How to Buy a Gun Legally in Michigan
- Ian Murphy
- Jul 25, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
### Process for Buying Firearms in Michigan
In February, of 2024, new laws went into effect regarding the purchase and registration of firearms. The following is a quick review of the changes:
If you are purchasing a firearm and are a CPL holder, you can purchase from a private seller or licensed dealer without a License to Purchase. The seller must confirm your CPL prior to the sale.
If you do not have a CPL you will need to go to your local police department and request a License to Purchase. Check with your local police department to see when this is done as they may only perform this function during set times. Essentially this is a background check to ensure your eligibility to purchase a firearm. There may be a minimal fee for this. Once they have completed a favorable background check, they will issue you a License to Purchase a firearm. You will have 30 days to purchase from either a private seller or a licensed dealer (FFL). This is required for both handguns and long guns.
If you are purchasing from a licensed dealer (FFL), you will be required to fill out a form 4473. This is an ATF form required by dealers to complete your background check.
If you are purchasing from a private seller, they will need to see and verify your License to Purchase and both parties must complete it. Note: this is now required for long gun sales in addition to handguns.
Once your sales record is completed, you will receive one copy for your records and the seller will retain two. The seller will submit one copy to the local police department who will enter the sale information into the State Police database.
The main changes in this process are the License to Puchase for non CPL holders, the seller now taking responsibility for forwarding the sales record to the local police, and the need for non CPL holders to obtain a License to Purchase for long guns.
Following these steps ensures that you comply with Michigan's legal requirements for firearm purchases. For detailed information, refer to the [Michigan Legislature’s firearms publication (http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/publications/firearms.pdf).