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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,
 TXVfZRk1DINlxQ/gDmeHPKIAgQYL3xKgtlRN4iBYn0luaq0t4bEzFlQID2vDrfru
 jeCRI5dWA/vlqFo9q7V+Dg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001205775-04-000001.txt : 20040102
<SEC-HEADER>0001205775-04-000001.hdr.sgml : 20040101
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040102100421
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001205775-04-000001
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031231
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040102

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:			HENDRICKSON LEE W
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001205775

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-31708
		FILM NUMBER:		04500219

	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>
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<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-31</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000840264</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CAPITOL BANCORP LTD</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CBC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001205775</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HENDRICKSON LEE W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>9672 SUNNY POINTE DR.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LAINGSBURG</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>48848</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5035.7815</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1394</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDeri
vativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1732.0143</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>ESOP</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>226</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>
226</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>11.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-12-31</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-07-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3077</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3077</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>11.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-12-31</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-07-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1794</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1794</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>17.42</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-01-15</value></exerciseDate
><expirationDate><value>2008-07-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1822</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1822</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>17.42</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-01-15</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-02-05</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>6517</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><
postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>6517</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>17.42</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-01-15</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-02-15</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1303</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1303</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>20.89</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-12-31</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-12-31</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>480</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>480</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>16.40</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-03-31</val
ue></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-10-31</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5505</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5505</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>16.40</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-03-31</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-11-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2202</value></underlyingSecurityShares></und
erlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2202</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>16.40</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-03-31</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-01-31</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>734</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>734</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwner
ship><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>20.90</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-04-09</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-05-21</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5253</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5253</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>20.90</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><valu
e>2003-04-09</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-08-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1050</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1050</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>11.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-12-31</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-07-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1283</value></underlyingSec
urityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1283</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">69 shares were received in exchange for shares of the common stock of Arrowhead Community Bank, 52 shares were received in exchange for shares of the the common stock of Goshen Community Bank, 53 shares were received in exchange for shares of the common stock of Sunrise Bank of Albuquerque, and 52 shares were received in exchange for shares of the common stock of Yuma Community Bank in connection with the business combinations between Capitol Bancorp Ltd. and each of these entities.  All of the transactions are exempt pursuant to Rule 16b-3(d) of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSig
nature><signatureName>Lee W. Hendrickson</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-31</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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