Are Fully Automatic Rifles Legal in Michigan?

Short answer: They are heavily restricted under federal law; Michigan adds no separate ban but enforces federal rules.

Federal Framework (The Real Gatekeeper)

• 1934 NFA: Machine guns must be registered, $200 tax stamp, ATF approval, fingerprint/photo, CLEO notification.
• 1986 FOPA (Hughes Amendment): Civilian manufacture/import of new machine guns banned. Only pre-1986 registered units are transferable.
• Transfer Process: 6–12 month ATF wait, $200 tax, background check, registry entry.
• Cost: Pre-1986 transferable M16s/AR-15 auto sears trade at $25k–$40k+.

Michigan State Law

• No state-level prohibition on NFA firearms.
• MCL 750.224 bans “machine guns” but exempts federally registered NFA weapons.
• No additional registration, waiting period, or permit beyond federal requirements.

Practical Reality

Legal ownership is possible but expensive, slow, and limited to the shrinking pool of registered pre-1986 guns. Most Michigan gun owners stick to semi-automatic rifles.

Key Takeaway

If you see a “full-auto” at a Michigan range, it’s almost certainly a legally registered NFA item. Unregistered possession = 10-year federal felony.