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<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">FORM 8-K</font></div>
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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):&#160;&#160;March 10, 2011 (March 9, 2011)</font><br>
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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 24pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">CAPITOL BANCORP LTD.</font></div>

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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Michigan</font></div>

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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (<font style="FONT-STYLE: italic; DISPLAY: inline">see </font>General Instruction A.2. below):</font></div>

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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Item 8.01.&#160;&#160;Other Events.</font></div>

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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">On February 23, 2011, at a special meeting of the shareholders of Capitol Bancorp Ltd. (&#8220;Capitol&#8221;), holders of the common stock of Capitol approved a proposal, which was previously approved by the Board of Directors of Capitol, to authorize an increase in the total number of shares of capital stock of Capitol to 1,520,000,000, consisting of (i) 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock, no par value per share and (ii) 1,500,000,000 shares of common stock, no par value per share.</font></div>

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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">On March 9, 2011, Capitol filed a Certificate of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation with the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth, Bureau of Commercial Services.&#160;&#160;The Certificate of Amendment increases the total number of shares of capital stock of all classes which Capitol has authority to issue from 70,000,000 to 1,520,000,000 shares, of which 1,500,000,000 shares are classified as common stock and 20,000,000 shares are classified as preferred stock.</font></div>

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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">A copy of the Certificate of Amendment is attached as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.</font></div>

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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">&#160;Exhibits</font></div>
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<div style="TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">3.1 Certificate of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation.</font></div>

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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CAPITOL BANCORP LTD", "cik": "0000840264", "assigned-sic": "6021", "irs-number": "382761672", "state-of-incorporation": "MI", "fiscal-year-end": "0706"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-31708", "film-number": "11677198"}, "business-address": {"street1": "ONE BUSINESS & TRADE CNTR", "street2": "200 WASHINGTON SQ N", "city": "LANSING", "state": "MI", "zip": "48933", "phone": "5174876555"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "ONE BUSINESS & TRADE CENTER", "street2": "200 WASHINGTON SQUARE NORTH", "city": "LANSING", "state": "MI", "zip": "48933"}}
form8k.htm
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  March 10, 2011 (March 9, 2011)
CAPITOL BANCORP LTD.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Michigan
(State or other jurisdiction
of incorporation)
001-31708
(Commission File No.)
38-2761672
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)
Capitol Bancorp Center
200 Washington Square North, Lansing, Michigan 48933
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)  (Zip Code)
517-487-6555
(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Not Applicable
(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (
see
General Instruction A.2. below):
o
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 8.01.  Other Events.
On February 23, 2011, at a special meeting of the shareholders of Capitol Bancorp Ltd. ("Capitol"), holders of the common stock of Capitol approved a proposal, which was previously approved by the Board of Directors of Capitol, to authorize an increase in the total number of shares of capital stock of Capitol to 1,520,000,000, consisting of (i) 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock, no par value per share and (ii) 1,500,000,000 shares of common stock, no par value per share.
On March 9, 2011, Capitol filed a Certificate of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation with the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth, Bureau of Commercial Services.  The Certificate of Amendment increases the total number of shares of capital stock of all classes which Capitol has authority to issue from 70,000,000 to 1,520,000,000 shares, of which 1,500,000,000 shares are classified as common stock and 20,000,000 shares are classified as preferred stock.
A copy of the Certificate of Amendment is attached as Exhibit 3.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.
Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d)
Exhibits
3.1 Certificate of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Date:  March 10, 2011
CAPITOL BANCORP LTD.
(Registrant)
/s/ Cristin K. Reid
Cristin K. Reid
Corporate President
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INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit No.
Description of Exhibit
3.1                                                   Certificate of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation.
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