Michigan offers one of the more accessible statewide criminal history search tools in the country -- ICHAT, the Internet Criminal History Access Tool, runs 24 hours a day at $10 per search. But Michigan also has a meaningful restriction on what that search returns: non-conviction arrest records are not public through ICHAT. Only the person named in the record, authorized employers for specific purposes, and law enforcement can access arrest entries that did not result in conviction. Michigan's Clean Slate law, which includes an automatic set-aside process that took effect in 2023, is also one of the more significant developments in the state's criminal record framework in years. This guide covers the full system.
What Makes Michigan Arrest Records Public
The Michigan Freedom of Information Act, codified in Michigan Compiled Laws Section 15.231 and following, establishes that public records are available for inspection and copying. Criminal history records fall within this framework, but with a critical limitation.
The Michigan State Police maintains the state's central repository for criminal history record information through the Criminal Justice Information Center. Under MCL 28.241a, a criminal history record includes personal descriptors plus felony and misdemeanor arrests, charges, and convictions. All felonies and serious misdemeanors punishable by more than 93 days must be reported to the state repository by law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and courts across all 83 Michigan counties.
The public access restriction is significant: Michigan law prohibits the public release of arrest data that did not result in conviction. Arrests without a conviction outcome are accessible only to the person named in the record, authorized employers for specific employment purposes, or law enforcement agencies. This is meaningfully different from states like Florida where all arrest records are presumptively public regardless of outcome.
Exemptions from public access also include juvenile records under MCL 712A.28, expunged or set-aside records under the Clean Slate laws (MCL 780.621 and following), and materials tied to active investigations.
What a Michigan Arrest Record Contains
An arrest record is a booking document. It reflects the facts of an arrest at the time of booking and carries no presumption of guilt.
A Michigan criminal history record in the ICHAT system includes personal descriptors -- name, date of birth, sex, race, and physical description. It includes all felony arrests and convictions and all misdemeanor convictions for offenses punishable by more than 93 days. Charges filed, disposition information, and sentence data appear when reported.
The ICHAT system covers only Michigan history. Records from other states and federal charges are not included. Because ICHAT is name-based rather than fingerprint-based, results can include multiple people with the same name and some records may be missing if they were not properly reported to the state repository.
How to Search Michigan Arrest Records
ICHAT at michigan.gov/ichat is the primary public tool. It runs 24 hours a day and requires registration for an account before searching. Each search costs $10, payable by MasterCard or Visa. You need the person's full name, sex, race, and date of birth to run a search. Nonprofit organizations serving children or the elderly may qualify for free searches. Individuals who cannot afford the fee may submit a written fee waiver request (Form DIR-103, Affidavit of Indigency). Written requests can be sent to the MSP Records Resource Section at MSPRecords@Michigan.gov. The MSP main records office is at 7150 Harris Drive, Dimondale, MI 48821. Phone: 517-241-0606 or 517-241-1934 for ICHAT questions.
The MiCourt case search system provides free public access to court case records across Michigan courts. It is accessible through the Michigan Courts website and allows searching by name and other criteria. This is particularly useful for viewing case-level charges and dispositions, and for checking the outcome of cases that may not appear in ICHAT because they did not result in a reportable conviction.
County sheriff offices and local police departments maintain booking records for recent arrests. Michigan has 83 counties and most sheriff offices publish online inmate rosters or booking logs. For anyone arrested recently, the county jail is where to look.
For broader multi-source background searches across Michigan's 83 counties and other jurisdictions, TruthFinder is a practical option.
VINELink at vinelink.com connects to the Michigan DOC system and many county facilities and provides free real-time custody status and notification registration.
County Jail Records in Michigan
Michigan has 83 counties and each county sheriff manages the local jail. County jails hold people who have recently been arrested, those awaiting trial, and individuals serving shorter sentences. For a recent arrest, the county sheriff's website or facility is where to look.
When someone is convicted and sentenced to state prison, they enter the Michigan Department of Corrections system. The MDOC provides a free online offender search accessible through the MDOC website, searchable by name and MDOC number. Results show the person's current facility, offenses, and sentence information.
Federal Arrests in Michigan
Federal arrests in Michigan are made by agencies including the FBI, the DEA, U.S. Marshals, the ATF, and Homeland Security Investigations. After federal sentencing, individuals enter the Bureau of Prisons rather than the Michigan DOC.
The BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc is the official free tool for locating anyone serving a federal sentence. Search by name or BOP register number. Federal court records are available through the PACER system at pacer.gov.
Federal arrests and convictions are not part of the ICHAT system. A Michigan ICHAT search will not surface federal charges.
Arrest Records Versus Conviction Records
An arrest record documents that law enforcement took someone into custody. A conviction record documents a court's finding of guilt. Michigan draws a sharper public/private line here than most states: conviction records are public through ICHAT, but non-conviction arrest records are restricted.
This means an arrest in Michigan that resulted in dismissal, acquittal, or charges never filed will not appear in a standard public ICHAT background check. The arrest exists in law enforcement files, but the general public cannot access it. The person whose arrest it was, authorized employers, and law enforcement can access it -- the general public cannot.
Michigan's Clean Slate Set-Aside Law
Michigan's record relief is called a set-aside rather than expungement. Under the Clean Slate laws codified at MCL 780.621 through 780.623, a set-aside removes a conviction from public records and the ICHAT system. There are two tracks.
Application-based set-aside under MCL 780.621 and 780.621d allows petitioning the convicting court using Form MC 227. The filing fee is $50 (with waivers available). Waiting periods are five years from imposition of sentence, discharge from imprisonment, probation, or parole (whichever is later) for one felony or one or more serious misdemeanor convictions; seven years for more than one felony conviction. Limits apply: not more than three total felony set-asides, no more than two lifetime set-asides for assaultive crimes, no more than one set-aside for a felony punishable by more than 10 years. Assaultive crimes, serious misdemeanors, and certain other offenses have additional restrictions.
Automatic set-aside under MCL 780.621g became effective April 11, 2023. Eligible felony convictions are automatically set aside 10 years after sentence imposition or MDOC release, whichever is later. Eligible misdemeanor convictions punishable by 93 days or more are automatically set aside seven years after imposition of sentence. Limits apply: not more than two felony convictions and four misdemeanor convictions may be automatically set aside. Misdemeanors punishable by 92 days or less that are maintained only in court case management systems are set aside seven years after sentence. Assaultive crimes, serious misdemeanors, and offenses punishable by 10 or more years are not eligible for automatic set-aside.
Michigan's Clean Slate law also covers marijuana-related convictions under MCL 780.621e with a rebuttable presumption in favor of set-aside, and traffic offenses may be set aside under MCL 780.621c with specific exceptions.
InmateAid's guides on expungement and set-aside cover Michigan's framework in more detail. Mugshot removal from third-party sites after a set-aside is addressed in InmateAid's resources on that topic.
Frequently asked questions
Are Michigan arrest records public?
Conviction records in Michigan are public through ICHAT. However, Michigan law prohibits public release of non-conviction arrest data -- arrests that did not result in conviction are accessible only to the person named, authorized employers for specific purposes, and law enforcement. Juvenile records, set-aside records, and active investigation materials are exempt from public access.
How do I search Michigan arrest records?
ICHAT at michigan.gov/ichat is the primary public tool -- $10 per name-based search, available 24 hours a day, requires account registration. For court case records and dispositions, use the MiCourt case search through the Michigan Courts website (free). For recent arrests, check the relevant county sheriff's website. For multi-source results, TruthFinder aggregates public record data. For real-time custody status, VINELink at vinelink.com provides free notifications. For MDOC state prison inmates, use the MDOC offender search at michigan.gov/corrections.
What does a Michigan arrest record contain?
A Michigan ICHAT criminal history record includes personal descriptors, all felony arrests and convictions, and misdemeanor convictions for offenses punishable by more than 93 days. Disposition information and sentence data appear when reported. ICHAT covers only Michigan history -- other states' records and federal charges are not included.
Is an arrest the same as a conviction in Michigan?
No. An arrest documents that someone was taken into custody. A conviction reflects a court's finding of guilt. Michigan restricts public access to non-conviction arrest records -- they do not appear in ICHAT for the general public. Conviction records are public. This is one of the more protective public records frameworks for non-conviction arrests in the country.
How do I find someone in a Michigan county jail?
Check the county sheriff's website where the arrest occurred. Most Michigan county sheriffs publish online booking rosters. VINELink at vinelink.com connects to many county facilities and provides free notification registration. For someone sentenced to state prison, use the MDOC offender search at michigan.gov/corrections.
Can I search federal arrest records in Michigan?
Federal court records are available through PACER at pacer.gov. For someone serving a federal sentence, the BOP Inmate Locator at bop.gov/inmateloc is the free official tool. Federal arrests and convictions are not part of the ICHAT system.
How long does an arrest stay on record in Michigan?
Conviction records remain in ICHAT indefinitely unless set aside under the Clean Slate laws. Non-conviction arrest records are not public through ICHAT but remain in law enforcement files. The automatic set-aside process removes eligible felony convictions after 10 years and eligible misdemeanor convictions after seven years without any action required by the individual.
What is Michigan's Clean Slate set-aside law?
Michigan's Clean Slate law, codified in MCL 780.621 through 780.623, allows eligible criminal convictions to be set aside -- removed from public records and ICHAT. There are two tracks: application-based (Form MC 227, $50 fee, waiting periods of 5 or 7 years depending on offense level) and automatic (effective April 2023, felonies after 10 years up to 2, misdemeanors after 7 years up to 4, with no action required). Set-aside removes the record from public view; law enforcement retains access to a nonpublic record. The term used in Michigan is set-aside, not expungement, though the practical effect on the public record is the same.
Who qualifies for automatic set-aside in Michigan?
Under MCL 780.621g, eligible felony convictions are automatically set aside 10 years after sentence or MDOC release (whichever is later), up to two felonies total. Eligible misdemeanor convictions punishable by 93 or more days are automatically set aside seven years after sentence, up to four misdemeanors total. There must be no subsequent convictions during the waiting period. Assaultive crimes, serious misdemeanors, and offenses punishable by 10 or more years are not eligible. Misdemeanors punishable by 92 days or less maintained only in court case management systems are set aside seven years after sentence.
Why does my record show an arrest but no conviction?
In Michigan, non-conviction arrests generally should not appear in the public ICHAT database -- they are restricted to the person named, authorized employers, and law enforcement. If a non-conviction arrest is showing up in a background check, it may be sourced from county-level booking records or third-party data aggregators that scraped information before the restriction applied. For conviction records, a set-aside under the Clean Slate law is the path to removal from ICHAT. ---
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