Michigan Gun Laws

• Entrenched Universal Controls: In 2026, Michigan operates under the strict regulatory framework established by the sweeping 2024 legislative package. This includes universally mandated background checks for all firearm transfers (both handguns and long guns), mandatory safe storage laws if minors are present, and active Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs).
• Permit Paradigm: Michigan is not a constitutional carry state. A Concealed Pistol License (CPL) is strictly required to carry a concealed handgun. While open carry without a permit is technically legal on foot for adults 18+, the moment an individual steps into a vehicle, the firearm is legally considered "concealed" and requires a CPL to remain loaded.
• State Preemption Intact: Despite the shift toward tighter gun control, Michigan continues to enforce strong state preemption laws. Local governments are generally forbidden from enacting their own ordinances that regulate the ownership, registration, or transportation of firearms, preventing a confusing patchwork of local rules.

Michigan is a "Shall Issue" state for the Concealed Pistol License (CPL). The application process is managed at the county level by the County Clerk, with background investigations conducted by the Michigan State Police.

• Minimum Age: 21 years old.
• Training Requirements: Applicants must successfully complete a state-approved pistol safety training course. The course must be at least 8 hours long, comprising 5 hours of classroom instruction (covering state law and safe handling) and 3 hours of live-fire range instruction firing a minimum of 30 rounds.
• Background Checks: A comprehensive background check utilizing state (LEIN) and federal (NICS) databases, along with a mental health inquiry, is mandatory.
• Fingerprints: Electronic Live Scan fingerprints are required and must be submitted through an approved vendor or local law enforcement agency.
• Application Fees: The application and licensing fee is $115.00 to the County Clerk. Fingerprinting fees are an additional $15.00.
• Processing Times: By law, the county clerk shall issue or deny the CPL within 45 days after the classifiable fingerprints are taken. If 45 days pass without a response, the fingerprint receipt acts as a temporary CPL.

Michigan does not heavily restrict specific types of firearms or magazine capacities, provided they comply with federal law, though certain ammunition types are banned.

• Magazine Capacity: No restrictions. High-capacity and standard-capacity magazines are fully legal to buy, sell, possess, and carry.
• "Assault Weapon" Bans: None. Michigan does not regulate or ban semi-automatic rifles, shotguns, or pistols based on cosmetic features or military-style appearance.
• Restricted Ammunition: Michigan explicitly prohibits the manufacture, sale, or possession of armor-piercing ammunition (Teflon-coated or specific hard metallic cores designed to penetrate bulletproof vests).
• Banned Models: No specific firearm models are banned by name. Suppressors, SBRs, and SBSs are legal provided they are properly registered under the National Firearms Act (NFA).

Michigan provides strong, codified "Stand Your Ground" and "Castle Doctrine" protections for individuals forced to defend themselves.

• Stand Your Ground: Yes. The Self-Defense Act states that an individual who has not or is not engaged in the commission of a crime, and who has a legal right to be where they are, has no duty to retreat before using deadly force to prevent imminent death, great bodily harm, or sexual assault.
• Castle Doctrine: Yes. Michigan law establishes a rebuttable presumption that an individual who uses deadly force had an honest and reasonable belief of imminent death or great bodily harm if the intruder was unlawfully breaking into their dwelling, business premises, or occupied vehicle.
• Duty to Retreat: No. There is no legal duty to retreat in Michigan.
• Civil Immunity: Yes. If a criminal investigation or court finds that the use of force was justified, the defender is immune from civil liability suits brought by the attacker or their estate, and the court shall award attorney fees to the defender.

Michigan transportation laws strictly depend on CPL possession, primarily because being in a vehicle automatically classifies a handgun as "concealed."

• Handguns (With CPL): May be carried loaded and concealed on your person or anywhere inside the vehicle.
• Handguns (Without CPL): Must be completely unloaded. The firearm must be enclosed in a case and transported in the trunk of the vehicle. If the vehicle has no trunk, it must be unloaded, cased, and not readily accessible to the occupants.
• Long Guns: Must always be unloaded (both chamber and magazine) and enclosed in a case or carried in the trunk of the vehicle, regardless of whether the driver holds a CPL.
• Federal Gun-Free School Zone Act: A Michigan CPL exempts the holder from the federal 1,000-foot buffer zone prohibition around K-12 schools, though the actual school grounds remain off-limits under state law.

Michigan completely overhauled its purchase framework in 2024, now requiring universal background checks and licensure for all firearm acquisitions.

• Dealer Sales: Require a NICS background check. Additionally, buyers without a CPL must obtain a License to Purchase a Pistol (LTP) from local police for handguns, or undergo the background check directly at the FFL for long guns.
• Private Sales: Universal background checks are mandatory. A buyer must possess a valid CPL or obtain an LTP (which requires a background check by local law enforcement) before any private transfer of a handgun or long gun can legally occur.
• Waiting Periods: There is no statutory waiting period for the purchase itself, but the administrative process of obtaining an LTP from a police department can act as a de facto waiting period.
• CCW Bypass: A valid Michigan CPL qualifies as an exemption to the NICS background check at a dealer and serves as the required license to purchase in private transfers.

Michigan aggressively utilizes its Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Act, which went into full effect in early 2024.

• Who Can File: Law enforcement officers, family members, spouses, former spouses, individuals who have a child in common with the respondent, dating partners, and licensed mental health professionals can petition the circuit court.
• Process and Duration: A judge can issue an ex parte ERPO without the respondent present if there is clear evidence of immediate danger. The respondent must surrender firearms within 24 hours (or immediately if served by police). A full hearing is held within 14 days. If granted, a final ERPO lasts for one year.
• Appeal: The respondent can file one motion to modify or terminate the order during its one-year duration, bearing the burden to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that they are no longer a risk.

Carrying a concealed pistol in Michigan without a valid CPL is a severe offense. Under MCL 750.227, it is a felony punishable by imprisonment for up to 5 years and a fine of up to $2,500. Carrying a handgun in a motor vehicle without a CPL, even if unloaded and uncased (violating transport rules), triggers this same felony charge.

For CPL holders, carrying a concealed pistol in a statutorily defined "Pistol-Free Zone" (like a bar, hospital, or school) is a state civil infraction for the first offense, carrying a $500 fine and an automatic 6-month suspension of the CPL. A second offense is a 90-day misdemeanor and results in permanent revocation of the CPL. A third offense escalates to a 4-year felony.