Michigan CPL Requirements: What the Law Actually Asks For

Michigan's requirements are more specific than most summaries suggest, and the specifics are where people trip. This walks through them in the order you'll actually encounter them, with the statute cited so you can check anything yourself.

Who is eligible

MCL 28.425b sets out the conditions the county clerk checks. The threshold ones:

• You are 21 or older.
• You are a US citizen, or an alien lawfully admitted to the United States.
• You are a legal resident of Michigan and have lived here for at least the six months immediately before you apply.

Beyond those, the statute lists a substantial set of disqualifying circumstances — certain convictions, court findings and mental-health adjudications among them. That list is long, specific and occasionally surprising, and it is not something to assess from a summary. If you have any question about whether something in your history disqualifies you, read the statute and speak to an attorney rather than relying on us or anyone else's blog post.

The training requirement, in detail

This is the part the state defines most precisely. Under MCL 28.425j, a qualifying pistol training or safety program must have been completed within the 5 years before your application and must total not less than 8 hours, structured as follows.

At least 5 hours of instruction, covering

1. 01Safe storage, use and handling of a pistol — including protecting child safety
2. 02Ammunition knowledge and the fundamentals of pistol shooting
3. 03Pistol shooting positions
4. 04Firearms and the law, including civil liability and the use of deadly force — this portion must be taught by an attorney or someone trained in the use of deadly force
5. 05Avoiding criminal attack and controlling a violent confrontation
6. 06All laws that apply to carrying a concealed pistol in Michigan

At least 3 hours on a firing range

With a minimum of 30 rounds fired. There is no way to satisfy Michigan's requirement without live fire.

A compliant certificate

Your certificate must state that the course complies with the section and that you completed it, and must carry the instructor's printed name and original handwritten signature. Certificates issued on or after 1 December 2015 must also show the instructor's name and telephone number, and the certifying organization, certification number and expiry. The statute even specifies the wording: "This course complies with section 5j of 1927 PA 372."

Applying through your county clerk

Applications go to the clerk in your county of residence, not to the state and not to us. You will pay the $100 nonrefundable application and licensing fee and be fingerprinted.

How long it lasts

Under MCL 28.425l, a CPL is valid until the birthday falling not less than four and not more than five years after issue. Renewal is $115 — more than the original $100 — and your clerk must notify you between three and six months before expiry. You remain eligible to renew if your license has expired within the previous year.

What the license does not do

Two things worth being clear about. First, a CPL does not make you competent — it records that you met a training standard on a particular day. Second, it does not authorise carry everywhere: Michigan maintains a statutory list of places where a CPL holder may not carry concealed, and other states decide for themselves whether to recognize your license.