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Gun Laws

Michigan Gun Laws: A Plain-English Overview

Michigan is a shall-issue state for concealed carry and allows open carry for people who may legally possess a firearm. This page summarizes the firearm laws that come up most often for Michigan gun owners and CPL holders. It is general information, not legal advice — always confirm the current statute before you act.

Concealed carry requires a CPL

To carry a concealed pistol in Michigan you need a Concealed Pistol License (CPL). Michigan is not a permitless/constitutional-carry state. You apply at your county clerk — Michigan eliminated the old county gun boards on December 1, 2015 (Public Act 3 of 2015), so the clerk now handles applications and issues the license, while the Michigan State Police verify your record through LEIN and NICS.

  • Age: 21+ and a Michigan resident (limited active-military exceptions).
  • Training: a state-approved 8-hour pistol safety course before you apply.
  • Cost: $115 total ($100 application + $15 fingerprinting); course tuition is separate.
  • Valid: 5 years, expiring on your birthday. Honored in 38+ states.

See How to Get a Michigan CPL, eligibility requirements, and reciprocity for details.

Open carry

Open carry of a legally owned, registered pistol is generally lawful in Michigan for anyone who may legally possess a firearm, even without a CPL. However, you cannot transport a pistol in a vehicle without a CPL except under the narrow “lawful purpose” transport rules below (MCL 750.227(2)), and open carry is still prohibited in posted and statutory off-limits areas.

Where you can’t carry: pistol-free zones

Under MCL 28.425o, a CPL holder may not carry a concealed pistol (parking lots excluded) in:

  • Schools and school property (a parent/guardian may carry in a vehicle while dropping off or picking up a child)
  • Public or private day care centers
  • Sports arenas or stadiums
  • Bars or taverns whose primary income is liquor by the glass
  • Places of worship (unless the presiding official allows it)
  • Entertainment venues seating 2,500 or more
  • Hospitals
  • College or university dorms and classrooms
  • Casinos

More detail: Michigan pistol-free zones.

Self-defense, Castle Doctrine & Stand Your Ground

Michigan has no duty to retreat. Under the Self-Defense Act (MCL 780.972), a person who is not committing a crime and is somewhere they have a legal right to be may use force — including deadly force to prevent imminent death, great bodily harm, or sexual assault — if they honestly and reasonably believe it is necessary. MCL 780.951 adds a rebuttable presumption of reasonable fear in home-invasion situations, and MCL 600.2922b and 600.2922c provide civil immunity (and attorney-fee recovery) for justified self-defense.

Carrying under the influence

Michigan sets a stricter alcohol limit for CPL holders than for driving. Under MCL 28.425k, a CPL holder carrying concealed faces penalties starting at a 0.02 BAC (a civil infraction and 1-year CPL suspension), rising to a misdemeanor and CPL revocation at 0.08 or above. The general firearm-while-intoxicated statute (MCL 750.237) uses a 0.08 threshold and applies to everyone. Accepting a CPL is implied consent to chemical testing.

Transporting firearms

Pistols: a CPL holder may transport a pistol in a vehicle with no special restrictions. Without a CPL, transporting a pistol in a vehicle is a felony (MCL 750.227(2)) unless it is for a “lawful purpose” (such as going to a range, repair shop, or gun show) and is unloaded, in a closed case, and in the trunk (or, with no trunk, not readily accessible) (MCL 750.231a).

Long guns: rifles and shotguns must be unloaded in any vehicle (MCL 750.227c) and, in a motor vehicle, also taken down, enclosed in a case, carried in the trunk, or otherwise inaccessible from the interior (MCL 750.227d).

Buying a firearm

To buy a pistol in Michigan you generally need either a License to Purchase or a valid CPL (a CPL exempts you from the License to Purchase), and pistols are registered with a Pistol Sales Record (MCL 28.422a). See How to Buy a Firearm in Michigan for the current process and background-check rules.

Who cannot possess a firearm

Felons are prohibited from possessing firearms under MCL 750.224f; rights are restored 3 years (non-specified felony) or 5 years plus a court petition (specified felony) after all penalties are completed. A federal Lautenberg conviction — a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence under 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9) — is a separate lifetime federal firearm ban, independent of Michigan law.

Extreme Risk Protection Orders (red-flag law)

Michigan’s Extreme Risk Protection Order Act (MCL 691.1801 et seq.), effective February 13, 2024, lets certain family members, household members, and law enforcement petition a court to temporarily bar a person from possessing firearms if they pose a risk to themselves or others.

Other rules worth knowing

  • Reckless or negligent discharge of a firearm is a misdemeanor even if no one is hurt (MCL 752.863a).
  • If you fire a gun and injure someone, you must stop, render aid, and report it (MCL 752.842–843) — even after a justified self-defense shooting.
  • A Michigan CPL covers a concealed pistol only; it does not authorize concealed carry of fixed double-edged knives or other dangerous weapons (MCL 750.227).
  • When stopped by a peace officer while carrying, you must disclose that you are carrying (MCL 28.425f(3)) and have your CPL and ID with you.

This overview is for general education and is not legal advice. Michigan firearm law changes; verify the current statute (the Michigan Legislature’s “Firearms Laws of Michigan” is the controlling reference) or consult an attorney before acting.