Open Carry Laws in Michigan

General Legality

Open carry is legal in Michigan. There is no specific Michigan statute that expressly authorizes open carry. Instead, it is legal because no Michigan law prohibits it. As the Michigan State Police explained in Legal Update No. 86 (October 26, 2010):

"In Michigan, it is legal for a person to carry a firearm in public as long as the person is carrying the firearm with lawful intent and the firearm is not concealed."

"You will not find a law that states it is legal to openly carry a firearm. It is legal because there is no Michigan law that prohibits it; however, Michigan law limits the premises on which a person may carry a firearm."

Open carry is therefore best understood as carrying that is lawful by default but heavily restricted by the location rules, registration rules, and vehicle rules described below. Carrying a pistol that you may lawfully possess in a holster in plain view, on foot, in a public place that is not a prohibited premises, is the core of lawful open carry without a CPL.

Who May Open Carry

Residents

• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Must be able to legally possess a firearm.
• The pistol must be one the person lawfully acquired and registered (a pistol obtained in compliance with the License-to-Purchase and Pistol Sales Record requirements of MCL 28.422).
• Without a CPL, a person generally may not carry a pistol that belongs to someone other than themselves. The exception that lets one person carry another person's pistol is at MCL 28.432(1)(i), and it requires the carrier to hold a CPL under section 5b or to be exempt from licensure under section 12a. It is not a general open-carry permission for non-CPL holders.

Non-Residents

Michigan recognizes an out-of-state concealed pistol license only if the holder is a resident of the state that issued it. Under MCL 28.432a(h), the requirement to obtain a Michigan CPL does not apply to "a resident of another state who is licensed by that state to carry a concealed pistol." A permit held by someone who is not a resident of the issuing state is not recognized.

• A qualifying non-resident with a recognized out-of-state CPL may carry a pistol in Michigan, concealed or non-concealed, subject to the same location limits that apply to Michigan CPL holders.
• The parallel exception to the criminal concealed-pistol prohibition is at MCL 750.231a(1)(a), which provides that MCL 750.227(2) does not apply to "a person holding a valid license to carry a pistol concealed upon his or her person issued by his or her state of residence," except where the pistol is carried in nonconformance with a restriction on the license.
• An officer may verify that the person actually resides in the state that issued the license. If the person does not reside in the issuing state, Michigan does not recognize the license.

Non-Residents Without a Michigan or Recognized CPL

MCL 28.422(9) provides that a non-resident is not required to obtain a Michigan license for a pistol if all of the following conditions apply:

1. The individual is licensed in the individual's state of residence to purchase, carry, or transport a pistol. (28.422(9)(a))
2. The individual is in possession of that license. (28.422(9)(b))
3. The individual is the owner of the pistol the individual possesses, carries, or transports. (28.422(9)(c))
4. The individual possesses the pistol for a lawful purpose. (28.422(9)(d))
5. The individual is in Michigan for 180 days or less and does not intend to establish residency in Michigan. (28.422(9)(e))

Under MCL 28.422(10), a non-resident must present that license on the demand of a police officer. Failure to do so is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not more than $100.00, or both.

Brandishing vs. Open Carry

Open carry in a holster does not, by itself, constitute "brandishing" under Michigan law. MCL 750.234e(1) provides that, except as provided in subsection (2), a person shall not willfully and knowingly brandish a firearm in public. Under MCL 750.234e(3), a violation is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or a fine of not more than $100.00, or both.

MCL 750.234e(2) provides two exceptions. The prohibition does not apply to:

• (2)(a) A peace officer lawfully performing his or her duties as a peace officer.
• (2)(b) A person lawfully acting in self-defense or defense of another under the Self-Defense Act, 2006 PA 309, MCL 780.971 to 780.974.

Per Attorney General Opinion No. 7101 (February 6, 2002):

"A reserve police officer, by carrying a handgun in a holster that is in plain view, does not violate section 234e of the Michigan Penal Code, which prohibits brandishing a firearm in public."

"A person when carrying a handgun in a holster in plain view is not waving or displaying the firearm in a threatening manner. Thus, such conduct does not constitute brandishing a firearm."

The term "brandishing" is not defined in MCL 750.234e, and the Attorney General noted there were no reported Michigan cases defining the term at the time of the opinion. The Attorney General relied on dictionary definitions:

• "To wave or flourish menacingly, as a weapon"
• "To display ostentatiously"
• "A menacing or defiant wave or flourish"

Federal case law was also cited: United States v. Moerman, 233 F3d 379 (CA 6, 2000).

Concealed vs. Open Carry Definition

Per the Michigan State Police Legal Update No. 86:

"The carrying of a pistol in a holster or belt outside the clothing is not carrying a concealed weapon. Carrying a pistol under a coat is carrying a concealed weapon." (Op. Atty. Gen. 1945, O-3158)

According to People v. Reynolds, 38 Mich App 159 (1970), a weapon is concealed if it is not observed by those casually observing the suspect as people do in the ordinary course and usual associations of life.

Prohibited Locations Without a CPL

MCL 750.234d - Possession of a Firearm on Certain Premises

Under MCL 750.234d(1), a person who is not within one of the exemptions in subsection (2) shall not possess a firearm on the premises of any of the following:

1. A depository financial institution (for example, a bank or credit union) or a subsidiary or affiliate of one. (234d(1)(a))
2. A church or other house of religious worship. (234d(1)(b))
3. A court. (234d(1)(c))
4. A theatre. (234d(1)(d))
5. A sports arena. (234d(1)(e))
6. A day care center. (234d(1)(f))
7. A hospital. (234d(1)(g))
8. An establishment licensed under the Michigan Liquor Control Code of 1998, MCL 436.1101 to 436.2303. (234d(1)(h))

Important note on liquor-licensed establishments: The operative word is "licensed." It does not matter whether alcohol is actually sold or consumed at the moment. Any establishment holding a license under the Michigan Liquor Control Code is covered.

Violation: Under MCL 750.234d(8), a violation of this section is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not more than $100.00, or both.

Exemptions from MCL 750.234d(1)

Under MCL 750.234d(2), subsection (1) does not apply to:

• A person who owns, or is employed or contracted by, the entity, if the firearm is possessed to provide security services for that entity. (234d(2)(a))
• A peace officer. (234d(2)(b))
• A person licensed by this state or another state to carry a concealed weapon. (234d(2)(c)) The statute as written does not contain a separate "state of residence" restriction in this exemption. The residence-of-the-issuing-state limitation comes from MCL 28.432a(h), which governs whose out-of-state license Michigan recognizes for carrying in the first place; it is not part of the text of the 750.234d(2)(c) exemption.
• A person who possesses the firearm on the premises with the permission of the owner or an agent of the owner. (234d(2)(d))

Permission exception: If you do not have a CPL and you receive permission from the owner or an agent of the owner, you may possess a firearm on that premises under subsection (2)(d). Getting that permission in writing is prudent but not required by the statute.

MCL 750.234d Election-Related Prohibited Locations (Effective April 2, 2025)

MCL 750.234d was amended by 2024 PA 157 and 2024 PA 158, effective April 2, 2025, to add firearm prohibitions tied to elections. Under MCL 750.234d(3), except as provided in subsection (4), a person shall not:

• (3)(a) While the polls are open on an election day, possess a firearm in a polling place or within 100 feet from any entrance to a building in which a polling place is located.
• (3)(b) On any day early voting is conducted, possess a firearm at an early voting site or within 100 feet from any entrance to a building in which an early voting site is located.
• (3)(c) For 40 days before an election, possess a firearm within 100 feet from any absent voter ballot drop box.
• (3)(d) For the 40 days before an election when an absent voter can vote in person with the clerk, possess a firearm in a city or township clerk's office (or an official staffed satellite office), or within 100 feet from any entrance to such an office.

MCL 750.234d(6) separately prohibits possessing a firearm in an absent voter counting place, or within 100 feet of any entrance to one, while absent voter ballots are being processed (subject to the uniformed-law-enforcement exception in subsection (7)).

Under MCL 750.234d(4), the subsection (3) prohibitions do not apply to a peace officer (4)(a), to a person possessing a firearm in that person's own residence or on that person's own private property (or another person with permission to do so there) (4)(b), or to a person carrying a concealed pistol who is licensed by this state or another state to carry a concealed pistol (4)(c). Under MCL 750.234d(5), subsection (3) also does not apply to a person who is lawfully transporting or possessing a firearm in a vehicle.

The practical effect for open carriers is significant. Because a person licensed to carry a concealed pistol is exempted (when carrying concealed) and lawful vehicle transport is exempted, these election-day and election-period rules fall most directly on open carry. If you are openly carrying a firearm on foot near a polling place, early voting site, drop box, clerk's office, or counting place during the applicable period, you are within the prohibition unless another exemption applies. A violation is a 90-day misdemeanor under MCL 750.234d(8).

MCL 750.237a - Weapon-Free School Zones

MCL 750.237a does not make every offense or every felony in a school zone a uniform crime. It works in three distinct ways:

• MCL 750.237a(1) lists specific weapon offenses (for example, sections 224, 226, 227, and certain others enumerated in the statute) that, when committed in a weapon-free school zone, are a felony with enhanced penalties.
• MCL 750.237a(2) lists a different set of specified offenses (including 224d, 227c, 227d, 233, 234, 234e, 234f, and others) that, when committed in a weapon-free school zone, are a misdemeanor with enhanced penalties.
• MCL 750.237a(4) is a standalone offense. Except as provided in subsection (5), an individual who possesses a weapon in a weapon-free school zone is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days, community service for not more than 100 hours, or a fine of not more than $2,000.00, or a combination.

A "weapon-free school zone" is defined in MCL 750.237a(6)(e) as school property and a vehicle used by a school to transport students to or from school property. "School" is limited to a public, private, denominational, or parochial school offering developmental kindergarten, kindergarten, or any grade from 1 through 12, and excludes buildings used primarily for adult education or college extension courses.

Exemptions from the possession offense. Under MCL 750.237a(5), the subsection (4) possession offense does not apply to a defined set of people, including:

• An individual employed or contracted by a school to provide security services. (237a(5)(a))
• A peace officer. (237a(5)(b))
• An individual licensed by this state or another state to carry a concealed weapon. (237a(5)(c))
• An individual possessing a weapon provided by the school or instructor for instruction in its use. (237a(5)(d))
• An individual possessing a firearm on school property with the permission of the school's principal or designated agent or the school board. (237a(5)(e))
• An adult who is not a student and who is transporting a student, while carrying an unloaded firearm in a closed case in the trunk under the specific conditions listed in subsection (5)(f).

A CPL is one of the exemptions to the subsection (4) possession offense, but it is not the only one, and it does not exempt a person from the specific weapon offenses enumerated in subsections (1) and (2). Do not assume that holding a CPL makes any conduct in a school zone lawful.

Open Carry Advantages for CPL Holders

A CPL meaningfully expands where a person may lawfully carry:

• The MCL 750.234d(1) premises listed above (bank, church, court, theatre, sports arena, day care center, hospital, liquor-licensed establishment) do not apply to a person licensed to carry a concealed weapon, under MCL 750.234d(2)(c). A CPL holder may carry in those locations.
• A CPL holder is not required by law to carry concealed. They may carry concealed or non-concealed (open).

MCL 28.425o - Pistol-Free Zones (Concealed Carry Only)

MCL 28.425o(1) provides that, subject to the exemptions in subsection (5), a person licensed to carry a concealed pistol (or exempt from licensure under section 12a(h)) shall not carry a concealed pistol on the premises of the following (parking areas are excluded by subsection (4)):

1. A school or school property, except that a parent or legal guardian is not precluded from carrying a concealed pistol while in a vehicle on school property when dropping off or picking up a student. (28.425o(1)(a))
2. A public or private child care or day care center, child caring institution, or child placing agency. (28.425o(1)(b))
3. A sports arena or stadium. (28.425o(1)(c))
4. A bar or tavern licensed under the Michigan Liquor Control Code where the primary source of income is the sale of alcoholic liquor by the glass consumed on the premises (this does not apply to an owner or employee). (28.425o(1)(d))
5. Any property or facility owned or operated by a church, synagogue, mosque, temple, or other place of worship, unless the presiding official permits it. (28.425o(1)(e))
6. An entertainment facility with a seating capacity of 2,500 or more. (28.425o(1)(f))
7. A hospital. (28.425o(1)(g))
8. A dormitory or classroom of a community college, college, or university. (28.425o(1)(h))
9. A casino, under R 432.1212 of the Michigan Administrative Code. (28.425o(3))

Penalties under MCL 28.425o(6): A first violation is a state civil infraction, with a fine of not more than $500.00 and a court-ordered 6-month suspension of the CPL. A second violation is a misdemeanor, with a fine of not more than $1,000.00 and a court-ordered revocation of the CPL. A third or subsequent violation is a felony punishable by up to 4 years or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both, with revocation of the CPL.

Critical distinction: These restrictions apply only to concealed carry by a CPL holder. If a CPL holder carries the pistol non-concealed (open), MCL 28.425o by its terms does not apply, because the statute prohibits carrying a "concealed" pistol in those places.

As the Michigan State Police have explained, a person with a valid CPL may carry a non-concealed pistol in the areas described in MCL 28.425o and MCL 750.234d(1).

However, several important limits apply before relying on open carry to enter a pistol-free zone:

• K-12 schools: In Mich. Gun Owners, Inc. v. Ann Arbor Pub. Schs., 502 Mich 695 (2018), the Michigan Supreme Court held that a school district may, as a matter of local policy, ban open carry on school property, and that such a ban is not preempted by state law. Mich. Open Carry, Inc. v. Clio Area Sch. Dist., 502 Mich 919 (2018), reached the same conclusion. Separately, the MCL 750.237a(4) weapon-free school zone possession offense still applies unless one of the subsection (5) exemptions fits.
• Federal Gun-Free School Zones Act: 18 USC 922(q) imposes its own restrictions within 1,000 feet of a K-12 school, with a narrow exception for a person licensed by the state in which the school is located.
• Court facilities: Courts are off-limits under MCL 750.234d(1)(c) for those without a recognized CPL, and remain off-limits to everyone, concealed or open, under Michigan Supreme Court Administrative Order 2001-1 (see the PROHIBITED_PLACES section).
• Private property: Owners may prohibit firearms on their premises regardless of CPL status; remaining after being told to leave can be charged as trespass under MCL 750.552.
• Federal facilities: Post offices, federal courthouses, and similar facilities remain off-limits under 18 USC 930.

Open Carry in Vehicles

There is no lawful way to "open carry" a pistol in a vehicle in Michigan without a CPL or a statutory exception. Under MCL 750.227(2), it is a felony to carry a pistol, "whether concealed or otherwise," in a vehicle operated or occupied by the person, without a license to carry the pistol:

"A person shall not carry a pistol concealed on or about his or her person, or, whether concealed or otherwise, in a vehicle operated or occupied by the person, except in his or her dwelling house, place of business, or on other land possessed by the person, without a license to carry the pistol as provided by law and if licensed, shall not carry the pistol in a place or manner inconsistent with any restrictions upon such license."

Under MCL 750.227(3), a violation is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years, or a fine of not more than $2,500.00. A person without a CPL or another exception who transports a pistol in a vehicle to a place where they intend to open carry can violate MCL 750.227(2).

Lawful Transportation Exceptions - MCL 750.231a

MCL 750.231a sets out exceptions to the MCL 750.227(2) vehicle-carry prohibition. The two that matter most for a person without a Michigan CPL are:

• MCL 750.231a(1)(d): Transporting a pistol for a lawful purpose, where the pistol is licensed by the owner or occupant of the vehicle in compliance with MCL 28.422 and is unloaded in a closed case designed for the storage of firearms in the trunk of the vehicle.
• MCL 750.231a(1)(e): The same, in a vehicle that does not have a trunk, where the licensed (under MCL 28.422) pistol is unloaded, cased, and kept so that it is not readily accessible to the occupants of the vehicle.

The statute also exempts a person holding a valid concealed pistol license issued by his or her state of residence (MCL 750.231a(1)(a), which in practice most often applies to out-of-state visitors) and a person carrying an antique firearm unloaded in a closed case in the trunk (MCL 750.231a(1)(c)).

The statutory text requires four things for the non-CPL transport exceptions: the pistol must be licensed by the owner or occupant of the vehicle under MCL 28.422, unloaded, in a closed case designed for the storage of firearms, and in the trunk (or, with no trunk, kept not readily accessible). A pistol that is not licensed under MCL 28.422 does not qualify for these subsections. The statute itself does not address whether a detachable magazine may be loaded, and it does not contain an enumerated list of "lawful purposes." Treat any detailed magazine handling or step-by-step procedure as practical guidance, not as language found in MCL 750.231a.

Lawful Purposes (From Michigan State Police Guidance)

The Michigan State Police and widely used firearms-law guides describe "lawful purpose" transport situations that include, among others:

• Going to or from a hunting or target shooting area
• Going to or from a place of repair
• Moving goods from one home or business to another home or business
• Going to or from a law enforcement agency (for example, for a safety inspection or to surrender the pistol)
• Going to or from a gun show or a place of sale or purchase
• Going to or from a public shooting facility or public land where shooting is lawful
• Going to or from private property where the pistol may be lawfully used

These descriptions are drawn from official guidance and from the broader statutory scheme (including the License-to-Purchase framework in MCL 28.422 and the exemptions in MCL 28.432a). They are not a verbatim list inside MCL 750.231a, so the governing requirements remain unloaded, cased, and in the trunk for the actual transport.

Suggested Transportation Procedure (Without a CPL)

The following is a practical, conservative procedure, not statutory text. It is designed to satisfy the unloaded, cased, and trunk requirements of MCL 750.231a(1)(d) and (e).

To transport (leaving a location):

1. Step to the back of the vehicle with your firearm case.
2. With both the case and the firearm completely outside the vehicle, set the case down.
3. Unholster, remove the magazine, and clear any chambered round.
4. Place the completely unloaded pistol in the closed case.
5. Place the case in the trunk (or, with no trunk, the point furthest from the occupants and not readily accessible).
6. Close the trunk.

To retrieve (arriving at a destination):

1. Open the trunk and remove the cased firearm.
2. Step completely outside the vehicle with the case.
3. Open the case.
4. Load the firearm.
5. Holster.
6. Return the empty case to the trunk.

Private Property Rights

A private property owner may prohibit individuals from carrying firearms on the owner's property, whether concealed or open, and regardless of CPL status. A person who remains on the property after being told to leave may be charged with trespassing under MCL 750.552.

Pistol Registration Requirements

MCL 28.422(1) provides that, except as otherwise provided, a person shall not purchase, carry, possess, or transport a pistol in Michigan without first having obtained a license for the pistol as prescribed in that section.

• A person with a valid Michigan CPL does not have to obtain a separate License to Purchase, but still records the acquisition using a Pistol Sales Record (MCL 28.422a). A seller who fails to comply with the recording and return requirements of MCL 28.422(5) is responsible for a state civil infraction (up to a $250.00 fine).
• Under MCL 28.422(6), the buyer may carry, use, possess, and transport the pistol for 30 days beginning on the date of purchase or acquisition only while in possession of a copy of the license.
• After that 30-day period, the buyer is not required to have the license in their possession while carrying, using, possessing, or transporting the pistol.

State Preemption of Local Firearms Regulation

MCL 123.1102 expressly prohibits local units of government from regulating firearms except as otherwise provided by federal or state law. The Michigan Court of Appeals in Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners v. Ferndale, 256 Mich App 401 (2003), held that state law occupies the field of firearm regulation to the exclusion of local units of government.

In Capital Area District Library v. Michigan Open Carry, Inc., No. 304582 (Mich. Ct. App., October 25, 2012), the Court of Appeals extended this field-preemption analysis to district libraries established under the District Library Establishment Act (MCL 397.171 et seq.), reversing a trial court ruling that had upheld a library weapons ban. The court applied the People v. Llewellyn preemption test and concluded that field preemption applies to quasi-municipal agencies like district libraries. The practical result is that district libraries cannot ban open carry on their premises, because such a ban would be impermissible local regulation of firearms.

Note that this state preemption analysis does not override the K-12 school-property holdings in Ann Arbor Public Schools and Clio Area School District, where the Michigan Supreme Court allowed school districts to adopt open-carry bans on school property.

Fourth Amendment Protections and Law Enforcement Encounters

Per the Michigan State Police Legal Update No. 86:

"Officers are reminded that the Fourth Amendment protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures. Carrying a non-concealed firearm is generally legal. Officers may engage in a consensual encounter with a person carrying a non-concealed pistol; however, in order to stop a citizen, officers are required to have reasonable suspicion that crime is afoot. For example, officers may not stop a person on the mere possibility the person may be carrying an unregistered pistol. Officers must possess facts rising to the level of reasonable suspicion to believe the person is carrying an unregistered pistol."

"Officers are also reminded there is no general duty for a citizen to identify himself or herself to a police officer unless the citizen is being stopped for a Michigan Vehicle Code violation."

Key Statutes Reference

Ambiguities and Notes

• "Lawful intent," as referenced in the open-carry standard, is not specifically defined in the cited statutes.
• "Brandishing" is not defined in MCL 750.234e. Attorney General Opinion No. 7101 relies on dictionary definitions, and the prohibition turns on a willful and knowing display in a threatening manner.
• The MCL 750.234d election-location prohibitions took effect April 2, 2025 (2024 PA 157 and 2024 PA 158). They restrict open carry most directly, because concealed-carry licensees carrying concealed and persons lawfully transporting a firearm in a vehicle are exempted.
• MCL 750.237a does not make every offense in a school zone a felony. It enhances only the specific offenses listed in subsections (1) and (2), and separately makes mere possession of a weapon a misdemeanor under subsection (4), subject to the subsection (5) exemptions.

Source Information

• Michigan Legislature (primary statutes): MCL 28.422, 28.425o, 28.432, 28.432a, 750.227, 750.231a, 750.234d, 750.234e, and 750.237a (legislature.mi.gov, scraped 2026-06-25).
• Michigan State Police: Legal Update No. 86 (October 26, 2010).
• Michigan Department of Attorney General: Opinion No. 7101 (February 6, 2002).
• Michigan Court of Appeals: Capital Area District Library v. Michigan Open Carry, Inc., No. 304582 (October 25, 2012).
• Secondary cross-check: handgunlaw.us Michigan summary (used to confirm practical facts; the primary MCL statute governs on any conflict).