Gun Laws in Michigan
Gun Friendliness Score
How We Calculate Gun Friendliness Scores
The Gun Friendliness Score ranges from 0 to 100 and represents how favorable a state's laws are toward gun ownership and use. We evaluate each state across 50 key gun policies, assigning points based on how these policies affect gun owners:
- Policies that support gun rights, reduce restrictions, or expand legal protections for gun owners receive positive points
- Policies that restrict firearm ownership, limit purchase options, or add regulatory burdens receive negative points
Michigan's moderate score of 61 reflects the state's shall-issue concealed carry permit system, preemption laws, and stand your ground protections, balanced against restrictions such as handgun purchase permits and registration requirements.
Michigan Gun Laws Summary
Michigan maintains a moderate position regarding gun laws, balancing respect for Second Amendment rights with certain regulatory requirements. The state has a mix of permissive and restrictive elements in its firearms legislation.
Michigan is a shall-issue state for concealed pistol licenses. County clerks handle the application process, and qualifying applicants will receive their permits without discretionary denial. Michigan requires a permit to purchase handguns, though long guns can be purchased without a permit.
Since December 18, 2012, Michigan has been classified as a shall-issue state with no "good cause" requirement when Governor Rick Snyder signed legislation that eliminated county gun boards and streamlined the permit process. Michigan is not a constitutional carry state, though several bills have been proposed in recent years to move in that direction. Michigan law also includes "stand your ground" provisions that removed the duty to retreat in situations where self-defense is justified.
Permitting, Sales and Transfers
Michigan requires a permit to purchase for handguns but not for long guns. For handguns, purchasers must obtain either a License to Purchase from local law enforcement or present a valid Concealed Pistol License. Background checks are conducted for all firearm purchases through federally licensed dealers (FFLs) as required by federal law.
Private sales of handguns require the buyer to have a License to Purchase or valid CPL, and the transaction must be recorded with local law enforcement within 10 days. Michigan maintains a registration system for handguns, but not for rifles or shotguns. Purchases made with a CPL must still be registered with local law enforcement.
Firearms in Public and in the Home
Michigan requires a Concealed Pistol License (CPL) for concealed carry. Residents aged 21 and older who meet eligibility requirements may apply. Open carry is generally legal without a permit for those who can legally possess firearms, though certain locations prohibit any form of carry.
Open carry is legal without a permit, but there are restrictions on where firearms can be carried. Prohibited locations include schools, churches, courts, theaters, sports arenas, day care centers, hospitals, and establishments licensed under the Michigan Liquor Control Code where alcohol is the primary business. CPL holders have some exemptions to these location restrictions, but federal restrictions still apply. To obtain a CPL, applicants must complete a pistol safety training course that includes at least 8 hours of instruction.
Firearm, Feature and Accessory Bans
Michigan has no state-level assault weapons ban or magazine capacity restrictions. Short-barreled rifles and shotguns are legal to own provided federal requirements are met. Suppressors are also legal with proper federal registration. Michigan law requires firearm sound suppressors to comply with federal law but does not prohibit them. Automatic firearms are legal if they comply with federal regulations and registration requirements.
Local Laws
Michigan has statewide preemption of firearms laws. Local governments are prohibited from enacting or enforcing any ordinance, regulation, or resolution pertaining to the regulation of firearms that is more restrictive than state law. This ensures uniform gun laws throughout the state, though there are certain exceptions for restrictions on carrying firearms in public buildings owned by local governments.
2025 Gun Law Checklist
Michigan Gun Policy Profile: 50 Key Legislative Points
Purchasing and Sales Regulations
Background Check for Any Firearm Sale
State requires any firearm sale to go through a licensed dealer (FFL) and be subject to a background check. (Federal law requires those "engaged in the business" of buying/selling firearms to perform a background check during a sale). A private sale or transfer of any firearm between individuals (non-family members) must be also conducted through an FFL.
Background Check for Any Handgun Sale (Including Private Sales)
All handgun sales and most transfers are subject to a background check. Private sales of handguns between individuals (non-family members) must be conducted through an FFL or require a permit that involves a background check.
Background Check Extensions
State will halt the transfer of a firearm if a background check is delayed. Some states will halt the process indefinitely, some for a set amount of time.
Failed Background Check Reported to Law Enforcement
The firearm dealer (or state agency conducting the background check) has a responsibility to notify local law enforcement of a failed background check.
Must be 21 or Older to Purchase
Most firearms–including rifles, shotguns, and handguns–cannot be sold to anyone under the age of 21. (Federal laws permit long guns to be sold to those over the age of 18.)
Permit to Purchase
State requires a permit (single-use or renewable) for all firearms or specifically for handguns. States typically charge a fee for the permit and a background check is performed during the application.
Mandatory Waiting Periods
Prior to purchasing a firearm, an individual must wait a specified period (typically between 3-14 days) between initiating the purchase and taking possession of the firearm.
State Licenses All Gun Dealers
State has a licensing system for firearms merchants above and beyond the federal (FFL) system.
Purchase Rejected for Public Safety Reasons
State officials able to block sales of firearms if the purchaser is deemed to be a threat to themselves or to public safety (according to the judgment of the official)
Approved Handgun Roster
State controls what make and model handguns are sold; according to their own criteria. Often, this involves a "roster" of approved handguns with the right "safety" features, such as a loaded chamber indicator, or even the amount of metal in the firearm (Maryland). Often, LE are exempt from these requirements.
Strict Unfinished Frames and Receivers Laws
State sets a lower threshold for unfinished frames and receivers (beyond ATF rule 2021R-05F). Includes ban on 3D-printing of these parts in some states.
Ownership and Registration Requirements
Permit to Possess
Several states require a permit just to possess: a handgun (New York); any firearms or ammunition (Illinois).
State Firearm or Handgun Registry
State keeps a record of every firearm or handgun sold. Includes states with a permit to purchase and states that keep records of purchases.
Mandatory Firearms Training
Prior to purchasing a firearm, an individual must prove they completed the state ordered training. Often, this is part of the application process for a Permit to Purchase.
Secure Storage Requirement
Gun owners must lock up firearms in the home (or anywhere else a minor or prohibited person may have access).
Magazine Capacity Limits
State limits magazine capacity for some or all firearms.
"Assault Weapons" Ban
Magazine fed, semi-automatic, centerfire rifles cannot have other "features" (pistol grip, flash hider, etc.) or they are considered "assault weapons." New guns cannot be registered as "assault weapons." Possession is prohibited with limited exceptions.
Microstamping Law
State has a law banning the sale of a new pistol unless its firing can imprint its serial number somewhere on the cartridge case during firing. This technology is make-believe at present, but these laws will effectively ban the sale of new handguns in the state if/when they become effective
Penalties for Not Reporting a Lost or Stolen Firearm
Gun owners must report the loss or theft of firearms–usually within several days of the incident or first discovering the loss–or potentially face a criminal penalty.
Carry and Location Restrictions
Mandatory Permit for Concealed Carry
State requires a permit to carry a concealed pistol. This includes all states that "may issue" a permit (where officials may deny a permit for subjective reasons).
Officials Can Deny Carry Permit
State allows the carry permit officials to deny an application based on the state's own criteria.
Open Carry Limited or Banned
State restricts open carry to rifles and shotguns or bans open carry completely unless you are LE or special permit holder.
No Carry Mandate for College Campuses
State has not passed a blanket law permitting concealed carry on college campuses.
Gun Ban on Most Public Property
State limits or bans any type of carry in and around government facilities (state, county, municipal) and/or limits carry of firearms in parades and demonstrations
Guns Banned in Bars
State prohibits carry inside bars or consumption of alcohol while carrying.
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Only LE (and in some states, specially licensed school officials) may carry on school property.
Does Not Recognize Other States' Carry Permits
State doesn't consider concealed carry permits from other states valid
Prohibited Persons and Possession Restrictions
Felons are Also Prohibited Persons at State Level
State has a law prohibiting felons from owning guns and ammo, even though federal law already does this.
Fugitives are Also Prohibited Persons at State Level
State has a law prohibiting fugitives from justice from owning guns and ammo, even though federal law already does this.
Involuntarily Committed are Also Prohibited Persons at State Level
State has a law prohibiting those who have been involuntarily committed (to a psychiatric hospital or mental institution), or those found to be a danger to themselves or others from owning guns and ammo. Federal law already prohibits anyone found to be mentally defective or committed to a mental institution at 16 years or older.
Violent Offenders Cannot Possess
State will take away firearms, deny future possession, or at minimum deny future purchase of firearms for certain misdemeanor crimes of violence (besides domestic violence violence).
Domestic Violence Offenders Also Prohibited Persons at State Level
State has a law prohibiting those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence from owning guns and ammo, even though federal law already does this
Stalkers are Prohibited Persons at the State Level
State has either made stalking a felony (instant prohibitor) or makes an individual convicted of misdemeanor stalking a prohibited person.
Intervention and Seizure Provisions
Red Flag Law
Law enforcement (and others, depending on the state) is allowed to request that firearms be taken away from others with limited due process.
Emergency Gun Seizure Before Restraining Orders
Similar to a red flag law, state will take away guns before an actual conviction. This is often during domestic disputes, before a restraining order takes effect, and in similar situations.
Guns Seized for Hate Crimes
State will take away all firearms from an individual in response to a misdemeanor hate crime conviction.
Guns Seized After Becoming Prohibited
State will quickly respond when an individual's status changes to prohibited and take away all firearms belonging to that person.
Guns Seized After Domestic Violence Conviction
State will quickly respond to take away firearms from an individual if they are convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence.
Guns Seized Amid Restraining Orders
State will take away all firearms from anyone who is subject to a restraining order, even though federal law already does this.
No Stand Your Ground Law
State imposes a "duty to retreat" before using force or requires "proportional force" when responding to an attack or dangerous situation with force.
Monitoring and Threat Assessment
Mental Health Database
State maintains records of anyone that has been committed or involuntarily committed to psychiatric hospitals. They send this information to the FBI for use by the NICS (or when conducting a state background check, if applicable).
School Officials Conduct Threat Assessments
Teams of mostly school officials are empowered by law to refer children for mental health assessments or take more drastic action if they believe the child poses a threat to themselves or others.
Mandatory Tracing of "Crime Guns"
Law enforcement must use either a state system or the federal firearm tracing system to research any firearm recovered from a crime scene or used in a crime.
Law Enforcement Oversight and Accountability
No LE Officers Bill of Rights
Some states never passed (or passed and later repealed) a set of basic protections for public safety officers. These protections vary by state. They often include the right to engage in political activity and run for public office, and the right to refuse a lie detector test, among other things.
Heavy Restrictions on LE Use of Deadly Force
State laws severely limit the discharge of firearms to apprehend criminals, including against individuals suspected of murder or fleeing a felony in many cases.
Reports for LE Deadly Force Incidents
Law enforcement agencies are required to report any officer-involved shootings that result in serious injury or death. Monthly or annual reports are compiled using this data and made available to the public.
No Qualified Immunity Defense Laws
In civil court, LE officials may not use a defense of qualified immunity if they are accused of certain civil rights violations. This includes situations in which a firearm was used.
Prevention and Support Programs
Dedicated Office of Gun Violence Prevention
Some states have passed legislation creating gun violence prevention offices that target "community gun violence." Taxpayer funds are used to support these programs, which may have little to no effect on violent crime.
Funding for Services of Victims of Gun Violence
Some states maximize the use of federal money intended for victims of violent crime by increasing pool of eligible claimants. Money is paid out to families of convicted felons in many cases.
Local Control
Counties / Cities / Towns Can Pass Stricter Gun Laws
Local governments are free to pass their own gun control laws in addition to any existing laws at the federal and state levels. Some states prohibit local governments from passing laws about specific things-including guns. This is known as preemption.
Conclusion
This piece discusses the ammunition and firearms laws that apply in the state of Michigan. To do so, we start with the MI ammo laws, focusing on the process of having ammunition legally shipped to a residential address in the state. Then, the piece covers the firearms laws both in terms of purchasing and carrying guns in Michigan. To wrap things up, the piece ends with some resources that we think will be useful to folks who want to legally purchase, own, and carry firearms and ammo in Michigan.
We do not intend anything in this piece to be legal advice. Instead, we hope that it is a good basis of knowledge and resources that you can then use to make your own, informed, decisions.
Michigan, like many other states, has preemption. This means that the state legislature forbids localities such as cities, counties, and townships, from making firearms laws that are more restrictive than those at the state level. Preemption makes life a little easier for gun owners in Michigan, as it means that once you understand the state laws, that understanding can guide your actions in the entire state.
Overall, Michigan ranks somewhere in the middle in terms of the permissiveness of firearms laws. Getting ammunition in the state is not overly difficult, and it is possible for most people to conceal or openly carry a firearm, but the concealed permitting process is a little onerous: further, the state requires a permit to purchase a handgun. These elements make the state more restrictive.
Ammo Laws/Buying Ammo in Michigan
Next, we will cover the ammo laws of the state.
Michigan bans armor-piercing ammunition for both handguns and long guns. Aside from that ban, state law in Michigan does not have much to say about ammunition, thus buying ammo in the state follows Federal guidelines.
The ATF sets forth two sets of requirements for people who would like to purchase ammunition. The first is an age requirement: buyers have to be eighteen years of age or older to purchase ammunition for long guns such as rifles or shotguns, and twenty-one or older to buy handgun ammunition. Second, prohibited persons cannot buy ammunition. The ATF defines prohibited persons as people who have been convicted of felonies or domestic violence, people who have been ruled mentally unfit in a court, or folks who have involuntarily been committed to a mental health institution.
Assuming that the buyer is qualified to buy the ammunition, it is legal to have ammo shipped to a residential address in Michigan. Some carriers might impose additional rules, such as asking for an adult with a valid ID to be present to sign for a package that contains ammunition.
Gun Laws/Buying Guns in Michigan
Next, we will do the same analysis for MI’s gun laws.
At the time of this writing, Michigan’s gun laws are fairly permissive in terms of purchasing. There is currently no assault weapons ban on the books, nor are there any blanket bans on whole categories of items such as NFA items.
Things might change in the future, however. For example, a law was recently signed at the state level that will bar people who have been convicted of several misdemeanors surrounding domestic assault, such as stalking, assault, and several kinds of abuse, from owning guns even after their sentences are complete. While this law in and of itself might not restrict many people, it might well be a testing of the political waters in the swing states (states where it is entirely possible for both Republicans and Democrats to win state offices like the governorship) in terms of the public’s general appetite for firearms regulations in the future.
Right now, one of the larger restrictions on gun purchases in the state is the requirement that anyone who wishes to purchase a handgun has to have a Handgun Purchase Permit. This permit is handled in-person at local police offices, and information on the form itself online is sparse. Both FFLs and private sellers are required to see the aforementioned permit and to submit a Pistol Sales Record to the state after the sale. The legislation cited does seem to allow for people who have the state’s concealed carry permit to skip the Handgun Purchase Permit, as, practically, the Purchase Permit process is baked into the concealed carry permitting process.
Aside from the Handgun Purchasing Permit, Michigan follows federal guidelines in terms of gun purchases. That means that the buyer should bring a form of ID, a form of payment, and, if buying a handgun, the relevant permit to the gun store. There, the FFL will have the buyer fill out Form 4473 for the background check. As soon as both the background check and payment are clear, the buyer can go home with their new firearms on the same day.
Michigan law does not prohibit open carry, but lawyers in the state advise that should a person choose to openly carry, the firearm cannot be concealed by, for instance, a jacket. Also, pistols should be registered to the person carrying them to not run afoul of the laws that set up the Handgun Purchase Permit.
Michigan also allows for concealed carry by statute. Getting the permit is a little tricky, in that it requires a person to have been a resident of the state for six months, have taken a training class, and the person can still be denied a permit for many, many reasons including failing to stop during a traffic accident or indecent exposure (which could be something as benign as urinating in the woods on public land). There is also a $100 fee. It is one of the more strict concealed carry permits in shall-issue states. The permit is one of the more widely recognized permits in other states, which might be some consolation given the somewhat lengthy process of acquiring said permit.
Like most other states, Michigan maintains a list of places where firearms are entirely forbidden, with or without a permit, including:
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K-12 schools (excluding in cars while dropping off or picking up)
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Day cares
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Sports arenas
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Taverns
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Places of worship unless the presiding official allows
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Large entertainment venues
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Colleges and universities, Including dorms
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Casinos and their parking lots
Lists such as this one are not unusual and are common even to the most permissive states.
Historically, Michigan has contributed massively to American defense. For example, during the Second World War, many of the guns, tanks, jeeps, and planes that would make up not only the American war effort but our contributions to allies under the Lend-Lease Act were made in Michigan. For one of many examples, some M1 Carbines (the most-produced American small arm of WWII) were made in Michigan.
While buying and carrying a handgun in Michigan is a bit of a process, Michigan’s other firearms and ammo laws are on the permissive side. This places Michigan somewhere in the middle in terms of its permissiveness, though with the state’s politics, that could well change in the future. In what direction that will change, remains to be seen.
Sales Tax on Guns/Ammo in Michigan
Michigan has a general sales tax of 6%, which does not vary across the state. Additionally, the state does not impose any special taxes on firearms or ammunition.
More Resources:
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The ATF maintains a list of every FFL in the country, including in Michigan. This list is kept up to date and can be used to find gun stores, which are usually Type One or Two FFLs.
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Wheretoshoot.org has an excellent tool that can be used to find ranges in every state. Use the city, zip code, and mileage filters to find ranges convenient to you. Users can add more ranges as well, and the information is routinely fact-checked.
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There are a number of well-rated gun stores in the state.
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The Michigan Gun Owners Forum is active and is a good spot to go for relevant news and events. This is especially true given the evolving political landscape in the state.