
Open ConnectNetwork
Create an AdvancePay account when prepaid calling is needed.
Open ConnectNetwork
Add the receiving telephone number
The prisoner must also place the number on the approved list.
Review account and call charges
Do not pay an unofficial service claiming affiliation with MDOC or ViaPath.
Do not discuss case-sensitive information
Personal calls can be monitored and recorded.
ViaPath telephone support:
855-466-2832
Send Michigan state-prison money through the approved provider
MDOC states that prisoner-account deposits are processed through GTL Financial Services. A request to use Cash App, Apple Pay, Zelle, PayPal, Venmo or another provider may be a scam.
Confirm the MDOC number and facility
Recheck OTIS before depositing.
Stay within the $300 transaction maximum
Larger deposits are not accepted under the published program.
Use ConnectNetwork for online deposits
Review the displayed transaction fee.
Deposit through ConnectNetwork
Use telephone deposits when needed
Call GTL at 888-988-4768.
Use a money order to avoid a processing charge
Make it payable to GTL Financial Services and include the required deposit form.
Keep the confirmation
Save the MDOC number, amount, date and transaction number.
GTL money-order lockbox
GTL Financial Services
10005 Technology Blvd. West, Suite 130
Dallas, TX 75220
Friends and Family SecurePak rules
Only one package order is processed each calendar quarter
The product limit is $125 before tax and shipping
Confirm the prisoner has not already ordered that quarter
Prisoners in segregation are not eligible
Use Michigan’s approved SecurePak program
Do not mail an unapproved package directly
Fix an inaccurate Michigan arrest, charge or disposition
| Incorrect information | First agency to contact | Supporting proof |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong arrest or identity information | Arresting law-enforcement agency | Fingerprint record, identification and agency documentation. |
| Wrong or missing charge segment | Prosecuting attorney listed in the record | Authorized complaint, amended charge or prosecutor letter. |
| Wrong disposition or sentence | Court listed in the judicial segment | Certified register of actions, dismissal, judgment or sentence. |
| Set-aside status missing | Convicting court and MSP | Signed and certified set-aside order. |
| Identity theft or another person’s arrest | Arresting agency and MSP CJIC | Fingerprints, identification and identity-theft documents. |
Obtain the fingerprint-based personal record
Confirm the exact public and nonpublic entries associated with your fingerprints.
Mark each incorrect segment
Record the arresting agency, prosecutor, court, date and case number.
Obtain certified supporting documents
A screenshot or private background report is not strong enough by itself.
Contact the originating agency
Ask it to update the record electronically.
Ask the agency to contact MSP when electronic correction is unavailable
MSP verifies corrections with the reporting source.
Recheck ICHAT and the court
Confirm that the public systems reflect the correction.
MSP criminal-history correction help:
Phone: 517-241-0606
Fax: 517-241-0866
Email: msp-crd-crimhelp@michigan.gov
Copy-ready correction request
I request correction of inaccurate or incomplete Michigan criminal-history information associated with [full legal name], date of birth [date]. The disputed segment is [arrest, charge, court disposition or set-aside status], connected to agency [agency], report number [number] and court case [number]. The correct information is [correction]. Attached is the certified [disposition, judgment, dismissal, set-aside order or agency correction].
Ask whether arrest fingerprints should be destroyed
Michigan provides a court process for destroying biometric data and an arrest card after qualifying findings such as not guilty, not guilty by reason of insanity, dismissal or nolle prosequi.
Obtain the final certified court disposition
Verify the exact dismissal or acquittal.
Ask the court about form MC 235
The Motion for Destruction of Biometric Data and Arrest Card must be completed by the court and signed by the judge.
Complete the required personal information
The form needs the current address, telephone number and date of birth.
Check the statutory exceptions
Certain deferred or specialty-court dismissals do not qualify for fingerprint destruction.
Confirm that the court sends the signed form
MSP accepts the judicial form by fax or mail.
Exceptions can include dismissals under controlled-substance deferral, Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, spouse-abuse deferral and certain treatment-court statutes. Ask the court or a lawyer before assuming eligibility.
Check whether a conviction should be automatically set aside
| Conviction type | Automatic limit | Waiting period |
|---|---|---|
| Misdemeanor punishable by 92 days or less | No numerical limit under the automatic provision | Seven years after sentence |
| Misdemeanor punishable by 93 days or more | Up to four eligible convictions | Seven years after sentence |
| Eligible felony | Up to two eligible convictions | Ten years after sentence or completion of MDOC imprisonment, whichever is later |
Additional automatic-set-aside checks
The full waiting period has passed
No criminal charge is pending in the MSP database
No new reported conviction occurred during the waiting period
The conviction is not statutorily excluded
The numerical felony and misdemeanor limits are not exceeded
Assaultive-crime restrictions do not disqualify the record
Check ICHAT
See whether the public conviction still appears.
Check the court of conviction
Ask whether the court record reflects an automatic set aside.
Request the fingerprint-based personal record when necessary
This shows public and nonpublic information associated with your fingerprints.
Contact the automatic Clean Slate unit when an eligible record remains public
Include the legal name, birth date, court and case number.
Email the MSP automatic-set-aside unit
Automatic relief does not cover every assaultive, serious, dishonest, high-penalty, human-trafficking, OWI or injury-causing traffic offense.
Apply to set aside a Michigan conviction
| Issue | General rule |
|---|---|
| Felony lifetime limit | Up to three eligible felony convictions may be set aside by application. |
| Misdemeanor limit | An unlimited number of otherwise eligible misdemeanors may be requested. |
| Assaultive crimes | No more than two assaultive-crime convictions may be set aside. |
| Felony punishable by 10 or more years | Only one qualifying felony in this category may be set aside. |
| Multiple felonies | General waiting period is seven years. |
| Single felony or specified serious misdemeanor | General waiting period is five years. |
| Most other misdemeanors | General waiting period is three years. |
Obtain your complete record
Use ICHAT, the fingerprint-based personal record and the court files.
Identify every conviction from the same incident
Multiple offenses within a 24-hour period can sometimes be treated as one conviction for numerical limits, subject to statutory exceptions.
Confirm eligibility and waiting periods
Review excluded offenses and criminal-history limits.
Obtain certified court records
Request the judgment of sentence, probation order or register of actions.
Obtain the applicant fingerprint card
Michigan residents generally use RI-008; out-of-state applicants can use FD-258.
Complete the current court application
File with the court that entered the conviction.
Send fingerprints, court documents and $50 to MSP
Use a check or money order payable to the State of Michigan.
Serve all required recipients
Follow the form instructions for the prosecutor and Michigan Attorney General.
Allow approximately eight weeks for MSP processing
MSP sends the criminal-history response to the required parties.
Attend the court hearing
Explain rehabilitation, public-welfare considerations and statutory eligibility.
Keep certified copies of the signed order
Verify updates with the court, arresting agency and MSP.
MSP conviction set-aside submission
Michigan State Police CJIC
P.O. Box 30266
Lansing, MI 48909-7766
Michigan Attorney General guidance states that the full application process can take up to eight months.
Check first-time OWI and marijuana-misdemeanor relief
First-time OWI
- One qualifying first-time OWI may be considered.
- The offense must not have involved injury or death.
- A five-year waiting period generally applies.
- The prosecutor and victim may participate.
- The judge decides whether to grant relief.
Old marijuana misdemeanor
- A simplified process may apply when the conduct would not be illegal after legalization.
- File with the convicting court and serve the prosecutor.
- The prosecutor carries the burden of showing the conduct remains criminal.
- Special response and hearing deadlines apply.
- Use the current Michigan form and instructions.
Specialized relief is not the same as automatic Clean Slate. Use the procedure matching the exact conviction statute and court.
Michigan arrest, court and correction contact board
MSP Criminal History Help517-241-0606
msp-crd-crimhelp@michigan.gov
MSP FOIA Records517-241-1934
MSPRecords@Michigan.gov
Automatic Clean SlateMSP-CRD-CSAAUTOMATIC@michigan.gov
MDOC General Information517-335-1426
CorrectionsInfo@michigan.gov
Correctional Facilities Administration517-335-2263
MI-VINE800-770-7657
MDOC Crime Victim Services517-373-4467
877-886-5401
ViaPath Prison Calls855-466-2832
Michigan Hall of Justice map
Michigan State Police Headquarters map
Michigan Department of Corrections map
Confirm before traveling: Recheck the court, custody location, office hours, identification requirements, appointment rules and accepted payment.
What this Michigan guide helps users complete
Custody searchCounty-jail routing, city-lockup issues, MI-VINE alerts and OTIS limitations.
Court verificationMiCOURT workflow, district-versus-circuit routing, seven-year filters and certified proof.
State historyICHAT’s $10 price, included records, exclusions and fingerprint-based $30 Personal Review.
Reports and warrantsCorrect-agency FOIA requests, copy-ready wording, warrant verification and scam prevention.
Jail and prison servicesCounty-service differences plus MDOC visits, mail, calls, deposits and packages.
Record reliefCorrection, fingerprint destruction, automatic Clean Slate and application-based expungement.
