Find Michigan Busted Mugshots
Michigan busted mugshots and arrest records are kept by county sheriff offices and state law enforcement across all 83 counties. You can search for booking photos, inmate rosters, and criminal history data through several public tools run by the Michigan State Police and local jails. Whether you want to look up someone held in a county jail or check state prison records, Michigan has free and paid search options that pull from real databases. Each county runs its own jail and posts arrest data in its own way, so where you search depends on where the arrest took place.
Michigan Busted Mugshots Overview
Michigan Busted Mugshots Search Tools
Michigan has two main state databases for looking up busted mugshots and arrest records. The first is ICHAT, which stands for Internet Criminal History Access Tool. It is run by the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center. ICHAT pulls conviction data from all 83 counties and costs $10 per search. You pay with a credit card and get results right away. It shows felony arrests, serious misdemeanors punishable by more than 93 days, and sentencing info. You can search ICHAT on the Michigan State Police site using a name and date of birth.
ICHAT does not show everything. It leaves out warrant info, federal records, tribal records, traffic stops, juvenile cases, and arrests that did not lead to a conviction. Local misdemeanors under 93 days may not show up either. So if you are looking for a recent jail booking or a mugshot from a county arrest, ICHAT may not have it.
The Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS) is the second key tool. OTIS is free to use and run by the Michigan Department of Corrections. It tracks people in state prisons, on parole, or on probation. You can search by name or MDOC number. Results show the person's photo, current status, offense details, facility location, and release dates. OTIS does not cover county jail inmates or people who only got jail time.
The screenshot below shows the OTIS search page where you can look up Michigan offenders by name or ID number.
OTIS keeps records for up to three years after someone finishes their supervision. Older records drop off the system.
How to Look Up Arrest Records in Michigan
County jail rosters are the best place to find recent busted mugshots in Michigan. Most county sheriff offices post current inmate lists on their websites for free. These rosters show the person's name, booking date, charges, bond amount, and sometimes a booking photo. Each county runs its own system, so the search tools vary. Some use live databases you can search by name. Others post PDF lists each week.
The Michigan Courts case search at courts.michigan.gov is another option. This free tool covers criminal cases filed in circuit and district courts around the state. You can search by name or case number to find charge info, hearing dates, and case status. It does not show mugshots, but it can tell you what someone was charged with and how the case turned out.
The Criminal History Records service from the Michigan State Police handles more formal background checks. A fingerprint-based check costs $30 and takes about 8 weeks to process. This is more thorough than a name-based ICHAT search because it uses prints to match records.
For a quick check, start with the free county jail roster or OTIS. Use ICHAT or a fingerprint check when you need official results.
Michigan Busted Mugshots and Booking Data
When someone gets arrested in Michigan, the county jail creates a booking record. This record holds the person's name, date of birth, physical description, booking photo, charges, bail amount, and the name of the arresting agency. Most of this data is public under Michigan law. County jails post this info on their websites in the form of inmate rosters or searchable databases.
Not every county has the same level of online access. Large counties like Wayne, Oakland, Kent, and Macomb run live inmate search tools that update throughout the day. You can search by name and see current bookings, charges, and mugshots. Smaller rural counties may only offer a phone number to call for inmate info, or they post a weekly PDF roster. Some counties use third-party sites to share booking data. The level of detail changes from one county to the next, but the core booking info stays the same across the state.
Michigan court records add another layer of data. Once charges are filed, the court docket tracks hearings, motions, plea deals, and outcomes. You can look up court case details through the Michigan Courts case search tool. This helps you see what happened after the arrest, not just the booking itself.
Michigan Sex Offender Registry Search
Michigan runs a public sex offender registry under the Sex Offenders Registration Act (SORA). The Public Sex Offender Registry (PSOR) lets you search for registered offenders by name, zip code, or area. Results show the person's photo, address, physical traits, birth date, and the offense they were convicted of. The registry is free to use.
You can also search the PSOR directly at mspsor.com for a more focused lookup. The Michigan State Police maintain this data and update it as offenders move or change status. Tier levels based on offense severity determine how long a person stays on the registry. The screenshot below shows the PSOR search page.
Mugshot Removal and Michigan Records Laws
Michigan has laws that protect people whose mugshots end up on commercial websites. Under MCL 445.1711, commercial mugshot sites cannot charge a fee to take down a booking photo if the person was not convicted or the charges were dropped. The site must remove the photo within a set time after you ask. This law went into effect to stop websites from profiting off arrest records that did not lead to a guilty verdict.
The Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) gives the public the right to ask for government records, including arrest and booking data. Under FOIA, you can submit a written request to any law enforcement agency in the state and they must respond within five business days. They can extend this by ten more days if they give you notice. Fees vary by agency but include charges for search time and copies.
You can file a FOIA request online through the Michigan State Police FOIA portal. The MSP charges $24 per hour for search and review time, plus the actual cost of copies.
Note: FOIA exemptions exist for records that could interfere with an active investigation or invade someone's personal privacy, as outlined in MCL 15.243.
Michigan Busted Mugshots and Expungement
Michigan's Clean Slate law changed how old arrest records and busted mugshots are handled. Under MCL 780.621, certain felonies and misdemeanors can now be set aside from your record. The law also allows automatic expungement for some offenses without filing a petition. This took effect in April 2023 and expanded who can qualify to have their record cleared.
If you want to petition for expungement, the filing fee is $50 and processing takes about 8 weeks. You submit your request to the Michigan State Police CJIC. The Michigan Attorney General's office offers free help with the expungement process. Legal aid groups like Michigan Legal Help and Safe & Just Michigan also provide tools and guides.
Once a record is set aside, it should not show up in public database searches. However, some third-party mugshot sites may still have old photos cached. In that case, you can use the state's mugshot removal law to request that they take the image down.
Michigan Department of Corrections Records
The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) manages state prisons and supervises parolees and probationers. MDOC runs the OTIS database for public searches. If you need records beyond what OTIS shows, you can file a FOIA request with MDOC. Send your request to the MDOC FOIA Coordinator at P.O. Box 30003, Lansing, MI 48909, or email MDOC-OLAFOIA@michigan.gov.
You can also use VINELink to track an offender's custody status. VINE sends alerts when an inmate is released or transferred. It covers both state prisons and many county jails in Michigan. The service is free and available around the clock.
Browse Michigan Busted Mugshots by County
Each of Michigan's 83 counties runs its own jail and keeps its own booking records. Pick a county below to find local inmate search tools, sheriff contact info, and arrest record resources.
Michigan Cities Busted Mugshots
Major Michigan cities handle arrests through their local police departments. Inmates are typically held at the county jail. Pick a city to find out how to search busted mugshots and arrest records there.