One Year Ago – A Review of Michigan’s New Handgun Registration Law

One Year Ago – A Review of Michigan’s New Handgun Registration Law

Michigan Coalition For Responsible Gun Owners
Michigan Coalition For Responsible Gun Owners

Michigan –-(AmmoLand.com)- Public Acts 194, 195, and 196 that were passed in 2008, took effect one year ago on Wednesday, Jan 7th, 2009. The primary change was to MCL 28.422a:

“…(2) If an individual licensed under section 5b purchases or otherwise acquires a pistol, the seller shall complete a record in quadruplicate on a form provided by the department of state police. The record shall include the purchaser’s concealed weapon license number. The purchaser shall sign the record. The seller may retain 1 copy of the record. The purchaser shall receive 3 copies of the record and forward 2 copies to the police department of the city, village, or township in which the purchaser resides, or, if the purchaser does not reside in a city, village, or township having a police department, to the county sheriff, within 10 days following the purchase or acquisition. The return of the copies to the police department or county sheriff may be made in person or may be made by first-class mail or certified mail sent within the 10-day period to the proper address of the police department or county sheriff. A purchaser who fails to comply with the requirements of this subsection is responsible for a state civil infraction and may be fined not more than $250.00. If a purchaser is found responsible for a state civil infraction under this subsection, the court shall notify the department of state police and the concealed weapon licensing board that issued the license of that determination.

(3) Within 48 hours after receiving the record copies returned under subsection (2), the police department or county sheriff shall forward 1 copy of the record to the department of state police. The police department or county sheriff shall retain the other copy of the record as an official record for not less than 6 years. Within 10 days after receiving the record copies returned under subsection (2), the police department or county sheriff shall electronically enter the information into the pistol entry database as required by the department of state police if it has the ability to electronically enter that information. If the police department or county sheriff does not have that ability, the police department or county sheriff shall provide that information to the department of state police in a manner otherwise required by the department of state police. Any police department or county sheriff that provided pistol descriptions to the department of state police under former section 9 of this act shall continue to provide pistol descriptions to the department of state police under this subsection. The purchaser has the right to obtain a copy of the information placed in the pistol entry database under this subsection to verify the accuracy of that information. The police department or county sheriff may charge a fee not to exceed $1.00 for the cost of providing the copy. The purchaser may carry, use, possess, and transport the pistol for 30 days beginning on the date of purchase or acquisition only while he or she is in possession of his or her copy of the record.

However, the person is not required to have the record in his or her possession while carrying, using, possessing, or transporting the pistol after this period. …”

The new forms can be aquired at: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/ri-060_6454_7.pdf.

Steve Dulan (www.StevenWDulan.com) is a member of the Board of Directors of the MCRGO and the MCRGO Foundation, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the MCRGO Foundation. He is an attorney in private practice in East Lansing and Adjunct Professor of firearms law at The Thomas M. Cooley Law School. as well as an NRA Life Member.

About:
The Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners is a non-profit, non-partisan organization. Formed from just eight people in 1996, we now have thousands of members and numerous affiliated clubs across the state. We’re growing larger and more effective every day.

Our mission statement is: “Promoting safe use and ownership of firearms through education, litigation, and legislation” Visit: www.mcrgo.org

4 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Bill

I am moving to Michigan and have a handgun that was given to me as a gift in South Carolina and it is not registered in my name . I do not have any paperwork on this Pistol . What is required to get this Firearm registered in my name in Michigan ?
Thank you ,
Bill

Ron T.

I retired as a Indiana police officeer and moved to Michigan a year ago and failed to register my handgun collection what am I facing

James Kay

I am a licensed CPL holder from the State of Michigan. I winter in Arizona and purchased a hand gun from a licensed dealer. When I return to Michigan do have to register this hand gun with the county in which I reside?
Michigan Gun Laws have been changing and I would like a clarification.
Thank You

Norm Aronson

I am a hand gun owner, and have been for over 40 years. I have a C.P.L. and generally carry a concield weapon, and I have gone thru the process of getting a permit and buying hand guns.
I am told that now you walk into a store, buy a hand gun and then go about the process of getting a purchase permit. Is this true? Can you accually buy a weapon and walk out of a store with it without any advance background check?