In Michigan, a person “shall not purchase, carry, or transport a pistol in this state without first having obtained a license for the pistol,” as prescribed in MCL 28.422.  These licenses shall be obtained by the local police agency.  If the city, township, or village does not have an organized police agency, the license shall be obtained by the county sheriff department.

An applicant must comply with all state and federal laws prior to the issuance of the license.  The following are state and federal laws that prohibit an individual from receiving a license:

Michigan - MCL 28.422

Probable cause to believe that the applicant would be a threat to himself or herself or to other individuals, or would commit an offense with the pistol that would violate a law of this or another state of the United States. (more)

The person is not subject to an order or disposition for which he or she has received notice and an opportunity for a hearing, and which was entered into the Law Enforcement Information Network pursuant to any of the following:

Under 18 (more)

Not a U.S. citizen or resident alien and a resident of Michigan (more)

Prohibited from possessing, using, transporting, etc. under MCL 750.224f (more)

Adjudged insane in this state or elsewhere, unless restored to sanity by court order (more)

Under an order of involuntary commitment in an inpatient or outpatient setting due to mental illness

Adjudged legally incapacitated

Unable to correctly answer 70% of the questions on the basic pistol safety questionnaire.(more)

Federal – 18 USC §922(g) & (n)

Under indictment for or have been convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year  (more)

Fugitive of justice  (more)

Unlawful user of, or addicted to, any controlled substance (convicted, of possession within last year, multiple arrests for possession within the past five years if most recent arrest occurred within the past year, or positive drug test within last year) (more)

Adjudicated as mental defective or been committed to any mental institution (more)

Dishonorably discharged from the military (more)

Formally renounced U.S. citizenship (more)

Subject to a court order prohibiting harassing, stalking, or threatening of an intimate partner or child of such intimate partner or from engaging in other conduct that would place the partner or child in reasonable fear of bodily injury (more)

Convicted in any court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence (does not have to be classified as a “domestic crime”) (more)

Under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year

If the purchaser is not a U.S. Citizen, an Immigrant-Alien Query (IAQ) check must be conducted through NLETS.  An agency MUST wait for a response before proceeding.  This could take up to three days.

If the reply to the NICS check reveals no state or federal prohibitors, the license process may proceed.  The License to Purchase is issued, and is valid for 10 days.

If the law enforcement agency determines that the applicant is prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm, an NICS Guide for Appealing a Firearm Transfer DENIAL pamphlet, with the NICS Transaction Number (NTN) written on the cover is provided to the applicant.