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Michigan's Firearm Secure Storage Law

Michigan's secure storage law (Public Act 17 of 2023) requires firearm owners to securely store firearms whenever minors (under 18) are present or likely to be present. When a firearm is left unattended, it must be:

  • Secured in a locked box or container, and/or
  • Unloaded and secured with a locking device (like a trigger or cable lock) that would prevent anyone from using it.

This law applies whether firearms are in your own home, brought to another location, or in a vehicle. A locked box or container is one that is specifically designed for the storage of firearms. Remember, simply hiding unlocked firearms or keeping them on a shelf out of reach does not equal secure storage under Michigan law.

Why is Secure Storage of Firearms Important?

Firearm injuries and deaths are preventable—and every adult, whether or not they own a firearm, has a role in protecting children.

  • Firearm injuries are the number one cause of death among children and adolescents in the U.S. This is true among Michigan children and adolescents between 1 and 19 years of age.1
  • Approximately 40% of U.S. adults living with children under 18 live in a household with firearms. Among firearm owners living with children, approximately 1 in 3 reported having at least one unlocked firearm.2
  • About 3 in 4 children ages 5 to 14 know where firearms are kept in their home, while 1 in 5 report handling a firearm in the home without their parents' knowledge.3
  • In the United States, 3 out of 10 child gun deaths are suicides—more than 700 child gun suicides each year.4

Secure storage is a proven prevention strategy. Keeping firearms unloaded and locked, with ammunition stored separately, helps prevent children and teens from accessing a firearm during a moment of crisis or curiosity. One simple action—locking a firearm—can prevent an accidental shooting, suicide, or harm to others and protect families and the entire community.

Safe Firearm Storage Notice

Beginning October 1, 2025, and every October 1 thereafter, all public Michigan schools must distribute a state-approved Safe Firearm Storage Notice annually to the parents or legal guardians of each enrolled student (as required by HB 5451 / MCL 380.1313b). Secure Firearm Storage Notice is intended to help parents, guardians, and gun owners comply with the new secure storage requirements and protect our children, educators and community from gun violence.

a screenshot of What is Secure Storage Law in Michigan flyer

Resources for Parents in Oakland County

How to talk to your kids about firearms?

See www.besmartforkids.org. Some of the most downloaded resources used in schools are as follows:

How can I obtain a free gun lock in Oakland County?

  • Oakland County Sheriff's Office
  • Local police departments
  • North and South locations of Oakland County Health Division (OCHD Flyer)
  • Local MDHHS offices or Michigan State Police posts
  • Project Childsafe: Find an agency in your area

 

1 Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). Firearm Injury Prevention. Accessed September 30, 2026.

2 Miller M, Azrael D. Firearm Storage in US Households With Children: Findings From the 2021 National Firearm Survey. JAMA Network Open. 2022;5(2):e2148823-e2148823 

3 Baxley F, Miller M. Parental Misperceptions About Children and Firearms. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. 2006;160(5):542-547. doi:10.1001/archpedi.160.5.542 

4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Health Statistics. WONDER Online Database, Underlying Cause of Death. Average: 2020–2024. Ages 0 to 17.