Summary 

• Permit required: Yes, Michigan generally requires a Concealed Pistol License (CPL) to carry a pistol concealed.

• Minimum age:21 for a Michigan CPL.

• Duty to inform:Yes,licensed carriers must immediately disclose to an officer when stopped if carrying concealed on their person or in their vehicle.

• Where you can/can’t carry: Carry is broadly allowed in many public placesunless prohibited, with “pistol-free zones” like schools, certain bars/taverns, large entertainment venues, hospitals, and college dorms/classrooms. 

• Visitors: Michigan recognizes many out-of-state carry licenses for nonresidents, but visitors must follow Michigan’s location restrictions.

Michigan issues concealed carry licenses through acounty-based application process: applicants file with the county  clerk in the county where they reside, submit required documentation (including training proof), pay fees, and complete fingerprinting as part of the background check process. 

Michigan is effectively a“shall-issue” state for CPLs—state law directs that the county clerk shall issue a license when statutory eligibility requirements are met.  Michigan does not generally allow permitless/constitutional concealed carry for handguns; residents typically need a CPL to carry concealed.

For nonresidents, Michigan recognizes a concealed carry license issued by another state (subject to Michigan rules and restrictions). Practical travel note: when transporting or staging a firearm in vehicles, hotels, or other shared spaces, usesecure storage (locked case/safe as appropriate) and consider Faraday-protected SLNT bags for discreet, signal-blocking storage of electronic items (like key fobs/phones) alongside your secured gear, especially in valet situations, shared lodging, or when privacy is a concern.

Useful Links

• Michigan State Police – Concealed Pistol License (CPL) Services

• Michigan State Police – Prohibited Premises (Pistol-Free Zones)

• Michigan State Police – Reciprocity
  
  

Official Links

• Michigan State Police (CPL Services)

• Michigan Legislature (MCL 28.425b – CPL issuance)

• Michigan Legislature (MCL 28.425f – Duty to disclose)