DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH  
OFFICE OF THE STATE REGISTRAR  
VITAL RECORDS INSPECTION AND DISCLOSURE  
(By authority conferred on the department of public health by section 2888 and 2896 of  
Act No. 368 of the Public Acts of 1978, as amended, being SS333.2888 and 333.2896 of  
the Michigan Compiled Laws)  
R 325.3231 Definitions.  
Rule 1. (1) As used in these rules:  
(a) "Code" means Act No. 368 of the Public Acts of 1978, as amended, being S333.1101  
et seq. of the Michigan Compiled Laws.  
(b) "Heir" means any living relative of a deceased individual.  
(c) "Index" means a reference listing of vital records information containing, at a  
minimum, all of the following:  
(i) Reference to the type of event.  
(ii) The name of the registrant.  
(iii) A reference to locate the record. Except that an index shall not contain the residence  
or mailing address of the registrant or informant.  
(d) "Registrant" means the individual to whom the record pertains.  
(2) The terms defined in part 28 of the code have the same meanings when used in these  
rules.  
History: 1983 AACS.  
R 325.3232 Indexes; availability for inspection.  
Rule 2. Indexes of marriage, divorce, or death records in the possession of a local registrar  
shall be made available for inspection by the public at times and places specified by each  
local registrar. Each local registrar shall, by public notice, specify the times and places  
indexes shall be available for inspection.  
History: 1983 AACS.  
R 325.3233 Lists of vital events.  
Rule 3. (1) Upon request, the state registrar or a local registrar may prepare a listing of  
marriages, divorces, or deaths containing any information of the record, except for the  
mailing or residence address of the registrant or informant and information identified as  
being collected for statistical or health purposes.  
(2) The local registrar or state registrar may charge a fee in accordance with section 2891  
of the code for preparing the list and providing a copy of the list or for providing a copy of  
a marriage, divorce, or death index prepared in accordance with subrule (1) of this rule.  
Page 1  
History: 1983 AACS.  
R 325.3234 Vital record documents; public inspection and copying.  
Rule 4. (1) An original vital record document registered at the office of the state registrar  
shall not be open to public inspection.  
(2) Vital record documents on file at the office of a local registrar shall not be open to  
public inspection, except when a local registrar determines that a person eligible to receive  
a copy of a selected individual record has a legitimate research interest in inspecting the  
record.  
(3) A local registrar may allow any person who is eligible to receive a copy of a record  
and who has a legitimate research interest in inspecting the record to inspect vital records  
books of marriages and deaths when the individual record of interest cannot be located in  
the place specified in the index or when there is a possibility that the document may not  
have been properly recorded or indexed.  
(4) A local registrar may restrict access to records or indexes which are determined to be  
in such a state of deterioration that public use of the index or document may result in  
damage to the record or index.  
(5) Except as provided in subrule (2) or (3) of this rule or by law, a local registrar shall  
not allow persons to inspect or copy information from vital record documents on file in the  
office of the local registrar.  
(6) A local registrar or the state registrar shall release a copy or certified copy of a vital  
record or information contained in a vital record only to a person who is eligible to receive  
a copy or certified copy of a vital record or information contained in a vital record as  
specified in sections 2882, 2883, and 2884 of the code.  
(7) A local registrar shall not permit the inspection or copying of information collected  
for statistical or health purposes from original vital records documents in his or her  
possession before transmission to the state registrar, except upon written permission from  
the state registrar.  
History: 1983 AACS.  
R 325.3235 Vital records; security; procedures.  
Rule 5. (1) A vital record registered at the office of the state registrar or on file with a  
local registrar shall be maintained in a locked or secured area when not under the  
supervision of office personnel.  
(2) A local registrar shall establish written minimum security procedures governing access  
to vital records. A copy of the procedures shall be forwarded to the state registrar for  
approval.  
History: 1983 AACS.  
R 325.3236 Misuse of documents or attempts to obtain vital records by ineligible  
individuals; notification of state registrar by local registrar.  
Page 2  
Rule 6. A local registrar shall notify the state registrar in writing of any suspected misuse  
of vital records or any attempt to obtain a vital record by an individual who is not eligible  
to receive a copy or certified copy of the requested document.  
History: 1983 AACS.  
Page 3  
;