Michigan is not a constitutional carry state. To carry a concealed pistol in Michigan you need a Concealed Pistol License (CPL), and carrying concealed without one is a felony. Open carry without a permit is legal in some circumstances, but the state has not adopted permitless concealed carry and no pending legislation would change that.
What You Can Do Without a Permit
Michigan allows open carry of a pistol without a license if you are at least 18 and the pistol is registered in your name through a license to purchase.1Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s Office. Open Carry Pistol The pistol has to be in a fully visible holster. Private property owners can still ban firearms on their premises.
Without a CPL, you also cannot possess a firearm at all, concealed or open, in any of these places:
- Banks and other financial institutions
- Churches and other houses of worship
- Courts
- Theaters
- Sports arenas
- Day care centers
- Hospitals
- Bars and restaurants licensed to serve liquor
CPL holders are exempt from this list, along with peace officers and people providing security for the property.2Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 750.234d – Possession of Firearm on Certain Premises That exemption is one of the main practical reasons people get a CPL even when they prefer to open carry.
Getting a CPL
CPL eligibility is governed by MCL 28.425b. You apply through your county clerk, who runs a background check through the Michigan State Police.
Who Qualifies
You must be at least 21, a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted to the country, and a Michigan resident for at least six months before applying.3Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 28.425b – License Application The residency requirement can be waived if you held a valid concealed carry license from another state when you established Michigan residency.
What Disqualifies You
- Any felony conviction, anywhere, at any time, is a permanent bar. A pending felony charge also blocks the application.
- Convictions for certain misdemeanors, including assault, stalking, and protective order violations, within the eight years before you apply.
- Involuntary commitment or a finding of legal incapacitation.
- An active personal protection order against you.
- An order under Michigan’s extreme risk protection order act.
- A dishonorable discharge from the U.S. Armed Forces.
Training and Cost
Every applicant has to complete a pistol safety course covering safe handling, storage, and Michigan’s self-defense and carry laws. The course runs at least eight hours and includes a minimum of three hours of live range time. Training typically costs around $80 to $125 depending on the instructor. The application and licensing fee paid to the county clerk is $100.4Michigan State Police. Concealed Pistol Application and Instructions A CPL is valid for five years.
Places a CPL Still Doesn’t Reach
A CPL does not let you carry concealed everywhere. Michigan designates separate pistol-free zones where concealed carry is prohibited even with a valid license:5Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 28.425o – Premises on Which Carrying Concealed Weapon Prohibited
- Schools and school property. Parents dropping off or picking up a student may keep a concealed pistol in their vehicle on school grounds but not on their person.
- Child care centers and child-placing agencies.
- Sports arenas and stadiums.
- Bars and taverns where the primary source of income is selling liquor by the glass. Owners and employees of the establishment are exempt.
- Places of worship, unless the presiding official specifically allows concealed carry.
- Entertainment venues with a seating capacity of 2,500 or more.
- Hospitals.
- College and university dormitories and classrooms.
- Casinos, which are governed separately under Michigan Gaming Control rules that prohibit both concealed and openly carried firearms.
Parking lots are excluded from the definition of “premises” for these zones. You can legally leave a concealed pistol secured in your vehicle in the parking lot of a hospital or university even though you cannot bring it inside.
Penalties
Carrying Concealed Without a CPL
Under MCL 750.227, carrying a concealed pistol without a CPL is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $2,500 fine. People sometimes assume the worst outcome is a ticket. It is not.
Carrying With a CPL in a Prohibited Zone
If you hold a valid CPL but carry concealed in a pistol-free zone, the penalties escalate with each offense:
- First offense: state civil infraction, $500 fine, and a six-month CPL suspension.
- Second offense: 90-day misdemeanor, $1,000 fine, and CPL revocation.
- Third and subsequent offenses: four-year felony, $5,000 fine, and CPL revocation.
The pistol can be seized immediately if you are caught carrying concealed in a prohibited area.6Michigan State Police. Prohibited Premises In casinos, the pistol can be seized whether it is carried concealed or openly.
Carrying a Pistol in Your Vehicle
Vehicle rules depend on whether you have a CPL. With a CPL, you can carry a loaded, concealed pistol on your person or within reach while driving. Without a CPL, the pistol must be unloaded and transported in a case in the trunk or another area not readily accessible from the passenger compartment. If the vehicle has no trunk, the unloaded pistol must be in a locked container that is not the glove box or center console. Violating these transport rules without a CPL is a misdemeanor.
Federal Buildings Are Separate
Michigan law does not control federal property. Federal law prohibits firearms in any building owned or leased by the federal government where federal employees regularly work, including post offices, federal courthouses, and Social Security offices. Simple possession can bring up to one year in prison, or up to five years if the weapon was intended for use in a crime. Possession in a federal court facility specifically carries up to two years.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 930 – Possession of Firearms and Dangerous Weapons in Federal Facilities Your CPL does not change that.