Who can acquire a concealed pistol license in Michigan?

As of July 1, 2001 Michigan moved to Shall Issue, thus removing the requirement of you to prove why you needed to carry a concealed pistol. Instead, as long as you meet the requirements involving residency and mental health/criminal history, you will be granted a CPL.

The legal requirements are extensive but if you can you answer NO to all of these questions you will generally be in good standing to receive a CPL:

• Are you younger than 21 years of age?

• Have you been a resident of Michigan for less than six months?

• Have you been convicted of a felony?

• Have you been involuntary hospitalized, legal incapacitation, institutionalized, or received a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity?

• Are you subject to a bond release?

• Are you subject to a PPO?

• Been dishonorably discharged from armed services?

• Convicted of a misdemeanor within the last eight years or convicted of a misdemeanor for domestic violence?

• Are you a medical marijuana card holder?

Basically, if you are a lawful person, have never been charged with a crime, or had any history of mental illness, are 21 years or older and a Michigan citizen for at least six months (this may be waived), then you can acquire a CPL.

The list above does not include all possible reasons of disqualification and is just a generalization of the requirements. For more details, see the full CPL Requirements from the Michigan State Police.

What if I am unsure about my CPL eligibility?

If you are unsure of your history or have questions on how it may impact your application you will want to speak with an attorney prior to starting the application process. We can provide assistance with finding a pro-gun attorney in your area and will help you as much as we can during this process.

What is the CPL application process?

The steps for completing your application can be time consuming and costly, but knowing the process before hand will make it as streamlined as possible for you.

1. Take a concealed pistol course that involves classroom lecture/range instruction from a certified NRA instructor, and instruction of Michigan laws from a certified lawyer or police officer or equivalent.

   Sheridan Arms offers one day classes at least once a month on a Sunday. This class involves both classroom lecture and range training.

   For this class you will need to have a handgun chambered in .38 or .380 or higher, eye and ear protection and 100 rds of ammunition. Handgun rentals are available the day of class for $20 if you do not have a firearm of your own OR if you cannot safely and accurately fire the handgun you bring with you.

2. Take everything to the Clerk: your course certificate, CPL Application, and funds to pay the $105-$120 fee.

   After submission and payment, the Clerk will provide a receipt that you will take to be finger printed at your local Law Enforcement Center. 

   Your finger prints will be submitted to the MSP for processing and once their report is sent back to the County Clerk they have 45 days to either approve or deny your application. Currently, some County Gun Boards may require your presence at their meeting either in whole (as in, everyone whom applied must attend) or because of an anomaly found in your application. While other counties will simply mail you your CPL. We have experience with how most Counties in Mid-Michigan work and can provide information during our class as to if you should be expected to attend this meeting and when it may be. This unfortunately may be a requirement by some counties to receive your CPL, so you will need to make arrangements to be there, either time off work or day care. 

   There is more information that can be found in the CPL Guide (PDF) Guide from the MSP pertaining to the application process and appealing any denials. Be sure to read this guide in full prior to making the commitment to obtaining a CPL.

Anything else I should know before I start?

Yes! We understand and have heard all the reasons people take our courses. From those who carry everyday and all day to those who don't think they will carry that often. It is still important that you consider the responsibility with carrying a firearm and the laws pertaining to it.

We offer additional advanced tactical pistol training courses that you can take to really take advantage of our instructors knowledge and apply these courses not only to everyday carry but your awareness of self-defense in general.

First, be sure you meet the qualifications found in this section, it is important that before you invest your time and money into our course and going through the application process that you have cleared any road blocks that may be present.

Second, while it is OK for our CPL course to be your first exposure to firearms, it is NOT recommended. We take pride in our customer service being able to assist you acquiring your first firearm and even offer a highly recommended Basic Pistol Course that you can take prior to your Concealed Carry Course to be comfortable with firearm safety and even provide an advantage of a higher understanding prior to the CPL course. The CPL course, however, is not meant as an introductory course and will not provide “beginner” information.

Third, if you haven't started the process and this is your first exposure to the process of acquiring a CPL, knowing the laws ahead of time can also help make the determination if you want to continue down this road.

It is more important to us that you have a strong understanding of everything involved with having a CPL than just simply pushing students through and collecting funds. We will also guide you along the process as much as we can and provide any assistance we can, with an emphasis on training you until YOU are comfortable.