Last Updated: Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Kansas Gun Laws

STATE CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION - Kansas Bill of Rights Section 4.

“The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and : security; but standing armies in time of peace, are dangerous to • liberty, and shall not be tolerated, and the military shall be in strict subordination to the civil power.”

Gun Laws Overview

	RIFLES & SHOTGUNS	HANDGUNS
Permit to Purchase	No	No
Registration of Firearms	No	No
Licensing of Owner	No	No
Permit to Carry	No	No
Kansas is a constitutional carry state allowing permitless carry of firearms for all individuals legally allowed to possess a firearm. Kansas permits to carry are available for purposes of concealed carry in other states that offer permit reciprocity. 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.

	STATE STATUS
Castle Doctrine	Enacted
Right to Carry Confidentiality	Provisions Enacted
Right to Carry in Restaurants	Partial Ban
Right To Carry Laws	No Permit Required
Right To Carry Reciprocity and Recognition	Outright Recognition

Concealed Carry Reciprocity

Laws on Purchase, Possession and Carrying of Firearms

Hardware Bans and Equipment Restrictions

Kansas has no laws regulating semi-automatic firearms or so-called "assault weapons," "large capacity magazines," "ghost guns," bump stocks, or similar items. Machine guns are legal as long as possessed under applicable federal statutes.

Ammunition

Kansas law prohibits possessing, manufacturing, causing to be manufactured, selling, offering for sale, lending, purchasing or giving away any cartridge which can be fired by a handgun, and which has a plastic-coated bullet that has a core of less than 60% lead by weight. Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-6301(a)(6)

Licensing/Permitting & Possession/Acquisition of Firearms

No state permit is required to purchase a rifle, shotgun, or handgun.
It is unlawful for the following persons to possess firearms:

Is addicted to and an unlawful user of a controlled substance;

Used a firearm in the commission of a crime that is a “person felony” (a felony crime committed against or upon a person, such as homicide, rape, battery, kidnapping) or a crime under the law of another jurisdiction which is substantially the same as such person felony, or a violation of any provision of the Kansas uniform controlled substance act or a similar violation under the laws of another jurisdiction, or has been adjudicated a juvenile offender because of the commission of an act which if done by an adult would constitute the commission of a “person” felony, other crimes involving controlled substances, or a violation of any provision of the Kansas uniform controlled substances act;

Possesses a firearm within three years of satisfying the sentence for conviction of a “person felony” (a felony crime committed against or upon a person, such as homicide, rape, battery, kidnapping) or a crime under the law of another jurisdiction which is substantially the same as such person felony, or has been adjudicated a juvenile offender because of the commission of an act which if done by an adult would constitute the commission of a “person” felony but did not use a firearm in the commission of the crime;

Possesses a firearm within eight years of satisfying the sentence for conviction or has been released from imprisonment for the conviction of certain controlled substances felony crimes; certain crimes against persons and property; sex offenses; or an attempt, conspiracy, or criminal solicitation of any such felony; conviction of a crime under the law of another jurisdiction that is substantially the same as such felony; or adjudicated as a juvenile offender because if committed by an adult, the crime would constitute the commission of such felony.

Possesses a firearm within three months of conviction for certain “nonperson” felonies under Kansas law or a similar crime under the laws of another jurisdiction, has been released from imprisonment for such felony or was adjudicated as a juvenile offender because of the commission of an act which if done by an adult would constitute the commission of a “nonperson” felony;

Is or has been a mentally ill person subject to involuntary commitment for care and treatment, or a person with an alcohol or substance abuse problem subject to involuntary commitment for care and treatment, unless the person has received a “certificate of restoration” pursuant to Kansas law.

Under Kansas law, a person who was previously ordered to involuntary commitment for care and treatment as a mentally ill person or a person with an alcohol or substance abuse problem and who has been discharged from a facility may file a petition in the court where treatment was ordered for a certificate of restoration of the ability to legally possess a firearm.

Is a fugitive from justice or an undocumented person unlawfully in the United States;

Has, within the preceding five years, been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor offense; or

Is currently subject to certain domestic violence protective orders.
Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-6301(a)(1)-(16)

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Firearm Registration

Kansas has no law requiring any type of firearms to be registered.

Right to Carry

Kansas is a constitutional/permitless carry state. A person who can legally own a firearm may concealed carry if they are 21 or over without a permit or license.

Open carry of firearms is legal.

Concealed carry licenses remain available for reciprocity purposes.

Concealed handgun licenses are available to applicants who meets certain qualifications. The Attorney General must issue a license if the applicant:

Is a resident of the county where the application is made and is a resident of the state;

Is 21 years of age or older, although individuals ages 18 – 20 may apply for provisional permits.

Is not prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal or Kansas law; and

Presents evidence satisfactory to the attorney general that he or she has satisfactorily completed a weapons safety and training course approved by the attorney general.

Kan. Stat. Ann. § 75-7c03(a)
For more information and application: Concealed Carry Licensing | Attorney General of KS

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Prohibited Places

Kansas law provides locations where firearms are prohibited but with exceptions to include being over the age of 21 years or having a valid concealed carry license and not prohibited from possession of firearms under state or federal law. Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-6309(a)

Firearms are generally prohibited:

(1) Within any building located within the capitol complex;

(2) within the governor’s residence;

(3) on the grounds of or in any building on the grounds of the governor’s residence;

(4) within any other state-owned or leased building if the secretary of administration has so designated by rules and regulations and conspicuously placed signs clearly stating that firearms are prohibited within such building; or

(5) within any county courthouse, unless, by county resolution, the board of county commissioners authorize the possession of a firearm within such courthouse.

Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-6309

Firearm Preemption

No city or county shall adopt any ordinance, resolution or regulation, and no agent of any city or county shall take any administrative action, governing the purchase, transfer, ownership, storage or transporting of firearms or ammunition, or any component or combination thereof.
Kan. Stat. Ann. § 12-16,124(a)

Additionally, the state of Kansas further preempts any laws made regulating the concealed carry of firearms: No city, county or other political subdivision of this state shall regulate, restrict or prohibit the carrying of concealed handguns by individuals except as provided in K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 21-6301, 21-6302, 21-6304, 21-6309, 75-7c10 or 75-7c20, and amendments thereto, or K.S.A. 21-4218(f), prior to its repeal. Any existing or future law, ordinance, rule, regulation or resolution enacted by any city, county or other political subdivision of this state that regulates, restricts or prohibits the carrying of concealed handguns by individuals except as provided in K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 21-6301, 21-6302, 21-6304, 21-6309, 75-7c10 or 75-7c20, and amendments thereto, or K.S.A. 21-4218(f), prior to its repeal, shall be null and void." Kan. Stat. Ann. § 75-7c17(a)

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Private Transfers

Kansas has no law requiring a background check on the private transfer of firearms.

Stand Your Ground

Kansas has a Stand Your Ground law and eliminates any duty to retreat when using force, including deadly force, in self-defense situations where the person is in a place they have a legal right to be and there is a reasonable belief of imminent death or great bodily harm.

Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 21-5222(c); 21-5230

Red Flag Law

Kansas does not have a Red Flag law.

Sources: Kansas Statutes Annotated § 21-4201 through § 21-4206.

Kansas NEWS