Michigan Open Carry notches one in the win column.

Full disclosure: Michigan Open Carry, Inc.’s  (MOC) website is hosted by yours truly. I support its mission to normalize lawful open carry, ensure gun owners understand their rights, and demand adherence to the rule of law—especially by those sworn to uphold it.

Michigan Open Carry, Inc. Applauds Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Decision to Cease Illegal Preapplication Forms for Firearm Licenses

Michigan Open Carry, Inc. (MOC) is pleased to announce that the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) has discontinued the use of preapplication forms for License to Purchase (LTP) firearm applicants. This significant change comes after MOC obtained the forms through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request and subsequent legal action.

This is a big deal—and not just for gun owners. It’s a win for transparency, due process, and the principle that local government cannot simply make up rules that suit its preferences.

The forms at issue were homemade documents created by WCSO—forms that asked for more than what Michigan law allows. These weren’t just minor additions either. They led to unnecessary and potentially unlawful denials of firearm purchase licenses. This isn’t a bureaucratic hiccup; it’s a textbook example of local government overreach.

Michigan law is clear.

• MCL 28.422(4) requires that LTP applications must use forms provided by the Michigan State Police, not something cobbled together in a sheriff’s back office.

• MCL 123.1102 explicitly prohibits local governments from imposing their own firearm-related regulations. Period.

Earlier this year, MOC became aware that the WCSO required LTP applicants to fill out homemade preapplication forms, which demanded information beyond that mandated by the state. These additional questions often led to unwarranted denials and raised concerns regarding privacy and legality. MOC contended that these forms violated Michigan law…

Why does this matter? Because even subtle policy tweaks like this, if unchallenged, can evolve into de facto regulation. If one county gets away with bending the law, others may follow. Before long, law-abiding gun owners could face a patchwork of conflicting requirements based on nothing but the whims of local officials. That’s precisely what Michigan law aimed to prevent with state-level firearm regulation consistency.

And what’s more, WCSO initially tried to hide this behavior. When MOC requested the forms via FOIA, the sheriff’s office denied access using the “firearms records” exemption—an excuse that doesn’t apply to illegally created documents. That dodge didn’t fly, and rightly so.

Following legal proceedings, WCSO agreed to provide the completed forms, redacting personal information, and notified MOC of its decision to cease the use of the preapplication forms.

MOC commends the WCSO for recognizing the issue and taking corrective action…

Credit where it’s due—WCSO ultimately made the right call. But it should never have come to this. It took a FOIA request, a legal challenge, and public accountability just to get a local sheriff’s office to stop doing something illegal.

This is why groups like Michigan Open Carry matter. They’re not just about gun rights—they’re about the rule of law. If government actors won’t follow the law, especially on a topic as constitutionally sensitive as firearms, then someone needs to step up and remind them they don’t get to make the rules.

The redacted forms are now public and can be reviewed here:
👉 Washtenaw Preapplication FOIA Docs

A reminder to public officials in Michigan and elsewhere: You don’t get to make up the law. And if you try, someone is watching.

Support your rights. Support lawful transparency. And support the folks keeping government honest—even when it’s inconvenient for those in power.