The US Gun Control Act of 1968 regulates firearms on the federal level. It requires that citizens or legal residents be at least 18 years of age to purchase a shotgun or rifle.
Apart from this basic law, each state has different legal requirements as to who can make a purchase, and who cannot, some states require hunting licenses some do not. Some require CCW and some require a passport. This means that the legal requirements of each state are different from other states. In this article, I will discuss the legal requirements of different states of the USA.
Alabama
In Alabama, for the concealed handgun permit a person should apply to the sheriff of their country of residence. And pass through the criminal background check by National Instance Criminal Background Check (NICS). The concealed handgun licenses are only issued to residents of Alabama. However, firearm laws can be a bit complex.
It is the responsibility of any person who has an Alabama concealed permit and moves to another state must use their weapons according to the rules of that state. Whereas if other people from other states come to Alabama, they will use their weapons according to the rules and regulations of Alabama.
Texas
Other than a Texas hunting license, a person who wants to buy a long gun for hunting must be 18 years old to get federal firearms license (FFL) under federal law. And one must be 21 years old to buy a handgun.
California
Anyone in California who wants to purchase a short gun or rifle must pass through licensed dealers which means the Dealer Record of Sales (DROS) process. This is a legal licensing process. A person must pass through this whether he wants to buy a firearm or a short gun.
North Carolina
You don’t need a permit to have a gun, rifle, or firearm in Carolina. And it doesn’t need to be registered but you must follow the state’s gun law to avoid penalties.
Fully automatic firearms are prohibited in North Carolina.
South Carolina
In South Carolina, you don’t need a permit if you want to purchase a shotgun, rifle, or handgun. But there are prohibitions if you want to purchase a firearm. You can’t possess a machine gun there.
Alaska
In Alaska, a person doesn’t need a permit to buy a gun. Also, there is no registration required for firearms and no background check is needed. A person can buy unlimited firearms. But no one can sell these to a person under 18 years of age. Alaska doesn’t really have gun laws.
Hawaii
If you first time want to buy a rifle in Hawaii you must be 21 years old and have the citizenship of USA.
In Hawaii, there are specific rules you need to follow to have your first gun. You must be 21 years old and must be a citizen of the USA. You need to apply for the permit for the firearm. And make an appointment at any police station. They will provide you with the firearm permit after completing their certain requirements.
In Hawaii, you can only keep the gun in your vehicle if moving to or from the hunting area.
Indiana
In Indiana, you must be 18 years old to buy a gun. You don’t need any permit to buy a long or short gun or the registration for a firearm.
There is a restriction for magazine capacity. But you can use your weapon without an owner’s license. For private sales, there are no background checks required.
Florida
In Florida, you are allowed to purchase a gun rifle or firearm at the age of 18 years. But you need to provide your valid ID which proves your true age and residential status e.g. your ID card or driver’s license.
Virginia
Virginia residents can purchase a gun from a licensed firearm dealer if they have a clean background check. A state permit is not needed.
But a person with renounced citizenship, a person less than 18 years of age, and a person less than 21 years of age cannot buy a firearm.
West Virginia
In West Virginia, you need to provide a provisional concealed handgun license. But you don’t need a state permit or background check if you want to have a firearm, shotgun, or rifle. However, state and federal purchase prohibitions are still applied to every resident of the state.
Georgia
In Georgia, there are no strict rules and regulations for having a gun rifle, or firearm. People can have and inherit guns or firearms and they don’t need any registration.
It also allows people to carry their firearms at most places in public. but only if they are not legally prohibited.
Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, you need a license or firearm ID card if you want to purchase a firearm.
Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, you don’t need a license or permit if you want to have a gun or firearm. And also there is no background check. You can purchase a shotgun at the age of 18 and a handgun at the age of 21. However automatic guns are not allowed.
In certain cases, some people are prohibited from having firearms if they have a record of violence or some severe mental health issues, etc.
Arizona
In Arizona if you are 18 you can purchase a gun or rifle without a permit and license also no background check is needed while purchasing from a private dealer. But if you want to purchase guns from federally licensed dealers your age must be 21 years.
Colorado
In Colorado, if you want to have a rifle shotgun, or firearm you must be 18 years old. You don’t need to register your firearm. But you must be free of any state or federal prohibition.
New Jersey
In New Jersey, weapon registration and rifle permits are required if you want to have a firearm or a rifle. And also you must have the citizenship of New Jersey.
New Mexico
In New Mexico, you don’t need a permit to carry a gun, rifle, or firearm. However, a concealed handgun permit is required. Some weapons are illegal if not registered in compliance with federal law, those are bump stocks, machine guns, etc.
New York
In New York, you can have a manual shotgun or rifle without a permit. But a permit is needed in order to have a pistol. And also there are strict laws if you want to purchase or possess automatic or semi-automatic guns.
Washington
In Washington, you don’t need a license to own a rifle, shotgun, or firearms. You only need a license for the purchase of a concealed firearm and there are certain limits to having it.
Michigan
In Michigan, you don’t need a permit to purchase a gun. Registration of shotguns or rifles is not required. But handguns and pistols are required to be registered and you must carry a hunting license while hunting.
Oregon
In oregano, you don’t need a permit, license, or training for a firearm. No registration for guns is required but the local police keep the records of weapons for five years. However, the laws for concealed carry are different.
Utah
In Utah, you don’t need a state permit to purchase a shotgun, rifle, or handgun. But a permit is needed if you want to possess a concealed firearm or you want to carry a loaded firearm in public.
Missouri
In Missouri, you don’t need to register your rifle or shotgun. But if you want to possess a firearm there are certain laws you need to follow. As for it, you need a permit and also a complete hunting certification before hunting.
Maryland
In Maryland, you don’t need a state permit or registration for the purchase of long guns and firearms. But for handguns, it’s different you need a permit and also need to register it.
Illinois
In Illinois, there are specific rules and regulations imposed by state law. You need a license and permit if you want to purchase a gun. A permit is also needed for different species.
In case you want to purchase a firearm you must need a firearm owner ID card (FOID), which is provided by state police.
Tennessee
In Tennessee, you don’t need a permit to purchase a shotgun, handgun, or firearm. But this is the case only for the people who are not prohibited by law. State law has certain conditions on which they can probit a person from buying weapons.
Tennessee also permits concealed carry to non-residents only if they are military persons.
Louisiana
Louisiana has the least strict laws in the United States. You don’t need a permit to carry a firearm, shotgun, or handgun. However, federally licensed firearm dealers are required to run background checks before selling a firearm.
Minnesota
In Minnesota, citizens are allowed to buy a shotgun rifle without the state permit nor the registration of a firearm is required. But if you want to purchase a handgun you cannot buy it without a state permit and background check.
Maine
In Maine, you don’t need a state permit to purchase a firearm, handgun, or shotgun. Also, background checks are not run for the buyers.
Vermont
In Vermont, you don’t need a state permit if you want to purchase a shotgun rifle or firearm. And you can have firearms without registration and an owner’s license.
Mississippi
In Mississippi, there are no strict laws if you want to purchase a gun, rifle, or firearm. You don’t need a license, background check, or permit if you want to purchase and carry a gun in most parts of the state. But you need a permit if you want to carry a concealed gun.
Arkansas
In Arkansas, you don’t need a state permit for the purchase of a shotgun, handgun, or rifle.
However, a person is prohibited from carrying a firearm if he/she is convicted of a felony.
Wyoming
In Wyoming, you don’t need a registration, license, or state permit if you want to purchase a firearm. Background check is also exempted. However, the basic law of age is followed.
Ohio
In Ohio, you don’t need a license, registration, or permit to own a shotgun firearm or rifle. But your age must be 18 years.
Conclusion
In the USA all the states have different gun laws even though some have Strict laws while others don’t still there is a little bit of difference between the laws of every state.
The 10 states that have the Strict gun laws are the following:
- New Jersey
- California
- Illinois
- Hawaii
- Connecticut
- Maryland
- New York
- Rhod Island
- Washington
- Massachusetts
The basic law of age is followed in all states. Other states also have laws that they need to follow in order to purchase shotguns, rifles, or firearms. But these laws are not that strict. While laws in some states are very less or on few weapons.
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