-----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,
 Mi4yNEh6xhdsj8PNA/cCFiSmdCSvE/aFYGAc7vDAHF8SCHItS9GFvAYK1tHNykZd
 V75wLwx+kexJwYIjoOhuqw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001205776-03-000002.txt : 20030804
<SEC-HEADER>0001205776-03-000002.hdr.sgml : 20030804
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030804083117
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001205776-03-000002
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030731
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030804

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:			JOHNS LEWIS D
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001205776

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-31708
		FILM NUMBER:		03819131

	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>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-31</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000840264</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CAPITOL BANCORP LTD</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CBC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001205776</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>JOHNS LEWIS D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>316 E. MICHIGAN AVE.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LANSING</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>48933</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>702</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>38826</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>24021</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>62847</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate><value>2003-07-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>752</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>63599</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transac
tionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>688</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>64287</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>39255</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwner
ship></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>28468</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2526</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>43268</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></p
ostTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>IRA</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>630</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Grandchildren's Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1530</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Grandchildren's Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature><
/nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>900</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Grandchildren's Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>12.62</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-05-04</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-09-24</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>404</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>404</value></sharesOwnedFollowin
gTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>13.48</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-05-04</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-09-30</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>452</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>452</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options</value>
</securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>10.85</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-05-04</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-01-31</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>251</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>251</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>12.50</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-05-04</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-04-07</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock
</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>14</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>14</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>11.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-07-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-07-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1962</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1962</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><owners
hipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>13.50</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-12-31</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-01-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1432</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1432</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>22.86</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-12-31</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-01-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>852</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>852</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options</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><underlyi
ngSecurityShares><value>2101</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2101</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>20.90</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-04-09</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-08-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>381</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>381</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><val
ue>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Received in exchange for Black Mountain Community Bank common stock in connection with the business combination between Capitol Bancorp Ltd. and Black Mountain.  The transaction is exempt pursuant to Rule 16b-3(d) of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Received in exchange for Desert Community Bank common stock in connection with the business combination between Capitol Bancorp Ltd. and Desert.  The transaction is exempt pursuant to Rule 16b-3(d) of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended.</footnote><footnote id="F3">Received in exchange for Red Rock Community Bank common stock in connection with the business combination between Capitol Bancorp Ltd. and Red Rock.  The transaction is exempt pursuant to Rule 16b-3(d) of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Received in exchange 
for Elkhart Community Bank common stock in connection with the business combination between Capitol Bancorp Ltd. and Elkhart.  The transaction is exempt pursuant to Rule 16b-3(d) of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Lewis D. Johns</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-31</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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