Guide · checked October 22, 2026
Renewing a Michigan CPL
You can renew up to six months before your license expires, online, by mail or at your county clerk, for $115. On the form you certify at least 3 hours' review of your training and at least 1 hour of firing range time in the six months before you apply.
When and how to renew
Renewal opens six months before your license expires. State law requires the State Police to offer renewal online or by mail at no extra charge, and your county clerk takes renewals in person. The renewal notice the clerk mails ahead of time carries the PIN you need online.
Apply before your license expires and the old one stays valid until the new one is issued. The clerk has 30 days from receiving your renewal to issue it.
The training you certify
Renewing skips the full course, with one condition. In the statute's words, the applicant "shall certify that he or she has completed at least 3 hours' review of the training" and "has had at least 1 hour of firing range time in the 6 months immediately preceding" the application.
You certify it on the form. You don't have to prove it or bring a certificate, but the hour is worth doing honestly: it is the only shooting most license holders do between renewals.
If your license already expired
Up to one year after it expires, you can still renew. Past one year, the State Police application treats you as a new applicant: the full pistol safety course, the $100 fee and fingerprints again.
How many licenses lapse
Plenty of people miss the window. Across the seven counties around Lansing, about 38,000 licenses had lapsed as of September 1, 2026, against 77,459 still active. Ingham County has the highest lapsed share, 38%.
| County | Active | Per 100 adults | Lapsed | Lapsed share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Livingston County | 22,181 | 14.0 | 9,610 | 30% |
| Ingham County | 15,678 | 6.7 | 9,442 | 38% |
| Eaton County | 11,120 | 12.7 | 5,608 | 34% |
| Clinton County | 8,015 | 12.5 | 3,576 | 31% |
| Shiawassee County | 7,595 | 14.1 | 3,789 | 33% |
| Barry County | 7,424 | 14.6 | 3,273 | 31% |
| Ionia County | 5,446 | 10.3 | 2,486 | 31% |
Questions
Do I have to retake the full course to renew?
Not if your license is current or expired less than a year. You certify 3 hours' review and 1 hour of range time instead. Past a year expired, you take the full course again as a new applicant.
Can I renew my Michigan CPL online?
Yes. State law requires the State Police to offer online and mail renewal at no extra charge. You need the PIN from the renewal notice your county mails before your license expires.
Is my old license still good while I wait for the new one?
Yes, if you applied before it expired. The law extends the current license until the renewal or a notice of disqualification is issued.
Sources
- MCL 28.425l: license term and renewal (Michigan Legislature)
- Michigan State Police: CPL application and instructions
- Ingham County Clerk: concealed pistol license
- Livingston County Clerk: concealed pistol license
- Michigan State Police: CPL Applications by County and Status, as of September 1, 2026
Checked October 22, 2026. Rules and fees change; the linked sources are the final word. This guide is general information, not legal advice.