State Firearm Transfer Laws in the United States

Prior to 1968, various state laws authorized firearm transfer permits and established categories of persons who were prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm. In 1968, the federal Gun Control Act (GCA), 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44, established nationwide categories of prohibited persons. Over the next 25 years, several states enacted statutes that required a background check by a law enforcement agency on a person who attempted to obtain a firearm. In 1993, the permanent provisions of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (Brady Act), 18 U.S.C. 922(t), amended the GCA to provide a nationwide system for blocking transfers to prohibited persons. Existing state permit and background check laws remained in effect.

The Brady Act established the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), which began operations in 1998 and contains data on persons who are prohibited from receiving or possessing a firearm under federal or state law. Each state government determines the extent of its involvement in the NICS process. The NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 (NIAA), Pub. L. 110-180, amended the Brady Act to enhance federal agency reporting of records to NICS and provide incentives to states to submit complete information on persons prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms. In addition, many states have enacted statutes that authorize state agencies to participate in and contribute records to the NICS.

Jurisdiction Title of laws Main sections

Citations to federal and state firearm transfer laws (December 31, 2013):

Federal (U. S. Code) 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44; 22 U.S.C. 2278; 26 U.S.C. Chapter 53

Alabama (Code) § 13A-11-50 et seq.; § 22-52-10.8; § 41-9-649

Alaska (Statutes) § 11.61.200; § 11.61.210; § 11.61.220; § 18.65.700 et seq.; § 18.66.100

Arizona (Revised Statutes) § 13-3101 et seq.; § 36-540

Arkansas (Code) § 5-73-101 et seq.; § 5-73-301 et seq.; § 12-12-209; § 16-85-716

California (Codes Penal) Part 6, Title 4; WeIfare & Institutions Div. 8, Ch. 3

Colorado (Revised Statutes) Title 12, Articles 26, 26.1 & 27; Title 13, Article 5, §§ 142 & 142.5; Title 18, Article 12; Title 24, Article 33.5, § 424

Connecticut (General Statutes) § 17a-500; § 29-27 et seq.; § 53-202 et seq.; § 53-217a et seq.

Delaware (Code) § 11-1441 et seq.; § 16-5161; § 24-901 et seq.

Dist. of Columbia (Official Code) § 7-2502.01 et seq.; § 22-4508

Florida (Statutes) Chapter 790

Georgia (Official Code) Title 10, Ch. 1, Art. 6; Title 16, Ch. 11, Art. 4; Title 43, Ch. 16

Hawaii (Revised Statutes) Title 10, Chapter 134

Idaho (Code) Title 18, Chapter 33; Title 66, Chapter 3

Illinois (Compiled (Statutes)) § 405:5/6-130.1; § 430:65/0.01 et seq.; § 720:5/24-1 et seq.

Indiana (Code) § 34-26-2-12; § 35-47-1-1 et seq.

Iowa (Code) § 702.7; § 724.1 et seq.

Kansas (Statutes) Chapter 21, Article 63; Chapter 75, Article 7c

Kentucky (Revised Statutes) Chapters 237 and 527

Louisiana (Revised Statutes) § 13:1753; § 14:35.3; § 14:91; § 14:94 et seq.; § 28:57; § 40:1379.3; § 40:1751 et seq.

Maine (Revised Statutes) Title 15 §393; Title 17-A §§ 554-A, 554-B, 1051 & 1052; Title 25 §1541

Maryland (Code)s Crim. Law Title 4; Crim.Pro. §3-106 & §3-112; Pub. Safe. Title 5

Massachusetts (General Laws) Chapter 140, §§ 121 to 131P; Chapter 269, §10

Michigan (Compiled Laws) Chapter 28 §§ 421-435; Chapter 750 §§ 222-239a

Minnesota (Statutes) 245.041; 253B.24; 609.66; 609.67; 624.71 et seq.

Mississippi (Code) §45-9-101; Title 97, Chapter 37

Missouri (Revised Statutes) §43.503; Chapter 571; §630.140

Montana (Code) §40-15-201; §45-5-206; Title 45, Chapter 8, Part 3.

Nebraska (Revised Statutes) § 28-1201 et seq.; § 42-924; § 69-2401 et seq

Nevada (Revised Statutes) § 33.031; § 179A.163; § 202.253 et seq.; § 202.3653 et seq.; § 244.364

New Hampshire (Revised Statutes) Chapters 159 and 159-D

New Jersey (Statutes) §§ 2C:39-1 et seq.; §§ 2C:58-1 et seq.; § 30:4-24.3, § 30:4-24.3a

New Mexico (Statutes) § 30-7-1 et seq.

New York (Laws Penal) Articles 265 & 400; Gen. Bus. Articles 39-DD & 39-DDD

North Carolina (General Statutes) Ch. 14, Art. 35, 36A, 39, 52A, 53A, 54A, & 54B; Ch. 122C, §§ 54 & 54.1

North Dakota Century (Code) § 12-60-24; Title 62.1

Ohio Revised (Code) Title 29, Chapter 2923; § 5122.311

Oklahoma (Statutes) §§ 21-1271.1 et seq

Oregon (Revised Statutes) § 166.170 et seq.

Pennsylvania Consolidated (Statutes) Title 18, § 908 & Chapter 61

Rhode Island (General Laws) Chapter 11-47; § 8-8.1-3; § 15-15-3

South Carolina (Code of Laws) Title 16, Ch. 23, Art. 1, 3, & 5; Title 23, Ch. 31, Art. 1, 4, 5, & 10

South Dakota (Codified Laws) Title 22, Chapter 14; Title 23, Chapter 7

Tennessee (Code) §§ 33-3-115 & 33-3-117; Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13

Texas (Codes Estates) §1202.201; Government Chapter 411, Subchapter H and §§ 411.052 and 411.0521; Health & Safety §574.088; Penal Chapter 46.

Utah (Code) Title 53, Ch. 5 & Ch. 10, § 208.1; Title 76, Ch. 10, §§ 501-532

Vermont (Statutes) Title 13, Chapter 85, §§ 4001-4016

Virginia (Code) Title 18.2, Chapter 7, Article 7; §§ 19.2-169.2, 19.2-390 & 37.2-819

Washington (Revised Code) Chapter 9.41

West Virginia (Code) Chapter 61, Articles 7 and 7A

Wisconsin (Statutes) § 175.30; § 175.35; § 941.20 et seq.; § 948.60

Wyoming (Statutes) Title 6, Chapter 8, Article 1