Training Requirements for a Michigan Concealed Pistol License (CPL)

Michigan requires applicants for a Concealed Pistol License to complete an approved pistol training or safety course before applying. The governing statute is MCL 28.425j (Section 5j of 1927 PA 372). This page explains what a qualifying course must include, what your certificate of completion must show, the rules for renewals, and the limited training waivers and immunity that Michigan law provides.

Initial CPL Training Requirements

Under MCL 28.425j(1), a pistol training or safety program described in Section 5b(7)(c) meets the requirements for knowledge or training in the safe use and handling of a pistol only if all of the following are true:

• The training was provided within 5 years preceding the date of application.
• The program consisted of not less than 8 hours of instruction in total.
• Every condition in subparagraphs (a) through (d) below is met.

Classroom Instruction (at least 5 hours)

Under MCL 28.425j(1)(a), the program must be certified by the State of Michigan or by a national or state firearms training organization, and it must provide at least 5 hours of instruction in all of the following areas. The statute lists these as a minimum, so a program may cover more:

1. The safe storage, use, and handling of a pistol, including but not limited to safe storage, use, and handling to protect child safety. (MCL 28.425j(1)(a)(i))
2. Ammunition knowledge and the fundamentals of pistol shooting. (MCL 28.425j(1)(a)(ii))
3. Pistol shooting positions. (MCL 28.425j(1)(a)(iii))
4. Firearms and the law, including civil liability issues and the use of deadly force. This portion must be taught by an attorney or by an individual trained in the use of deadly force. (MCL 28.425j(1)(a)(iv))
5. Avoiding criminal attack and controlling a violent confrontation. (MCL 28.425j(1)(a)(v))
6. All laws that apply to carrying a concealed pistol in Michigan. (MCL 28.425j(1)(a)(vi))

Range Instruction (at least 3 hours)

Under MCL 28.425j(1)(b), the program must provide at least 3 hours of instruction on a firing range and must require the student to fire at least 30 rounds of ammunition.

Instructor Certification

Under MCL 28.425j(1)(d), the instructor of the course must be certified by the State of Michigan or by a state or national firearms training organization to teach the pistol safety training courses described in the section. The same subsection bars the county clerk from requiring any other certification and from requiring an instructor to register with the county or the county clerk.

Certificate of Completion Requirements

Under MCL 28.425j(1)(c), the program must provide a certificate of completion. The certificate must do all of the following:

• State that the program complies with the requirements of Section 5j and that the individual successfully completed the course.
• Contain the printed name and original handwritten signature of the course instructor.
• Contain this exact statement: "This course complies with section 5j of 1927 PA 372."

For certificates issued on or after December 1, 2015, the certificate must also contain both of the following items. Each item may be printed on the face of the certificate or attached in a separate document:

1. The instructor's name and telephone number. (MCL 28.425j(1)(c)(i))
2. The name and telephone number of the state agency or the state or national firearms training organization that has certified the individual as an instructor for purposes of this section, the instructor's certification number (if any), and the expiration date of that certification. (MCL 28.425j(1)(c)(ii))

Both items are required. A certificate issued on or after December 1, 2015 that omits the instructor's own name and telephone number does not comply with Michigan law, even if it includes the certifying organization's information.

The county clerk cannot require a specific form, color, wording, or other content on a certificate of completion beyond what this act requires (MCL 28.425j(5)).

Certificates That Do Not Match the Current Form

Under MCL 28.425j(2), a training certificate that does not meet the requirements under the state law in effect when it was issued may still satisfy MCL 28.425j(1)(c) if the applicant provides information that reasonably demonstrates that the certificate or the training meets the applicable requirements.

Renewal Training Requirements

Under MCL 28.425l(9), the educational requirements of Section 5b(7)(c) are waived for an applicant who is renewing a license, except that the applicant must certify both of the following:

• That he or she has completed at least 3 hours' review of the training described under Section 5b(7)(c).
• That he or she has had at least 1 hour of firing range time in the 6 months immediately preceding the renewal application.

The statute treats these educational and firing range requirements as met if the applicant certifies on the renewal application form that he or she has complied. A renewal applicant is not required to verify the statements made and is not required to obtain a certificate or undergo training other than as described in this subsection.

Training Waiver for Retired Officers

Under MCL 28.425l(8), the educational requirements of Section 5b(7)(c) are waived in full for an applicant who is a retired police officer or retired law enforcement officer.

Penalties for Fraudulent Certificates

Under MCL 28.425j(3), a person shall not do either of the following:

• Grant a certificate of completion described in MCL 28.425j(1)(c) to an individual knowing the individual did not satisfactorily complete the course.
• Present such a certificate of completion to a county clerk knowing that the individual did not satisfactorily complete the course.

Under MCL 28.425j(4), a person who violates MCL 28.425j(3) is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 4 years or a fine of not more than $2,500.00, or both.

Instructor and Trainer Civil Immunity

Under MCL 28.425i (Section 5i), a person or entity that provides instruction or training to another person under Section 5b is immune from civil liability for damages to any person or property caused by the person who was trained (MCL 28.425i(1)). This immunity does not apply if the person or entity providing the instruction or training was grossly negligent (MCL 28.425i(2)). The statute also states that this immunity is in addition to, and not in lieu of, any immunity otherwise provided by law (MCL 28.425i(3)).

Key Statutory References