FBI Gun Laws and NICs Information Center
Information and updates on U.S. Gun Laws, Ownership, and the FBI NICs Instant Criminal Background Check System.
Get detailed US gun laws by state, covering concealed carry permits, open carry restrictions, and background check requirements.
The State of Michigan has numerous laws concerning the ownership and the carrying of firearms. Generally, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, and agents thereof acting in an official ... Read MoreRead More
Massachusetts Law requires firearm owners to be licensed through their local Police Department or the Massachusetts State Police if no local licensing authority is available. A license is required by ... Read MoreRead More
In addition to having a Maryland driver's license, Maryland requires all gun purchasers to watch a safety video before purchasing a "regulated firearm". Once complete, the purchaser is issued a ... Read MoreRead More
To acquire a handgun in North Carolina (including private sales, gifts, and inheritance) an individual must go to the county sheriff's office in the county in which they reside and ... Read MoreRead More
Maine is a "shall issue" state for concealed carry. The issuing authority is the local government or local police, or the state police. A permit to carry a concealed firearm ... Read MoreRead More
Louisiana is a "shall issue" state for concealed carry. The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall issue a concealed handgun permit to qualified applicants, after performing an NICS ... Read MoreRead More
Subject/Law Long guns Handguns Relevant Statutes Notes State permit to purchase? No No Firearm registration? No No "Assault weapon" law? No No Owner license ... Read MoreRead More
Despite having relatively nonrestrictive firearms laws, Kansas remained one of the few states with no provision for the concealed carry of firearms until March 2006, when the state legislature passed ... Read MoreRead More
Iowa is a "may issue" state for concealed carry. A Permit to Carry Weapons may be issued or denied to qualified residents at the discretion of the county sheriff, or ... Read MoreRead More
New York State, by many measures, is practically the strictest state in the nation as far as the procedure for obtaining a handgun (pistol) carry license is concerned. However, unlike ... Read MoreRead More