District of Columbia Profile
Gun Laws Overview
RIFLES & SHOTGUNS | HANDGUNS | |
---|---|---|
Permit to Purchase | No | No |
Registration of Firearms | Yes | Yes |
Licensing of Owners | No | No |
Permit to Carry | Not Available | Yes |
The list and map below are included as a tool to assist you in validating your information. We have made every effort to report the information correctly, however reciprocity and recognition agreements are subject to frequent change. The information is not intended as legal advice or a restatement of law and does not include: restrictions that may be placed on non-resident permits, individuals under the age of 21, qualifying permit classes, and/or any other factor which may limit reciprocity and/or recognition. For any particular situation, a licensed local attorney must be consulted for an accurate interpretation. Additionally, several aspects of the District's firearm laws are subject to ongoing litigation. YOU MUST ABIDE WITH ALL LAWS: STATE, FEDERAL AND LOCAL.
|
STATE STATUS | |
---|---|
Right To Carry Laws | Shall Issue |
Right To Carry Reciprocity and Recognition | None |
Right to Carry in Restaurants | Complete Ban |
Right to Carry Confidentiality | No Provisions |
Castle Doctrine | No Law |
Right to Keep & Bear Arms State Constitutional Provisions | No Provisions |
No-Net Loss | No Legislation |
The list and map below are included as a tool to assist you in validating your information. We have made every effort to report the information correctly, however reciprocity and recognition agreements are subject to frequent change. The information is not intended as legal advice or a restatement of law and does not include: restrictions that may be placed on non-resident permits, individuals under the age of 21, qualifying permit classes, and/or any other factor which may limit reciprocity and/or recognition. For any particular situation, a licensed local attorney must be consulted for an accurate interpretation. YOU MUST ABIDE WITH ALL LAWS: STATE, FEDERAL AND LOCAL. |
Laws on Purchase, Possession and Carrying of Firearms
Antiques and Replicas
Antique firearms, and replicas of antique firearms, are exempt from the registration requirement. |
Carry
Carrying a handgun, rifle, or shotgun in the District is prohibited, except that a person holding a valid registration for a firearm may carry it in his home or place of business, while it is being used for lawful recreational purposes, and while being being transported for a lawful purpose in accordance with District or federal statute. The District's law regarding carrying a concealed handgun has recently changed. Here is what the MPD currently says regarding applications for a Concealed Pistol License: Pursuant to the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Wrenn v. District of Columbia and Grace v. District of Columbia, applicants for a license to carry a concealed handgun in the District of Columbia no longer need to provide a good reason for carrying a handgun. All other suitability and training requirements as described in the regulations and application must still be met. All forms and information sheets will be updated shortly. In the meantime, if there is a reference to providing a good reason, please disregard. If your application for a carry license has been previously denied because of a failure to provide a good reason, you may reapply for a license to carry. You will not be charged a fee for this application. Please contact the Firearms Registration Section at (202) 727-4275 with any questions. |
Miscellaneous
Any person who commits a crime of violence “when armed with or having readily available any pistol or other firearm (or imitation thereof)” shall, in addition to the sentence received for the crime itself, also receive an additional sentence. |
Nonresidents
A nonresident participating in any lawful recreational firearm-related activity in the District, or on his/her way to or from such activity in another jurisdiction, may possess a firearm if the firearm is unloaded and, if transported in a vehicle, is not readily accessible or directly accessible from the passenger compartment, or, if there is no compartment separate from the driver’s compartment, is in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console. If not transported in a vehicle, the firearm must be unloaded, inside a locked contained, and separate from ammunition. The person should be able to “exhibit proof” that he is on his way to or from such activity, and that his/her possession of the firearm is lawful in the jurisdiction in which he/she resides.
MORE |
Possession
All firearms must be registered with the MPD. To obtain a registration certificate, the applicant must be 21 years old (or be over 18 and have a notarized permission and liability statement signed by his parent or guardian), take an online course, and pass a firearm safety test. MORE |
Purchase
A person may buy a firearm only from, or sell only to, a licensed dealer in the District. Delivery cannot be made until the registration certificate for the firearm is approved by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Ammunition may be bought only for the caliber or gauge of a firearm registered to the buyer. |
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
D.C. Circuit Court Rules in Favor of Constitutional Right to Carry a Gun in Public for Self-Defense
Thursday, March 16, 2017
The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) applauds the House of Representatives today for passing The ...
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
The availability of such high-quality firearms indicates the presence of a robust gun trade in a city with ...
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida last month introduced legislation that would bar city lawmakers from passing gun ...
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
The House committee that oversees the District plans to exercise its authority over the nation’s capital more aggressively ...
Thursday, January 19, 2017
On Tuesday, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), reintroduced a bill to repeal the District’s gun-control laws, which are among ...
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Over two years, 23-year-old Steven Pugh violated almost every condition of his court-ordered probation for carrying a gun ...
Thursday, December 22, 2016
D.C. judges twice sentenced him — for simple assault and robbery — under the District’s Youth Rehabilitation Act, ...
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
The District government will not seek to enforce the city’s stun-gun ban against three residents who challenged the ...
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Appeals court judges had tough questions on Tuesday for the District’s lawyers about strict limits the city places ...