|
State
|
Gun
Ban
|
Exemptions to
NICS2
|
State Waiting
Period-Number
of Days
|
License or
Permit to
Purchase
or Other
Prerequisite
|
Registration
|
|
|
|
|
Handguns
|
Longguns
|
Handguns
|
Longguns
|
Handguns
|
Longguns
|
|
Alabama
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Alaska
|
--
|
RTC
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Arizona
|
--
|
RTC
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Arkansas
|
--
|
RTC3
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
California
|
X1
|
--
|
105
|
105,6
|
10,
11
|
--
|
X
|
X
13
|
|
Colorado
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Connecticut
|
X1
|
--
|
145,6
|
145,6
|
X9,
11
|
--
|
--
|
X
13
|
|
Delaware
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Florida
|
--
|
--
|
36
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Georgia
|
--
|
RTC
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Hawaii
|
X1
|
L,
RTC
|
--
|
--
|
X9,
11
|
X9
|
X12
|
X12
|
|
Idaho
|
--
|
RTC
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Illinois
|
7
|
--
|
3
|
2
|
X9
|
X9
|
X
14
|
X
14
|
|
Indiana
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Iowa
|
--
|
L,
RTC
|
--
|
--
|
X9
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Kansas
|
--
|
--
|
7
|
--
|
7
|
--
|
7
|
--
|
|
Kentucky
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Louisiana
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Maine
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Maryland
|
X1
|
--
|
75
|
74,5
|
X 10,
11
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Massachusetts
|
X1
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
X9
|
X9
|
--
|
--
|
|
Michigan
|
--
|
L
|
--
|
--
|
X9,
11
|
--
|
X
|
--
|
|
Minnesota
|
--
|
--
|
79
|
X
9
|
X9
|
X9
|
--
|
--
|
|
Mississippi
|
--
|
RTC3
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Missouri
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
X9
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Montana
|
--
|
RTC
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Nebraska
|
--
|
L
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Nevada
|
--
|
RTC
|
7
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
7
|
--
|
|
New
Hampshire
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
New
Jersey
|
X1
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
X9
|
X9
|
--
|
X
13
|
|
New
Mexico
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
New
York
|
X1
|
L,
RTC
|
--
|
--
|
X9,
11
|
9
|
X
|
X
15
|
|
North
Carolina
|
--
|
L,
RTC
|
--
|
--
|
X9
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
North
Dakota
|
--
|
RTC
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Ohio
|
7
|
--
|
7
|
--
|
7
|
--
|
7
|
--
|
|
Oklahoma
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Oregon
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Pennsylvania
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Rhode
Island
|
--
|
--
|
75
|
75
|
X
11
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
South
Carolina
|
--
|
RTC
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
South
Dakota
|
--
|
--
|
2
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Tennessee
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Texas
|
--
|
RTC
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Utah
|
--
|
RTC
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Vermont
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Virginia
|
X1
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
X10
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Washington
|
--
|
--
|
58
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
West
Virginia
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Wisconsin
|
--
|
--
|
2
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
Wyoming
|
--
|
RTC
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
District of
Columbia
|
X1
|
L
|
--
|
--
|
X9
|
X9
|
X9
|
X
|
|
State
|
Record of Sale
Reported to State or Local
Govt.
|
State Provision
for Right-to-Carry
Concealed
|
Carrying Openly
Prohibited
|
OwnerID Cards
or Licensing
|
Firearm Rights
Constitutional
Provision
|
State Firearms
Preemption Laws
|
Range
Protection Law
|
|
Alabama
|
--
|
M
|
X19
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Alaska
|
--
|
R17
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X24
|
X
|
|
Arizona
|
--
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Arkansas
|
--
|
R
|
X20
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
California
|
X
|
L
|
X21
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
|
Colorado
|
--
|
R
|
22
|
--
|
X
|
X22
|
X
|
|
Connecticut
|
X
|
M
|
X
|
--
|
X
|
X25
|
X
|
|
Delaware
|
--
|
L
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Florida
|
--
|
R
|
X
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Georgia
|
--
|
R
|
X
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Hawaii
|
X
|
L
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
--
|
--
|
|
Idaho
|
--
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Illinois
|
X
|
D
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
--
|
X
|
|
Indiana
|
--
|
R
|
X
|
--
|
X
|
X26
|
X
|
|
Iowa
|
--
|
M
|
X
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
|
Kansas
|
7
|
D
|
7
|
--
|
X
|
--
|
X
|
|
Kentucky
|
--
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Louisiana
|
--
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Maine
|
--
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Maryland
|
X
|
L
|
X
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
|
Massachusetts
|
X
|
L
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X25
|
X
|
|
Michigan
|
X
|
R
|
X19
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Minnesota
|
--
|
R18
|
X
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
--
|
|
Mississippi
|
--
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Missouri
|
X
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Montana
|
--
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Nebraska
|
--
|
D
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
--
|
--
|
|
Nevada
|
--
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
New
Hampshire
|
--
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
New
Jersey
|
X
|
L
|
X
|
X
|
--
|
X25
|
X
|
|
New
Mexico
|
--
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
New
York
|
X
|
L
|
X
|
X
|
--
|
X27
|
X
|
|
North
Carolina
|
X
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
North
Dakota
|
--
|
R
|
X21
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Ohio
|
7
|
R
|
7
|
7
|
X
|
--
|
X
|
|
Oklahoma
|
--
|
R
|
X21
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Oregon
|
X
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Pennsylvania
|
X
|
R
|
X19
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Rhode
Island
|
X
|
L
|
X
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
South
Carolina
|
X
|
R
|
X
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
South
Dakota
|
X16
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Tennessee
|
--
|
R
|
X20
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Texas
|
--
|
R
|
X
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Utah
|
--
|
R
|
X21
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Vermont
|
--
|
R17
|
X20
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Virginia
|
--
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Washington
|
X
|
R
|
X23
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
--
|
|
West
Virginia
|
--
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Wisconsin
|
--
|
D
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
Wyoming
|
--
|
R
|
--
|
--
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
District of
Columbia
|
X
|
D
|
X
|
X
|
NA
|
--
|
--
|
Notes:
1. "Assault weapons" are
prohibited in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York.
Some local jurisdictions in Ohio also ban "assault
weapons." Hawaii prohibits "assault pistols."
California bans "assault weapons", .50BMG caliber
firearms, some .50 caliber ammunition and "unsafe
handguns." Illinois: Chicago, Evanston, Oak Park,
Morton Grove, Winnetka, Wilmette, and Highland Park
prohibit handguns; some cities prohibit other kinds
of firearms. Maryland prohibits "assault pistols";
the sale or manufacture of any handgun manufactured
after Jan. 1, 1985, that does not appear on the
Handgun Roster; and the sale of any handgun
manufactured after January 1, 2003 that is not
equipped with an "integrated mechanical safety
device." Massachusetts: It is unlawful to sell,
transfer or possess "any assault weapon or large
capacity feeding device" [more than 10
rounds] that was not legally possessed on
September 13, 1994 and the sale of handguns not on
the Firearms Roster. The City of Boston has a
separate "assault weapons" law. The District of
Columbia prohibits new acquisition of handguns and
any semi-automatic firearm capable of using a
detachable ammunition magazine of more than 12
rounds capacity and any handgun not registered
after February 5, 1977. Virginia prohibits "Street
Sweeper" shotguns. (With respect to some of these
laws and ordinances, individuals may retain
prohibited firearms owned previously, with certain
restrictions.) The sunset of the federal assault
weapons ban does not affect the validity of state
"assault weapons" bans.
2. National Instant Check System
(NICS) exemption codes:
RTC-Carry Permit Holders Exempt
From NICS
L-Holders of state licenses to
possess or purchase or firearms ID cards exempt
from NICS.
3. NICS exemption notes:
Arkansas: Those issued on and after 4/1/99 qualify.
Mississippi: Permits issued to security guards do
not qualify.
4.Maryland subjects purchases of
"assault weapons" to a 7-day waiting
period.
5.Waiting period for all sales.
California: 10 days; sales, transfers and loans of
handguns can be made through a dealer or through a
sheriff's office. Maryland: 7 days; purchasers of
regulated firearms must undergo background checks
performed by the State Police, either through a
dealer or directly through the State Police. Rhode
Island: 7 days; private sales can be made through a
dealer or the seller must follow the same
guidelines as a sale from a dealer.
6.The waiting period does not
apply to a person holding a valid permit or license
to carry a firearm. In Connecticut, a certificate
of eligibility exempts the holder from the waiting
period for handgun purchases; a hunting license
exempts the holder for long gun purchasers.
California: transfers of a long gun to a person's
parent, child or grandparent are exempt from the
waiting period.
7.In certain cities or
counties.
8. May be extended by police to
30 days in some circumstances. An individual not
holding a driver's license must wait 60
days.
9.Connecticut: A certificate of
eligibility or a carry permit is required to obtain
a handgun and a carry permit is required to
transport a handgun outside your home. District of
Columbia: No handgun may be possessed unless it was
registered prior to Sept. 23, 1976 and
re-registered by Feb. 5, 1977. A permit to purchase
is required for a rifle or shotgun. Hawaii:
Purchase permits are required for all firearms
Illinois: A Firearm Owner's Identification Card
(FOI) is required to possess or purchase a firearm,
must be issued to qualified applicants within 30
days, and is valid for 5 years. Iowa: A purchase
permit is required for handguns, and is valid for
one year. Massachusetts: Firearms and feeding
devices for firearms are divided into classes.
Depending on the class, a firearm identification
card (FID) or class A license or class B license is
required to possess, purchase, or carry a firearm,
ammunition thereof, or firearm feeding device, or
"large capacity feeding device." Michigan: A
handgun purchaser must obtain a license to purchase
from local law enforcement, and within 10 days
present the license and handgun to obtain a
certificate of inspection. Minnesota: A handgun
transfer or carrying permit, or a 7-day waiting
period and handgun transfer report, is required to
purchase handguns or "assault weapons" from a
dealer. A permit is valid for one year, a transfer
report for 30 days. Missouri: A purchase permit is
required for a handgun, must be issued to qualified
applicants within 7 days, and is valid for 30 days.
New Jersey: Firearm owners must possess a FID,
which must be issued to qualified applicants within
30 days. To purchase a handgun, a purchase permit,
which must be issued within 30 days to qualified
applicants and is valid for 90 days, is required.
An FID is required to purchase long guns. New York:
Purchase, possession and/or carrying of a handgun
require a single license, which includes any
restrictions made upon the bearer. New York City
also requires a license for long guns. North
Carolina: To purchase a handgun, a license or
permit is required, which must be issued to
qualified applicants within 30 days.
10. A permit is required to
acquire another handgun before 30 days have elapsed
following the acquisition of a handgun. In
Virginia, those with a permit to carry a concealed
weapon are exempt from this prohibition.
11. Requires proof of safety
training for purchase. California: Must have
Handgun Safety Certificate receipt, which is valid
for five years. Connecticut: To receive certificate
of eligibility, must complete a handgun safety
course approved by the Commissioner of Public
Safety. Hawaii: Must have completed an approved
handgun safety course. Maryland: Must complete an
approved handgun safety course. Michigan: A person
must correctly answer 70% of the questions on a
basic safety review questionnaire in order to
obtain a license to purchase. New York: Some
counties require a handgun safety training course
to receive a license. Rhode Island: Must receive a
state-issued handgun safety card.
12. Every person arriving in
Hawaii is required to register any firearm(s)
brought into the State within 3 days of arrival of
the person or firearm(s), whichever occurs later.
Handguns purchased from licensed dealers must be
registered within 5 days.
13. "Assault weapon"
registration. California had two dates by which
assault weapons had to be registered or possession
after such date would be considered a felony: March
31, 1992 for the named make and model firearms
banned in the 1989 legislation and December 31,
2000 for the firearms meeting the definition of the
"assault weapons in the 1999 legislation. In
Connecticut, those firearms banned by specific make
and model in the 1993 law had to be registered by
October 1, 1994 or possession would be considered a
felony. A recent law requires registration of
additional guns by October 1, 2003. In New Jersey,
any "assault weapon" not registered, licensed, or
rendered inoperable pursuant to a state police
certificate by May 1, 1991, is considered
contraband.
14. Chicago only. No handgun not
already registered may be possessed.
15. New York City
only.
16. Purchasers of handguns who
do not possess a permit to carry a pistol must file
an application for purchase, which will be retained
by the chief of police or sheriff for one
year.
17. Vermont and Alaska law
respect your right to carry without a permit.
Alaska also has a permit to carry system to
establish reciprocity with other states.
18. Provisions of this law are
stayed pending an ongoing dispute in the
courts.
19. Carrying a handgun openly in
a motor vehicle requires a license.
20. Arkansas prohibits carrying
a firearm "with a purpose to employ it as a weapon
against a person." Tennessee prohibits carrying
"with the intent to go armed." Vermont prohibits
carrying a firearm "with the intent or purpose of
injuring another."
21. Loaded.
22. Municipalities may prohibit
open carry in government buildings if such
prohibition is clearly posted.
23. Local jurisdictions may opt
of the prohibition.
24. In the Right to Keep and
Bear Arms Amendment of the Alaska Constitution.
25. Preemption through judicial
ruling. Local regulation may be instituted in
Massachusetts if ratified by the
legislature.
26. Except Gary and East Chicago
and local laws enacted before January
1994.
27. Preemption only applies to
handguns.
Concealed carry
codes:
R: Right-to-Carry "Shall issue"
or less restrictive discretionary permit system
(Ala., Conn.) (See also note #21.)
M: Reasonable May Issue; the
state has a permissive may issue law, but the
authorities recognize the right to keep and bear
arms.
L: Right-to-Carry Limited by
local authority's discretion over permit
issuance.
D: Right-to-Carry Denied, no
permit system exists; concealed carry is
prohibited.
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