How to Buy a Firearm in Michigan

Buying a Pistol

Meet the age requirements. You must be at least 18 years old to buy a pistol from a private seller. You can not buy a pistol from a dealer, however. You must be 21 years old or older to buy a pistol from a federal firearms licensed dealer. Only Michigan residents may purchase a pistol in Michigan.

Obtain a purchase permit if you are not purchasing from an FFL dealer. That's a Federal Firearm Licensed dealer. If you are purchasing from anyone else, you will need the permit unless you have a concealed pistol license(CPL).If you are a CPL holder and are purchasing from another person all you need is a RI-60. This is also called a license to purchase a pistol, or an LTP. It is valid for 30 days as of December 18th, 2012. Complete the application for a pistol purchase permit at your local police agency. If you reside within municipal limits, go to your city police department. If you live in a rural area or outside municipal limits, go to your county sheriff's department. Bring valid identification with you. You must present police with a current ID that shows your photograph.

Pass the background check. It's not super invasive -- they're mainly checking to see if you're mentally stable or if you have any restraining orders to your name. This generally takes 24 hours. Take an oath before a notary public. You must swear that you comply with applicable federal laws and Michigan state laws for owning a pistol in Michigan. The laws stipulate numerous circumstances that prohibit applicants from receiving a purchase permit. You can see the complete list at the Michigan State Police website at www.michigan.gov/msp. As of last year, the Basic Pistol Safety Questionnaire is no longer given. Just for the record.

Collect your approved purchase permit at the police station. You can usually get the permit the day after you apply. The police can only deny the permit if you've been convicted of a felony or have displayed a history of violent or mentally unstable behavior. You'll also receive a PSR -- Pistol Sales Record in triplicate. One will be for you, one will be for the police, and one will be for your seller. Don't lose these!

If you are purchasing from an FFL, obtain a PSR. The dealer's identification number must be on the PSR in addition to information on you and your pistol. You must send the completed police copy of the PSR to the nearest police agency. This goes for both those who are purchasing from private sellers and those purchasing from FFL's. The only difference is that if you are purchasing from a private seller and do not have a permit, the PSR will be given to you then. Otherwise, go to your local police station and request a PSR form in triplicate.

Use the purchase permit and PSR to buy a pistol in Michigan. The permit is valid for 30 days, but you need to fill it out within 10 days of purchase. When you are buying your pistol, have the forms with you to fill out. Make sure that you and your gun dealer sign the permit and PSR. This will be done when you buy the pistol. The dealer will retain a copy of each. Keep a copy of the signed purchase permit and PSR for your records.

Return one copy of the PSR (and permit, if applicable) to your local police agency. They will then enter your information into their database. Their copy then gets forwarded to the following address (and then you're finished!): Firearms Records UnitMichigan State PolicePO Box 30634Lansing, MI48909-0634

Buying a Long Gun

Meet the age requirements. Because long guns aren't used in crime too terribly often (try to conceal one in your waistband), they're actually much easier to obtain. You can be younger and you don't need a permit. You must be 18 years old or older to buy a long gun from a private seller. You must be at least 18 years old to buy a long gun from a federal firearms licensed dealer. Non-residents may purchase a long gun in Michigan and residents of Michigan may purchase a long gun in any other state.

Pass a background check, if applicable. You can't buy a long gun if doing so is prohibited due to your mental health background or criminal history. If you do not have a permit to carry a pistol, you may have to go through this. However, it's ultimately up to the discretion of the dealer. You may find that this lack of regulation is surprising, at least compared to the regulations for handguns. The reason being is that long guns are very difficult to conceal, aren't often used in crime, and aren't cheap to come by.

Purchase your long gun. It's best to go about this as legally as possible -- purchasing from an FFL dealer, etc. But there are also private gun shows and tons of Internet sites that have a wide selection, too.