-----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,
 F3EF08dGt7Fky9QeqOdsGKJED3qUl4KRCsXE62wBPZ45MH+A0sivX/AfmCorp+w1
 v0GLqa/BQ/0i3Jjv5VjdZw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001205742-03-000001.txt : 20030612
<SEC-HEADER>0001205742-03-000001.hdr.sgml : 20030612
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030612155711
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001205742-03-000001
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030610
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030612

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:			BALLARD PAUL R
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001205742

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-31708
		FILM NUMBER:		03742290

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		200 N WASHINGTON SQUARE
		CITY:			LANSING
		STATE:			MI
		ZIP:			48933
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5174876555

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		200 N WASHINGTON SQUARE
		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>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-10</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000840264</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CAPITOL BANCORP LTD</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CBCL</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001205742</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BALLARD PAUL R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-10</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>P</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>12000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>8.49</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>85875.4396</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></no
nDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>8.49</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-10</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>X</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>12000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>8.49</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1996-07-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-06-30</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>12000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>24294</value></sharesOwnedFo
llowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">28,697 shares held directly; 8,664.6983 shares held in ESOP; 1,379 shares held in wife's IRA; 45,871 shares held in Trust; 1,249.7722 shares held in wife's trust; and 13.9691 shares held as custodian for nephew</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Paul R. Ballard</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-12</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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