Getting a CCW in Michigan (2026)

Requirements, costs, and steps for a Michigan concealed carry permit · Updated October 18, 2026 · Not legal advice

This guide is general legal information, not individualized legal advice. Rules change; verify every step with the Michigan State Police (MSP) and your county clerk before you apply. Prepared 2026-10-16.

Quick facts

Drawn from the site's live reciprocity data (ccw.workmanfirearms.com/data/reciprocity.json, retrieved 2026-10-16):

• Permit type: Shall-issue — Concealed Pistol License (CPL), processed by your county clerk in cooperation with the MSP CPL Unit (1927 PA 372, MCL 28.421 et seq.).
• Constitutional carry: No. Concealed carry requires a CPL. Open carry of a pistol is generally legal for a person 18+ who can lawfully possess one (state law; local rules and private-property rules apply).
• Minimum age: 21 for a CPL (MCL 28.425b(7)(a)); 18-year-olds may open carry but not conceal.
• Duty to inform: Yes — under MCL 28.425f, you must have your CPL and state-issued driver license/ID in your possession at all times while carrying (§ 28.425f(1)), show both on request to a peace officer (§ 28.425f(2)), and when stopped by a peace officer you must immediately disclose that you're carrying a concealed pistol on your person or in your vehicle (§ 28.425f(3)). Violating (1)/(2) is a $100 civil infraction; violating (3) carries a $500 fine and/or 6-month license suspension for a first offense, and $1,000 + revocation for a repeat offense.
• Open carry: Legal without a permit; a CPL is required to carry concealed (including in a vehicle).

Who can apply

Under MCL 28.425b and county clerk guidance (accessed 2026-10-16), an applicant must:

• Be a Michigan resident (or, since 2021, eligible non-residents who own property in Michigan — check MSP rules) and at least 21;
• Be a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted permanent resident;
• Not be prohibited under MCL 28.425b(7) (felonies, certain misdemeanors within the look-back windows, mental-health commitments, PPOs, dishonorable discharge, etc.);
• Not have been convicted of specific misdemeanor offenses listed in MCL 28.425b(7)(h)–(i) (e.g., certain misdemeanors within 3–8 years);
• Provide a valid driver's license or state ID and the training certificate.

Step-by-step application process

Issuing authority: your county clerk (applications processed with the MSP CPL Unit).

1. Complete the training course (see below) within the last 5 years and get the original certificate of completion.
2. Get the application from the county clerk (in person or downloaded from the MSP website).
3. Submit the application and $100 fee to the county clerk (do not sign until witnessed, per county instructions).
4. Get fingerprinted (Live Scan) — at the sheriff's office or designated agency within 45 days of applying (or the application is automatically withdrawn); ~$15 fingerprint fee.
5. MSP processes the background check and approves or denies (statutory reason given if denied).
6. The clerk issues the license, which must be mailed to your address.

Costs

From MSP/county clerk fee schedules and the House Fiscal Agency CPL fee snapshot (Feb. 2026) (accessed 2026-10-16):

• New CPL: $100 application fee (statutory, MCL 28.425b(5)) + $15 fingerprint fee.
• Renewal (unexpired or expired <1 year): $115 — no fingerprints; renewal requires certifying 3 hours of training review plus 1 hour of range time in the preceding 6 months.
• Renewal (expired >1 year): treated as new ($100 + $15 fingerprints + new training certificate).
• Replacement license: $10 (county clerks).
• Training: set by the instructor.

Training requirement

Yes (MCL 28.425(5j); 1927 PA 372 § 5j, accessed 2026-10-16) — a program certified by Michigan or a national/state firearms organization, completed within 5 years before applying, including:

• Safe storage, use, and handling of a pistol;
• Ammunition knowledge and fundamentals of pistol shooting;
• Pistol shooting positions;
• Firearms and the law, including civil liability;
• Avoiding criminal attack and controlling a violent confrontation;
• All laws applying to carrying a concealed pistol in Michigan; and
• At least 8 hours of instruction, including 3 hours of firing range time.

Exemptions: active/retired/honorably discharged law enforcement, certain military service, and other statutory categories (MCL 28.425(5j)(v)).

Timeline & renewal

• Processing: the clerk forwards fingerprints/application to MSP; statutory processing window (MCL 28.425(9)) — commonly a few weeks.
• Validity: the CPL expires on your birthday falling not less than 4 nor more than 5 years after issuance (MCL 28.425(10)).
• Renewal: renewal notices include online renewal options; $115 renewal fee; certification of 3 hours review + 1 hour range time within the prior 6 months.

Where to apply

• Michigan State Police — CPL information: https://www.michigan.gov/msp (Firearms/CPL section)
• Your county clerk's CPL page (application, fee, fingerprint appointment).
• MSP CPL online portal for renewals.

Sources

• 1927 PA 372 (Firearm Licensure Act), MCL 28.421 et seq., esp. §§ 28.425 (issuance/training/fees) — Michigan Legislature, https://www.legislature.mi.gov/ (accessed 2026-10-16)
• Michigan House Fiscal Agency — Fiscal Snapshot: Concealed Pistol License Fees (Feb. 9, 2026) ($100 new / $115 renewal; clerk/MSP process) — https://house.mi.gov/hfa/PDF/FiscalSnapshot/MSP_CPL_Fees_Feb2026.pdf (accessed 2026-10-16)
• Kent County Clerk — Apply for or Renew Concealed Pistol Licenses ($100/$115/$10; validity) — https://kentcountymi.gov/796/Concealed-Pistol-Licenses (accessed 2026-10-16)
• Leelanau County — CPL instructions (fingerprinting, renewal certifications) — https://leelanau.gov/departments/clerk/how_do_i.php (accessed 2026-10-16)
• Site reciprocity data — ccw.workmanfirearms.com/data/reciprocity.json (retrieved 2026-10-16)