This is not legal advice.Concealed-carry reciprocity changes frequently and carries serious legal consequences. Verify current law with the destination state's official source before you carry.
MichiganConcealed Carry Permit & Reciprocity
Michigan is a shall-issue state — it is NOT a constitutional/permitless-carry state. To carry a pistol concealed you must hold a Concealed Pistol License (CPL); carrying a concealed pistol without a license is a felony under MCL § 750.227. The CPL is issued by the county clerk of the county in which the applicant resides (MCL § 28.425b(1)). Applicants must be 21 or older, must be a legal Michigan resident who has resided in the state for at least the six months immediately preceding the application, and must complete a certified pistol safety training course of not less than 8 hours that includes at least 3 hours of firing-range instruction and the firing of at least 30 rounds (MCL §§ 28.425b, 28.425j). The license is valid until the licensee's birthday that falls not less than four nor more than five years after issuance (MCL § 28.425l). Michigan issues a single CPL class and does NOT issue a non-resident CPL — the applicant must be a Michigan resident. Open carry of a legally owned pistol is separately legal without a CPL for a person who may lawfully possess a pistol, subject to the prohibited-premises restrictions of MCL § 750.234d (and note that carrying a pistol in a vehicle generally requires a CPL). Michigan has a statutory duty to inform: under MCL § 28.425f a CPL holder carrying a concealed pistol who is stopped by a peace officer must immediately disclose that he or she is carrying. Under MCL § 28.432a Michigan recognizes another state's concealed pistol license only for a person who is a resident of the issuing state — a Michigan resident may not use another state's license, and a non-resident (out-of-state) license is not recognized.
Michigan Michigan Concealed Pistol License (CPL)
- Issuing authority
- County Clerk (of the applicant's county of residence)
- Carry regime
- shall issue
- Minimum age
- 21
- Fee
- $100
- Training
- Required (8 hrs)
- Validity
- 5 years
Carry practicalities
Permitless carry
Not allowed
Michigan is NOT a permitless/constitutional-carry state. Carrying a pistol CONCEALED on or about the person, or concealed in a vehicle, requires a Concealed Pistol License; carrying a concealed weapon without a license is a felony under MCL § 750.227 (punishable by up to 5 years' imprisonment). Michigan is shall-issue — the county clerk must issue the CPL to a qualified applicant who is 21 or older, is a Michigan resident of at least 6 months, completes the required pistol safety training course, and is not statutorily disqualified (MCL §§ 28.425b, 28.425j). Open carry of a legally owned pistol is separately legal without a CPL (see openCarry).
official source · verified 2026-07-09
Open carry
Permitless
Open carry of a legally owned (registered) pistol is legal in Michigan without a CPL for a person who may lawfully possess a pistol — no Michigan statute prohibits general open carry, and MCL § 750.227 criminalizes only CONCEALED carry without a license. Important limits: (1) firearms are barred on the premises listed in MCL § 750.234d (banks, churches/houses of worship, courts, theaters, sports arenas, day care centers, hospitals, and establishments licensed to sell liquor for on-premises consumption) — the § 750.234d premises restriction applies to open carriers who lack a CPL, while a CPL holder is instead governed by the § 28.425o pistol-free zones; and (2) carrying a pistol in a motor vehicle generally requires a CPL, because a pistol carried concealed or accessible in a vehicle falls under MCL § 750.227 — so a person without a CPL who open carries on foot must transport the pistol per the unloaded/cased transport rules to keep it in a vehicle. Local open carry near schools and other sensitive areas is also constrained by state and federal law.
official source · verified 2026-07-09
Duty to inform
Required
Michigan HAS a statutory duty to inform. Under MCL § 28.425f, an individual licensed to carry a concealed pistol who is carrying a concealed pistol (or a portable electro-muscular-disruption device) and who is stopped by a peace officer must IMMEDIATELY disclose to the officer that he or she is carrying a pistol concealed upon his or her person or in his or her vehicle. This is a proactive notify-on-contact duty. A first violation is a state civil infraction with a $500 fine and a 6-month CPL suspension; a subsequent violation within 3 years carries a $1,000 fine and CPL revocation. (The statute frames the immediate-disclosure duty in terms of carrying a pistol concealed under the CPL; the CPL holder must also have the license in possession and show it, with a government-issued photo ID, on a peace officer's request.)
official source · verified 2026-07-09
Off-limits locations
- schools and school property (a parent/legal guardian may carry a concealed pistol in a vehicle on school property while dropping off or picking up a student)
- public or private child care centers, day care centers, child caring institutions, and child placing agencies
- sports arenas and stadiums
- bars and taverns where the primary source of income is the sale of alcoholic liquor by the glass consumed on the premises (owners and employees excepted)
- any property or facility owned or operated by a church, synagogue, mosque, temple, or other place of worship (unless the presiding official permits concealed carry)
- entertainment facilities the individual knows or should know have a seating capacity of 2,500 or more
- hospitals
- dormitories and classrooms of a community college, college, or university
- casinos (prohibited under Michigan Gaming Control Board rules and tribal-casino policies, separate from the § 28.425o list)
- courtrooms and court facilities (prohibited by court order / State Court Administrative Office policy, separate from the § 28.425o list)
- federal facilities and other places where federal law prohibits firearms
Curated key categories, not exhaustive. The statutory 'pistol-free zones' where a CPL holder may not carry a CONCEALED pistol are enumerated in MCL § 28.425o(1) (schools, day care/child care, sports arenas/stadiums, alcohol-by-the-glass bars, places of worship, 2,500+ entertainment facilities, hospitals, and college dorms/classrooms); a first violation is a state civil infraction. 'Premises' does not include parking areas (§ 28.425o(4)), and numerous exemptions apply (§ 28.425o(5)). Casinos and courtrooms are off-limits under separate Michigan authority (Gaming Control Board rules; court/SCAO orders). A person open-carrying without a CPL is instead restricted by MCL § 750.234d (banks, churches, courts, theaters, sports arenas, day care centers, hospitals, and liquor-licensed establishments). A CPL does not authorize carry where federal law prohibits it.
official source · verified 2026-07-09
Michigan reciprocity summary
Michigan honors 49 states' permits · honored by 37 states
Where a Michigan permit is honored →Whose permits Michigan honors →
Last verified 2026-07-09 against Michigan State Police — Concealed Pistol Licenses (CPL).
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Michigan FAQ
- Does Michigan have constitutional carry?
- No. Michigan is a shall-issue state — a Michigan Concealed Pistol License (CPL) is required to carry concealed, and the issuing authority must issue one to any applicant who meets the statutory requirements.
- How much does a Michigan CPL cost?
- The CPL application fee in Michigan is $100. The original CPL application and licensing fee is $100.00, paid to the county clerk (MCL § 28.425b), plus a $15.00 fingerprinting fee. Renewal is $115.00, submitted to the county clerk or online/by mail through the Michigan State Police (MCL § 28.425l).
- Does Michigan honor out-of-state concealed-carry permits?
- Michigan honors concealed-carry permits from 49 other states, subject to the qualifiers (resident-only or permit-class restrictions) noted on each reciprocity pair. See the full inbound list on the "who Michigan honors" page.
- Where is a Michigan CPL honored?
- A Michigan CPL is honored by 37 other states. See the full outbound reciprocity list for exactly which states and any resident-only or class restrictions.
- How long is a Michigan CPL valid?
- A Michigan CPL is valid for 5 years before renewal is required.