§ 750.227gBody armor; purchase, ownership, possession, or use by convicted felon;

prohibition; issuance of written permission; violation as felony; definitions.
 Sec. 227g.
    (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person who has been convicted of a
 violent felony shall not purchase, own, possess, or use body armor.
    (2) A person who has been convicted of a violent felony whose employment, livelihood, or
 safety is dependent on his or her ability to purchase, own, possess, or use body armor may
 petition the chief of police of the local unit of government in which he or she resides or, if he
 or she does not reside in a local unit of government that has a police department, the county
 sheriff, for written permission to purchase, own, possess, or use body armor under this section.
    (3) The chief of police of a local unit of government or the county sheriff may grant a
 person who properly petitions that chief of police or county sheriff under subsection (2)
 written permission to purchase, own, possess, or use body armor as provided in this section if
 the chief of police or county sheriff determines that both of the following circumstances exist:
    (a) The petitioner is likely to use body armor in a safe and lawful manner.
    (b) The petitioner has reasonable need for the protection provided by body armor.
    (4) In making the determination required under subsection (3), the chief of police or county
 sheriff shall consider all of the following:
    (a) The petitioner's continued employment.
    (b) The interests of justice.
    (c) Other circumstances justifying issuance of written permission to purchase, own, possess,
 or use body armor.
    (5) The chief of police or county sheriff may restrict written permission issued to a
 petitioner under this section in any manner determined appropriate by that chief of police or
 county sheriff. If permission is restricted, the chief of police or county sheriff shall state the
 restrictions in the permission document.
    (6) It is the intent of the legislature that chiefs of police and county sheriffs exercise broad
 discretion in determining whether to issue written permission to purchase, own, possess, or use
 body armor under this section. However, nothing in this section requires a chief of police or
 county sheriff to issue written permission to any particular petitioner. The issuance of written
 permission to purchase, own, possess, or use body armor under this section does not relieve
 any person or entity from criminal liability that might otherwise be imposed.
    (7) A person who receives written permission from a chief of police or county sheriff to
 purchase, own, possess, or use body armor shall have that written permission in his or her
 possession when he or she is purchasing, owning, possessing, or using body armor.
    (8) A law enforcement agency may issue body armor to a person who is in custody or who
 is a witness to a crime for his or her own protection without a petition being previously filed
 under subsection (2). If the law enforcement agency issues body armor to the person under this
 subsection, the law enforcement agency shall document the reasons for issuing body armor
 and retain a copy of that document as an official record. The law enforcement agency shall
 also issue written permission to the person to possess and use body armor under this section.
    (9) A person who violates this section is guilty of a crime as follows:
    (a) For a violation of subsection (1), the person is guilty of a felony punishable by
 imprisonment for not more than 4 years or a fine of not more than $2,000.00, or both.
    (b) For a violation of subsection (7), the person is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by
 imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $100.00, or both.
    (10) As used in this section:



                                                               Michigan Compiled Laws Complete Through PA 91 of 2026
Rendered Sunday, September 6, 2026          Page 215 of 465                             Courtesy of legislature.mi.gov

   (a) "Body armor" means that term as defined in section 227f.
   (b) "Violent felony" means that term as defined in section 36 of 1953 PA 232, MCL
 791.236.