What shows up on a Michigan background check
Last updated: May 2026
Michigan criminal-history records are maintained by Michigan State Police (MSP) ICHAT system. Whether you are about to apply for a job, an apartment, or a professional license, the most useful thing you can do is understand exactly what an employer or landlord will see — and what changes if you successfully clear your record.
FCRA notice
The background-check services we link to are not consumer reporting agencies as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Reports generated by these services may not be used in whole or in part to make decisions about employment, tenant screening, insurance, credit, or any other purpose that requires FCRA compliance.
ExpungeReady earns a commission on some links on this page. We only recommend services we believe are useful for personal-records research. Always verify your own records directly with the state repository or the FBI before relying on any third-party report.
What Michigan employers actually see
On a standard private background check ordered through a consumer-reporting agency, a Michigan employer typically sees:
- All convictions that have not yet been set aside or automatically sealed under Clean Slate
- Pending charges
- Some non-conviction arrests, depending on the report source
- After Clean Slate auto-seal, the record is invisible to private employers but still visible to law enforcement and certain agencies
Michigan follows the federal FCRA 7-year limit. Under the 2021 Clean Slate Act, certain misdemeanors are automatically set aside (sealed) after 7 years and certain felonies after 10 years from sentence completion.
How to see your own Michigan record
Official source: Michigan State Police (MSP) ICHAT system
Cost: $10 online via ICHAT
Turnaround: Immediate (online)
Where to start: https://apps.michigan.gov/ICHAT/Home.aspx
The official Michigan record only covers in-state arrests and convictions. If you have lived in multiple states, or want to see what private aggregators have collected about you, run a personal records check first — it shows the same data an out-of-state employer's consumer-reporting agency would pull.
What changes after expungement in Michigan
A successful set-aside in Michigan removes the conviction from public background checks performed through ICHAT. Private third-party background-check companies are legally required to remove the entry once notified. The applicant may answer "no" to most "have you been convicted" questions, with statutory exceptions for law enforcement, judicial offices, and child-care licensure.
Frequently asked questions
Does Michigan Clean Slate automatically clear my record?
Yes, for qualifying convictions, but only after the required waiting period (7 years after a misdemeanor sentence ends, 10 years after a felony). The Clean Slate Act began automated set-asides in April 2023. Disqualifying offenses (sex offenses, life-maximum felonies, traffic offenses) never qualify and must be addressed individually if relief is available.
How do I check my own Michigan criminal record?
Michigan maintains its criminal-history records through Michigan State Police (MSP) ICHAT system. You can request your own record for $10 online via ICHAT; results typically arrive in Immediate (online). Pulling your own record before applying for a job is the single most useful step you can take.
Do private background checks show Michigan sealed or expunged records?
Private consumer-reporting agencies are required to remove sealed or expunged records once notified, but they often retain old copies and may continue to report them by mistake. After your order is granted, request a free annual personal-records report from each major reporting agency and dispute any entries that still show the old data.