-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 WQfa7GrJ9WaeJERgH+3LK0R7s/y4HDyIfKIUtuQvNkrsLlxvjYRtXUHY55l51am5
 EoYsreCI7bJvCHLtXODDbQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000903771-04-000002.txt : 20040108
<SEC-HEADER>0000903771-04-000002.hdr.sgml : 20040108
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040108152951
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000903771-04-000002
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040107
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040108

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CAPITOL BANCORP LTD
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000840264
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS [6021]
		IRS NUMBER:				382761672
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MI
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE BUSINESS & TRADE CNTR
		STREET 2:		200 WASHINGTON SQ N
		CITY:			LANSING
		STATE:			MI
		ZIP:			48933
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5174876555

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE BUSINESS & TRADE CENTER
		STREET 2:		200 WASHINGTON SQUARE NORTH
		CITY:			LANSING
		STATE:			MI
		ZIP:			48933

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			REID JOSEPH D
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000903771

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-31708
		FILM NUMBER:		04515421

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O CAPITAL BANCORP LTD
		STREET 2:		200 WASHINGTON SQU. N. #130
		CITY:			LANSING
		STATE:			MI
		ZIP:			48933
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5174876555

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O CAPITOL BANCORP
		STREET 2:		200 WASHINGTON SQU. N. #130
		CITY:			LANSING
		STATE:			MI
		ZIP:			48933
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-07</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000840264</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CAPITOL BANCORP LTD</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CBC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000903771</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>REID JOSEPH D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>200 N. WASHINGTON SQUARE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LANSING</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>48933</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman and CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>20125.6918</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>401k</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>33744</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Wife/IRA</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDeriv
ativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>115074</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>IRA</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>121493</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Family LP</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>853730</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></post
TransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>6870</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>21908</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><deriva
tiveHolding><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>25.1041</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1997-12-15</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-12-15</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>100001</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>100001</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Family LP</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1997-06-01</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate
><expirationDate><value>2004-06-01</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>888810</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>888810</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>27.04</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-11-06</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-11-06</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>60000</value></underlyingSecuritySha
res></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>60000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>27.22</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-07</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>70285</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-01-07</value></exerciseDa
te><expirationDate><value>2010-12-31</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>70285</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>70285</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The options have exercise prices varying from $9.878 to $25.10417, exercisable dates between 6/1/97 to 7/31/03, and expiration dates of 6/1/04 to 7/31/10.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Joseph D. Reid</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-08</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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