Handing Over A Firearm
MCL 28.422 — no purchase of a firearm without first obtaining a license, except as the act provides
A license first. Except as the act otherwise provides, a person may not purchase, carry, possess or transport a pistol, or purchase a firearm that is not a pistol, without first obtaining a license for it as the section prescribes.
Issued with due speed. The local police chief or sheriff issues licenses with due speed and diligence to qualified applicants, unless there is probable cause to believe the applicant would be a threat to themselves or others, or would commit an offense with the firearm.
On leave or discharged. A service member who brings a firearm into the state on leave or after discharge from active duty obtains a license for it not later than 30 days after arriving.
Federal law adds its own rules on transfers, including to people who live in another state, which are not on this page. Whether a particular sale, loan or gift is lawful is a question for a licensed Michigan attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- MCL 28.422 — License to purchase, carry, possess, or transport a pistol, or to purchase a firearm
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Michigan attorney.