-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 FPZc/ZtmevSMVXeXPmySId80YIN8GZMBYRDV1baJSwiijzydY/vc3YEiCsUJt92/
 0jOAYUQsV+OrxCJO3r0H7w==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001205796-11-000002.txt : 20110217
<SEC-HEADER>0001205796-11-000002.hdr.sgml : 20110217
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20110217145147
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001205796-11-000002
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4/A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20110210
FILED AS OF DATE:		20110217
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20110217

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			THOMAS BRUCE A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001205796

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4/A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-31708
		FILM NUMBER:		11620558

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		200 N WASHINGTON SQUARE
		CITY:			LANSING
		STATE:			MI
		ZIP:			48933

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:			0706

	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
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-02-10</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2011-02-15</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000840264</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CAPITOL BANCORP LTD</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CBC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001205796</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>THOMAS BRUCE A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>11344 WILSON ST.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DEWITT</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MI</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>48820</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>President, Bank Operations</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On February 15, 2011, the reporting person mistakenly reported on a Form 4 that 2,500 shares of common stock had been acquired in a directly held account as a result of an issuer exchange offer, when in fact, this acquisition did not occur.  The other two acquisitions (each for 10,000 shares) reported on that Form 4 did occur, so the total number of shares of common stock acquired by the reporting person in the issuer exchange offer in his various accounts totaled 20,000 shares.  The total number of shares of common stock held in Mr. Thomas' various direct and indirect accounts is 37,077.7801.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Bruce A. Thomas</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----