What to Expect in Your Michigan CPL Class.
A Michigan CPL class blends classroom learning with hands-on range time. Here is how the day runs so you know exactly what you are signing up for.
The classroom portion
- Safe storage, use, and handling of a pistol, including child safety.
- Ammunition knowledge and the fundamentals of pistol shooting.
- Pistol shooting positions.
- Firearms and the law, civil liability, and the use of deadly force. This block is taught by an attorney or someone trained in the use of deadly force.
- How to avoid a criminal attack and control a violent confrontation.
- The laws that apply to carrying a concealed pistol in Michigan.
The range portion
You will spend 3 hours on a firing range and fire at least 30 rounds during the live-fire qualification. The range time is where the classroom fundamentals come together under the supervision of your instructor.
What to bring
- A government-issued photo ID.
- Eye and ear protection if you have it. Many instructors provide both.
- Comfortable, range-appropriate clothing.
- Lunch or a snack for the break, since most classes run a full day.
You do not need your own pistol
First-time shooters often book before they own a firearm. Many instructors provide a pistol and ammunition for the range qualification. Read the class listing so you know what is included and whether a rental is available.
New shooters are the norm here
These classes assume no prior experience. Instructors walk you through grip, stance, sight alignment, and trigger control before you ever step onto the range, so a first-time shooter can finish the day confident.
Can the classroom part be online?
Michigan law defines the training by hours and topics, not by delivery format. The statute requires 5 hours of classroom instruction on the listed topics and 3 hours on a firing range with at least 30 rounds fired. The range qualification is in person by nature, since you have to fire live rounds. Some instructors offer the classroom hours live over video while keeping the range portion in person. Check the listing to confirm how a given instructor delivers the class, and choose the format that fits you.