Is it legal to own a suppressor in Michigan?

Yes, for people licensed or approved by ATF. MCL 750.224 bans silencers but exempts persons federally licensed to possess them, and Attorney General Opinion 7260 (2011) reads that to include ATF-approved owners.

Can I buy a suppressor in Michigan on just a Form 4473?

It's unsettled. After ATF's October 9, 2026 change, no Michigan court, AG opinion or law says whether a can acquired without ATF approval fits MCL 750.224's exception. A voluntary Form 4, now $0 in tax, is the cautious route.

Can you hunt with a suppressor in Michigan?

Yes. The Natural Resources Commission approved suppressor use while hunting on February 11, 2016, through Wildlife Conservation Order Amendment No. 1 of 2016.

Michigan Suppressor Laws in 2026: An Unsettled Question After October 9

By The Release Desk · Updated Oct 17, 2026 · How we verify · Editorial standards

Michigan hunters and shooters have owned suppressors legally for years, but only through a narrow exception in a felony statute. ATF's October 9, 2026 decision to stop requiring NFA approval left that exception without the federal paperwork it was read to require. As of October 17, nobody with authority has said what that means. Here's what's known and what isn't.

Not legal advice. This page summarizes Michigan statutes, an Attorney General opinion and public reporting as of the date above. Possessing a silencer outside Michigan's exception is a felony. Talk to your dealer or a Michigan attorney before relying on any reading of the law.

The short answer

Suppressors are legal in Michigan for people approved by ATF. That's how Attorney General Opinion 7260 reads the statute, and it has been the working rule since 2011.
A 4473-only can is legally unsettled. No Michigan court, AG opinion or statute addresses whether a suppressor acquired without federal approval fits the exception.
The cautious move is a voluntary Form 4, which ATF still processes at $0 tax.
Hunting with a suppressor has been legal since 2016 under the Wildlife Conservation Order.

What MCL 750.224 says

Michigan's Penal Code bans the item first and carves out exceptions second. MCL 750.224(1)(b) says a person "shall not manufacture, sell, offer for sale, or possess" a muffler or silencer. Subsection (4) defines that broadly: a device for muffling, silencing or deadening a firearm's report, plus parts and combinations of parts intended to build one. A violation is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $2,500, or both (subsection (2)).

The exception is in subsection (3)(c). It covers "a person licensed by the secretary of the treasury of the United States or the secretary's delegate to manufacture, sell, or possess a machine gun, or a device, weapon, cartridge, container, or contrivance described in subsection (1)." That wording dates from when federal firearms enforcement sat in the Treasury Department. ATF moved to the Justice Department in 2003, but the statute was never updated.

Attorney General Opinion 7260

In 2011, legislators asked whether the (3)(c) exception covers silencers at all, since its wording tracks machine guns and gas devices. Attorney General Bill Schuette's Opinion No. 7260 (September 2, 2011) said it does: "the possession, manufacture, or sale of a firearm silencer is permitted in Michigan ... if the person is licensed or approved to possess, manufacture, or sell such a device by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives." Possession by an "unlicensed or unapproved person" is a felony.

For 15 years, "approved" meant an approved Form 4 or Form 1 and a registry entry. That reading is why Michigan suppressor ownership worked.

Why October 9 creates a problem in Michigan

ATF's October 9 open letter says it "will no longer require individuals to seek ATF approval under the NFA" before making or transferring suppressors, SBRs, SBSs and AOWs, and won't require registration. That's good federal policy, but Michigan's exception, as the AG read it, depends on federal approval or licensing. A can bought on a Form 4473 alone hasn't been "approved" by ATF in the sense Opinion 7260 described.

ATF's own FAQ says it can't tell anyone whether an unregistered item satisfies a state's law. AmmoLand's October survey of state NFA laws flagged Michigan for exactly this reason, and Firearms Policy Coalition included Michigan in its October 9 outreach to state attorneys general seeking nonenforcement.

Could a Michigan court read the exception more broadly? Possibly. Opinion 7260 itself stressed that doubts about whether conduct is criminal are resolved in the defendant's favor. But that's an argument for a courtroom, and the felony penalty is real.

What Michigan dealers are doing

Red Circle Tactical published its position after the October 9 letter: it will "continue following the established NFA transfer process for Michigan suppressor transactions," and won't treat ATF's announcement alone as authorization to skip it. Other Michigan dealers set their own policies, so ask yours before you order.

Federal basics still apply: Form 4473, background check, in-state purchase, and age 21 to buy a suppressor from a dealer (18 U.S.C. 922(b)(1)).

What would settle it

Any of three things: a new Attorney General opinion, a court decision, or a bill amending MCL 750.224. As of October 17, 2026, we haven't found any of them. The House is scheduled to return October 21 and the Senate October 27. We'll update this page when something changes.

Hunting with a suppressor in Michigan

On February 11, 2016, the Michigan Natural Resources Commission voted 4-1 to approve Wildlife Conservation Order Amendment No. 1 of 2016, allowing firearm sound suppressors while hunting. The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation reported that made Michigan the 38th state to allow suppressor hunting. Check the DNR's current hunting digest for any species-specific rules, and remember the hunting rule covers suppressors you lawfully possess, which brings you back to MCL 750.224.

Bottom line for Michigan buyers

File the Form 4. It costs $0 in tax, it keeps you inside the reading of MCL 750.224 that the Attorney General already gave, and it covers you in the field. Don't let an out-of-state forum post about 4473-only buys talk you into a felony test case. Browse new suppressors of 2026 and read the national buying guide for the federal steps.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to own a suppressor in Michigan?: Yes, for people licensed or approved by ATF. MCL 750.224 bans silencers but exempts persons federally licensed to possess them, and Attorney General Opinion 7260 (2011) reads that to include ATF-approved owners.
Can I buy a suppressor in Michigan on just a Form 4473?: It's unsettled. After ATF's October 9, 2026 change, no Michigan court, AG opinion or law says whether a can acquired without ATF approval fits MCL 750.224's exception. A voluntary Form 4, now $0 in tax, is the cautious route.
What is the penalty for an illegal silencer in Michigan?: A felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $2,500, or both, under MCL 750.224(2).
Can you hunt with a suppressor in Michigan?: Yes. The Natural Resources Commission approved suppressor use while hunting on February 11, 2016, through Wildlife Conservation Order Amendment No. 1 of 2016.

Michigan Suppressor Laws in 2026: An Unsettled Question After October 9

The short answer

What MCL 750.224 says

Attorney General Opinion 7260

Why October 9 creates a problem in Michigan

What Michigan dealers are doing

What would settle it

Hunting with a suppressor in Michigan

Bottom line for Michigan buyers

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Keep exploring

Michigan Suppressor Laws in 2026: An Unsettled Question After October 9

The short answer

What MCL 750.224 says

Attorney General Opinion 7260

Why October 9 creates a problem in Michigan

What Michigan dealers are doing

What would settle it

Hunting with a suppressor in Michigan

Bottom line for Michigan buyers

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Keep exploring

The Gun Release Report