Free shipping over $999 · Firearms ship to your Michigan FFL dealerBoth peninsulas, 83 countiesFind your city · Shipping & FFL
Help & FAQ
Home / Michigan gun laws

Michigan gun laws, in plain English

What you need to know to buy, own, carry and transport a gun in Michigan in 2026. Short version: buying a rifle or shotgun is simple, pistols have a little more paperwork, and 2024 brought three new laws every owner should know.

Buying from a dealer

Any gun you buy from us goes through a licensed FFL dealer in Michigan. You fill out ATF Form 4473 and the dealer runs the federal NICS background check. You must be 18 for a rifle or shotgun and 21 for a handgun from a dealer.

For a pistol, the dealer also fills out Michigan's Pistol Sales Record (form RI-060). One copy is yours; keep it with the pistol for the first 30 days. You do not need a License to Purchase when you buy from a licensed dealer, with or without a CPL. The full walk-through is on buying a pistol in Michigan.

Private sales: the 2024 background-check law

Since February 13, 2024, every private sale of any firearm needs a background check. Before that it applied only to pistols. The buyer shows a License to Purchase from their local police department or a valid CPL, or the two of you do the transfer at a dealer. Pistol transfers are still recorded on the state form.

Safe storage and red-flag orders

Two more laws took effect in February 2024. The safe storage law makes it a crime to leave a firearm unlocked where you know, or should know, a minor is likely to be present; store it unloaded and locked in a safe or with a locking device. The extreme risk protection order law lets family members, police and some health professionals ask a court to temporarily remove guns from someone who is a danger to themselves or others.

Carrying concealed: the CPL

To carry a concealed pistol you need a Concealed Pistol License, issued through your county clerk. You must be 21 and complete an 8-hour pistol safety course. CPL holders must tell a police officer immediately if stopped while carrying, and may not carry with a blood alcohol content of .02 or higher. Everything else is on our Michigan CPL guide.

Pistol-free zones

Even with a CPL you may not carry in: schools and school property (with narrow exceptions), public or private day care centers, sports arenas and stadiums, bars and taverns where most income comes from alcohol, churches and other places of worship unless the congregation allows it, entertainment facilities seating 2,500 or more, hospitals, and college dormitories and classrooms. Private businesses can also ban guns on their own property.

Transporting guns in a car

A loaded pistol in a car counts as concealed, so you need a CPL. Without one, carry a pistol unloaded in a closed case in the trunk, or somewhere not readily reachable from the passenger area if the car has no trunk. Rifles and shotguns should be unloaded and cased when you travel, and must be unloaded in any vehicle during hunting.

Hunting

The big news for 2026 is the end of the Lower Peninsula's limited firearms zone: bottleneck rifles are now legal for deer everywhere in Michigan. The details, and which rifles make sense where, are in our deer rifle guide.

General information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026. Laws change; check with the Michigan State Police, your local police department, or a Michigan attorney about your own situation.

Common questions

Does Michigan have an assault weapons ban or magazine limit?

No. As of September 2026 Michigan has no state ban on semi-automatic rifles and no limit on magazine capacity. The only capacity rule most people meet is for hunting: a semi-automatic rifle or shotgun used for deer may hold no more than six rounds combined.

Are guns registered in Michigan?

Pistols are. Every pistol sale or transfer is recorded on a Pistol Sales Record or License to Purchase, and those records go into the state police database. Rifles and shotguns are not registered.

Can I sell a gun privately in Michigan?

Yes, but since February 13, 2024 the buyer needs a background check for any firearm, not just pistols. In practice that means the buyer holds a License to Purchase from local police or a CPL, or you do the transfer through a licensed dealer.

Can I open carry in Michigan?

Open carry of a pistol is generally legal for adults who can legally own one, but not in the pistol-free zones listed below, and a pistol in a car counts as concealed unless you hold a CPL. Many people who open carry get a CPL anyway so the car and the pistol-free zones are not a problem.

Can cities make their own gun laws?

No. Michigan law (MCL 123.1102) stops cities, townships and counties from passing their own rules on buying, owning, carrying or transporting firearms. Detroit and the smallest township follow the same state law.

Does Michigan honor my out-of-state carry license?

Yes. Michigan recognizes concealed carry licenses from every other state for non-residents, who must follow Michigan law while here, including the pistol-free zones.

More Michigan guides