• Prepayment of All Requests
• Information Needed to Process Any Reference Request
• Online Requests
  • Contract Researchers
• Letter and Telephone Requests
• Charges for Services

Prepayment of All Requests

The Archives of Michigan requires payment for research conducted for off-site visitors.  This fee is necessary to ensure the day-to-day operation of the reference unit.

Any questions or comments may be directed to (517) 373-1481.  Researchers may visit the Archives in person at no charge.  Photocopies are $.20 per page.

Information Needed to Process Any Reference Request

We need the following information in order for us to process your request. Also, please provide detailed information about the records that you are seeking. Review the Archival Circulars for assistance before submitting a request. If your research involves a topic not mentioned below, be as specific as possible.

• Naturalization Records
  If your research question involves a naturalization record, please provide the county in which the person was naturalized, the approximate date of naturalization, and the name(s) of the person with each possible spelling for the name. Please also provide any available biographical information, such as date of birth, death, approximate arrival in the U.S. (up to ten years), and names of spouse and children.

• Vital Records Indexes
  If your research question involves a vital record (birth, death, marriage, divorce record), you may visit the Archives of Michigan in person to search our indexes, but you will need to contact the Michigan Department of Community Health for an actual copy of the record. Click COPIES OF VITAL RECORDS to obtain ordering information from their web site. 

IMPORTANT: The Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics is not part of the Archives of Michigan. Information from vital records can only be obtained by sending in a completed Vital Records Application Form. Please do not request free research services. Information about the division's services and fees is available at the Michigan Department of Community Health Web site.

• Military Records: War Records, Post War Records, Local Records

  If your research question involves a military service or a veteran's record, please provide the name(s) of the person you are seeking and the war in which the person participated. Please list the specific records you wish to search.

• Legislative History: Special Committees, Standing House Committees, Standing Senate Committees
  If your research question involves legislative history/intent, please provide the public act number and the year of passage, or the bill number and year of passage. Indicate if the bill was first introduced in the House of Representatives or the Senate, the subject of the bill, and the committee which reviewed the bill. Compiled Laws references will not be accepted. We can only research one request (one bill) at a time.

• Land Records
  If your research question involves a land record, you must provide the legal description, e.g., the township, range and section numbers, or at least provide the city or village.

Online Requests

The following form exists for online requests (Researchers will still have to prepay via telephone or check. Do not provide credit card information on this form. Credit card information can be taken by telephone only.):

Online Reference Request Form.

Please complete all fields on the form. We need your phone number so the archivist can talk to you directly if there is a question. Your complete postal mailing address is necessary because the search is most likely to provide paper copies that will need to be mailed.

NOTE: The best way to research your topic of interest at the Archives of Michigan is to visit the Archives of Michigan Reading Room. Click VISITOR INFORMATION for more details. If you have a more extensive research project and cannot travel to our reading room, a list of contract researchers can be provided upon request. Click CONTRACT RESEARCHERS to submit such a request. The Archives of Michigan provides the names as a public service and cannot assist in the arrangements between patrons and researchers.

 

The Library of Michigan also provides a list of Michigan genealogical societies and professional genealogists who will provide genealogical research services for a fee. Click MICHIGAN GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH NETWORK to view this list.

Letter and Telephone Requests

The Archives of Michigan accepts reference requests by mail, telephone and FAX.

Address:

Archives of Michigan

P. O. Box 30737

Lansing, Michigan 48909-8240

Telephone: (517) 373-1481

FAX: (517) 241-1658

All requests must be prepaid. Please call (517) 373-1481 for research services and fees information. If you wish to FAX or mail your request, you may print and use a Reference Request Form. Click REFERENCE REQUEST FORM to access the form.

Charges for Services

• Please call (517) 373-1481 for research services and fees information.
• Click PHOTOGRAPH PRICE LIST for a guide to photograph prices (Payments must be made in advance.).
• Certified Copies: $10.00 for the first certified page plus $1.00 for each additional page (Payments must be made in advance.).
• Photocopies: .20 per page for onsite researchers (For offsite requests, the photocopy charge is included in the research fee.).

Click ARCHIVES OF MICHIGAN to visit the Archives of Michigan home page.

Archives of Michigan
Michigan Library and Historical Center
702 W. Kalamazoo Street
Lansing, MI 48913
Phone: (517) 373-1481
E-mail: archives@michigan.gov

Updated 11/02/2009

Michigan Historical Center, Department of History, Arts and Libraries
Use and Reproduction Information [PDF]
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