Occupations: business licensing and registration; license to sell firearms at retail; provide for. Amends 1927 PA 372 (MCL 28.421 - 28.435) by adding sec. 12c. TIE BAR WITH: SB 0854'26
SB 853 would create a new state licensing system for firearms dealers in Michigan by adding section 12c to the state’s firearms licensing law. Beginning 18 months after the department adopts initial rules, any person or business dealing firearms at retail or wholesale in Michigan would need a state dealer license for each location, in addition to a federal firearms license and any local licenses. Applicants would pay a $250 application fee, renew annually for $200, display a certificate of licensure publicly, and keep the license current or stop dealing firearms. The bill also excludes certain limited sellers, occasional private sales, hobby collections, and gunsmith-only businesses from the definition of “dealer.”
The bill would require the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to create or approve a training course for dealers and employees who handle or access firearms. The training would cover state and federal firearms laws, straw purchasers, trafficking, illegal purchase indicators, self-harm warning signs, theft prevention, reporting duties, and safe handling and storage. Dealers and covered employees would have to complete the training every year and pass a written exam with at least a 70% score. The department could deny, suspend, limit, or revoke a license for violations of the new section, related rules, section 14b, or failure to maintain required records.
In practical terms, SB 853 would add a new layer of state regulation on top of existing federal and local firearms dealer requirements. It would affect firearms retailers, wholesalers, and other businesses that are considered dealers under the bill, while carving out smaller-volume sellers and gunsmiths. The bill also directs the department to promulgate rules by January 1, 2027, and deposits licensing fees into the state licensing and regulation fund.
The available record shows no committee transcript, vote tally, or recorded floor debate, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition in the provided materials. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to reflect a regulatory and public-safety approach focused on dealer accountability, training, and recordkeeping rather than a criminal prohibition. Because the bill is tie-barred to SB 854, it would not take effect unless that companion bill also becomes law.
SB 853 would amend Michigan’s firearms licensing statute, 1927 PA 372, by adding a new state dealer-licensing requirement for firearms sellers. It would impose application, renewal, training, display, and recordkeeping obligations on covered dealers, authorize administrative enforcement by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, and create new fee revenue deposited into the licensing and regulation fund. The bill would also define which sellers qualify as dealers and which activities are excluded, thereby affecting firearms retailers, wholesalers, and related businesses operating in the state.
No voting history or committee discussion was provided, so the bill’s sentiment cannot be measured from recorded debate. From the text, the bill appears to be framed as a public-safety and regulatory measure aimed at preventing trafficking, illegal sales, theft, and misuse of firearms through licensing and training requirements. The absence of recorded opposition or support in the supplied materials means the overall sentiment is indeterminate, though the policy direction suggests a more interventionist regulatory approach.
The main likely points of contention are the added licensing burden, annual training mandate, and fees imposed on firearms dealers, especially smaller businesses that may view the requirements as costly or duplicative of federal regulation. Supporters would likely emphasize the bill’s focus on trafficking prevention, safe storage, straw-purchaser detection, and dealer accountability. Another possible point of dispute is the scope of the dealer definition and the exclusions for occasional sellers and gunsmiths, as well as the department’s authority to set rules, approve training, and revoke licenses for violations or recordkeeping failures.