Michigan Resident Status for Service Members Under the Game and Fish Laws
Anyone regularly enlisted or commissioned in the armed forces and officially stationed in Michigan is a resident for every game and fish law, with all the privileges a resident has.
Also called: 35.471, stationed in Michigan, resident license, game and fish laws, nonresident license fee, Selfridge.
1927 PA 263 is one sentence. All persons regularly enlisted or commissioned as officers in the armed forces of the United States and officially stationed in Michigan shall be considered, for the purposes of all game and fish laws, as residents of this state, and shall have all privileges of residents under those laws.
What it is worth. A nonresident annual all-species fishing licence and a nonresident base hunting licence cost several times the resident equivalents; the nonresident combination hunt and fish licence is $265 against $75 for a resident. A service member stationed at Selfridge Air National Guard Base or at any other Michigan installation pays the resident rate on everything.
"All privileges of residents" is wider than the fee. Michigan reserves some licences and some drawing preferences to residents, and the section puts a stationed service member inside those too rather than only reducing the price.
Who is covered, and who is not. The section reaches people currently serving and officially stationed in Michigan. A veteran is not covered by it, and neither is a spouse or a dependent; their residency is decided by the ordinary rules in the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.
It says nothing about the person's legal domicile for any other purpose. A service member claiming another state as their state of legal residence for tax and voting keeps that domicile and is still a resident for game and fish purposes under this section, because the section is limited to those laws.
Two separate provisions cover different people and should not be confused with this one. Section 324.43537 gives a resident veteran rated permanently and totally disabled at the 100 percent rate, or individually unemployable, any non-lottery resident licence free of charge. And section 324.74116 exempts a vehicle carrying a disabled veteran, ex-prisoner of war or Medal of Honor plate from the Recreation Passport. A stationed service member gets the resident rate under this section and neither of those.
Thresholds
Thresholds for Michigan Resident Status for Service Members Under the Game and Fish Laws
Gate
Rule
Regularly enlisted or commissioned, and officially stationed here
The section covers persons regularly enlisted or commissioned as officers in the armed forces of the United States who are officially stationed in Michigan. It does not reach veterans, spouses or dependents.
All privileges of residents, not just the fee
The person is considered a resident for the purposes of all game and fish laws and has all the privileges of residents under them.
It changes nothing outside those laws
The section is limited to the game and fish laws and does not affect the service member’s legal domicile for tax, voting or any other purpose.
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Disclaimer
VetTOC is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Information is for reference only and is not an eligibility determination. Verify with VA, the relevant state or territory, or an accredited VSO.