Michigan Vital Records

    Please enter a valid first name
    Please enter a valid last name

    MichiganCourts.us is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA and does not provide consumer reports. All searches conducted on MichiganCourts.us are subject to the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.

    Michigan's Public Health Code defines vital records as documents related to the registration of births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. The primary purpose of Michigan's vital records is to provide vital statistics for the state and to officially acknowledge significant life events of citizens. Vital records in Michigan are registered, certified, and maintained by the Department of Vital Records and Health Statistics. The department maintains and preserves Vital records in accordance with the Michigan Management and Budget Act for all "vital" events that occur in Michigan. Michigan maintains and archives much older vital records from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services records at the Library of Michigan.

    Public Access to Michigan Vital Records

    Public access to Michigan vital records depends on the type of record and its age. Marriage, divorce, and death records are designated as public records in Michigan and are available for public inspection upon request. However, Birth records are more restricted and can only be ordered successfully by qualified individuals. Birth records become public 100 years after they have been issued.

    Vital records are not subject to the provisions of the Michigan Freedom of Information Act or Michigan Open Records Laws, according to Michigan Public Health Code Section 2888. Eligible individuals can request public vital records through channels provided by the Department of Vital Records and Health Statistics. Additionally, the department is responsible for overseeing the processes for requesting public vital records in Michigan.

    Types of Vital Records Available in Michigan

    The main types of vital records in Michigan are certificates of death, birth, marriage, and divorce. These certificates of vital records are also typically the most requested and have the highest number of applications. Vital record certificates produced in Michigan can either be certified or non-certified.

    Other categories of vital records include unique certificates and those used for specific research and verification purposes. Some examples include stillbirth and fatal stillbirth certificates, heirloom birth certificates, indexes, verification letters, and marriage licences.

    Michigan Birth Records

    Michigan birth records are vital records that are produced to legally certify that a citizen's birth was lawfully registered in the state of Michigan. Examples of Vital birth records in Michigan include birth certificates, stillbirth records, birth indexes, birth verification documents, and records of home births. Some of the information found within these records includes :

    • Date of birth, time of birth.
    • The child's full name.
    • The child's sex.
    • The child's birthplace (hospital or home address)
    • the parents' Christian faith and last name.
    • The parents' place of residence and nativity.
    • The father's occupation and the date of registration.

    Birth records in Michigan are confidential records maintained by the Department of Health and Human Services statewide. These records can also be requested locally from the county clerk's office in the Michigan county where the birth took place.

    Michigan Death Records

    Michigan Death records are documents used as evidence to confirm and record deaths in the state. These records create a time stamp of fatalities that occur in Michigan while preserving detailed information about the death. Death records in Michigan include documents created during the death reporting and confirmation process, per Michigan legislature Section 333.2843. These records provide details about a death, such as:

    • Place of death
    • Apparent cause of a death.
    • Name of the deceased.
    • Employment is older than ten years.
    • The parents' names and addresses.
    • Date of documentation.
    • Age at first marriage, if married.


    Some examples of Michigan death records include death certificates, death verification records, and death indexes. These records are maintained at county clerks' offices and the Department of Health and Human Services statewide.

    Michigan Marriage Records

    Michigan marriage records are vital records issued and maintained at county clerks' offices. Such records are typically used to prove to a court or any other institution that a marriage did or did not occur. However, while these records are generally public records, some documents may be made, created, and preserved as confidential under Michigan's legislature. Some examples of these records include Michigan marriage licences, marriage certificates, verification of marriage, and confirmation of single status forms. They provide details about the marriage, such as:

    • Marriage date
    • Location of marriage
    • Each registrant's age, birthplace
    • place of residence at the time of marriage
    • The bridegroom's occupation, name, and official station
    • Names and addresses of a minimum of two marriage witnesses

    Individuals seeking a marriage certificate in Michigan or other marriage records can contact the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for vital records. At the county level, marriage records are maintained by the county clerk's offices in Michigan.

    Michigan Divorce Records

    Michigan divorce records are vital documents that confirm the formal dissolution of a marriage. Like birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage records, these documents are regarded as vital records in Michigan. In Michigan, divorce records are classified as both court documents and vital records. Therefore, the framework for public access to divorce files is established by Michigan Court Rule 8.119.

    Divorce records in Michigan are public records that any interested person can request, inspect, and view. These records are created and maintained at county court clerks' offices and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Some examples of these Divorce records in Michigan include divorce certificates and divorce decrees.

    How to Order Vital Records in Michigan

    Citizens seeking copies of vital records in Michigan can request these records from the county clerk's office or the Vital Records and Health Statistics office of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Every vital record custodian in Michigan allows requests to be made in person, online, or through the mail.

    Online

    Persons who want to request vital records online can do so by completing and submitting the online forms available on vital record custodians' websites. Most of these vital record custodians collaborate with third-party vendors to provide access to vital records. Two examples of these websites are the Kent County Clerk's website and the Michigan Vital Records and Health Statistics office's website.

    The online ordering process involves:

    • Filling out an online application form that requires providing information such as name, birthdate, and parents' names.
    • Make Payment: Use a secure payment option, such as a credit or debit card, to pay for the records.
    • Identity Verification: To validate their eligibility, requestors must present photocopies of their valid identification.

    In person

    Individuals can also make requests by visiting the Michigan Vital Records Office or the county clerk's office where the record is maintained. Individuals who wish to submit in-person requests at the Michigan Vital Records Office must first call the office to schedule an appointment. Visits to the clerk's office can be made without an appointment, but they should be scheduled during working hours.

    At the office, visitors will be required to complete a vital records request form and provide the staff with the information about the record they are seeking. Requesters will also need to provide their identification, along with any other supporting documents, to prove their identity and eligibility to access the requested records.

    Mail Requests

    Mail requests for Michigan vital records can be done by downloading and completing any of the vital record request forms. The completed form should be sent to the custodian's office along with payment for the records.

    Who Can Request Michigan Vital Records?

    Generally, the eligibility to request Michigan vital records depends on the type of record being requested and the age of the records. Marriage, divorce, and death records in Michigan are public records and can be requested by anyone, as per Michigan Compiled Laws 333.2882(1). Birth records are restricted documents that can only be ordered by eligible persons. However, they become public records 100 years after they are issued.

    For inquiries about eligibility for records requests, people can call the Michigan Vital Records Office's Eligibility Unit at 517-335-8666.

    Record Type

    Eligible Requestors

    Required Documents

    Official Source Link

    Birth Certificate
    • The individual who is the subject of the record.
    • Parents of the subject
    • A court or any government institution
    • An heir to the registrant
    • A legal guardian of the individual who is the subject of the record
    • Legal representatives
    • Individuals with a court order

    In Michigan, obtaining birth records requires photo identification. Requesters must bring a valid (unexpired) driver's license, ID card, or passport. Requesters who don't have a valid photo ID can use an alternative form of identification.

    Michigan Vital Records Office

    Address:

    333 S Grand Ave,

    Lansing, MI 48933

    phone:517-335-8666

    Note: Third parties, including spouses, grandparents, siblings, stepparents, and foster parents, are not authorized to order birth records in Michigan.

    Death Certificate
    • Anyone above the age of 18
    • A valid ID is still needed as part of the records request process.

    Michigan Vital Records Office

    Address:

    333 S Grand Ave,

    Lansing, MI 48933

    phone:517-335-8666

    Marriage Record
    • Anyone (except when sealed )

    An ID is only required to document the public records request

    Court clerks' offices and county clerks in Michigan

    Divorce Record
    • In Michigan, anyone can get divorce records as long as they fill out the application, sign it, and pay the necessary fee.
    • None

    Court clerks' offices and county clerks in Michigan

    Processing Times for Michigan Vital Records Requests

    The primary factors that determine Michigan's vital records processing time are the method used to request vital records and the custodians from whom the documents are requested. Mail requests take the longest processing times, with an average of 4-5 weeks for regular mail requests and 2-3 weeks for rush (expedited) requests. In-person requests typically take anywhere from a few hours to 2-5 business days, which is also the timeframe for online requests. For example, Ottawa County, Michigan, stipulates a processing time of 5 business days for vital records requests. In contrast, Lenawee County has a processing time of 1-2 days after receiving requests for vital records.

    Record Type

    Factors That Influence Processing Time

    Considerations

    Birth Certificate
    • Request method (online, mail, in-person)
    • The age of the records (older and archived vital records take much longer to retrieve)
    • The total backlog of requests at one time.
    • Staff available to handle requests
    • Heirloom birth certificates take longer to prepare 
    • Processing times for vital records are only counted during "business hours". Hence, requests made on weekends and holidays may take longer

    Death Certificate
    • Type of death record requested
    • The recency of the death
    • The vital record custodian who attends to the requests
    • The size and efficiency of the custodians' database may affect the response time.

    Marriage Record
    • County of record
    • The availability of staff to handle requests
    • Request method
    • Marriage certificates take a longer time to retrieve because some need to be created first in some cases.
    • Certified copies may take longer than informational copies

    Divorce Record
    • Court retrieval procedures
    • The size of the courts database
    • Request method(online , mail ,in-person)

    Courts and counties have different processing timelines.

    Fees for Obtaining Vital Records in Michigan.

    The cost of obtaining vital records in Michigan depends on the method of request, the type of vital record, the number of records requested, and whether the requester chooses to expedite the process. The actual fees for obtaining vital records from any vital record custodian are also based on the Michigan Vital Records Fee Schedule. The following is a summary of the costs associated with obtaining Michigan vital records.

    • Michigan birth certificate cost - $34
    • Michigan death, marriage, and divorce certificates - $34
    • Additional copies of regular vital record certificates-$16
    • Vital records authentication-$42
    • Vital record verification letters -$18

    Note: In addition to the standard fees, there are also extra charges for online record processing, mailing, and express delivery of vital records.

    How to Search Vital Records Online in Michigan

    Individuals who order vital records online pay for a vital records search when they place their order. Individuals may also search for older and archived vital records through the Library of Michigan portal. Citizens can search this portal for birth, death, marriage, and Michigan genealogy records. To search, requesters will need to provide the full name of the person in the record they are interested in.