America has a complicated relationship with guns and the rights of gun owners. And in a country with more guns than people, that means lawmakers have their work cut out for them. The right to own assault weapons is a commonly debated topic, but handguns can be much easier to obtain in the U. S., and also extremely dangerous in the wrong hands. With gun laws largely regulated by state, wading through the various purchasing rules and regulations can be confusing.
In 2020, U.S. federal agencies reported 13,620 gun-related homicides. Figures show that just 3% of those homicides were committed with rifles, as opposed to handguns, that accounted for at least 59% of those incidents. A New England Journal of Medicine study found that the risk of handgun related suicide is eight times higher for male handgun owners as opposed to non-owners. The suicide risk for female handgun owners is substantially worse, being 35 times higher than females who don’t own handguns.
The dangers associated with handguns have prompted some states to introduce measures promoting safer and more responsible gun ownership practices. Some initiatives include obligatory safety training programs, stricter background check procedures, required waiting periods for potential buyers, and permit and licensing protocols. Yet, the majority of states do not have such regulations, making it possible for anyone without a violent criminal record to legally buy a handgun with no questions asked. (These are the gun law grades for every state.)
In determining the process of buying a handgun in each state, 24/7 Wall St. analyzed the handgun regulations provided by the Giffords Law Center, an advocacy group for gun control. We reviewed all state requirements for licensing, permitting, and safety training for the purchasing and ownership of handguns. We also evaluated laws focusing on background checks, waiting periods and minimum age for purchasing handguns.
Not surprisingly, states without strong handgun laws tend to have higher rates of firearm-related fatalities. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 24 out of 25 states having the highest gun mortality rates do not mandate licensing, training requirements, or waiting periods for handgun purchasing or ownership. In contrast, nine of the 10 states with the lowest rates of gun-related deaths have implemented some, if not all, of these policies.
In keeping with the correlation between handguns and gun violence in general, states that have not implemented meaningful handgun regulations tend to have higher rates of firearm fatalities. Based on 2021 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24 of the 25 states with the highest gun mortality rates do not have mandatory waiting periods, licensing, or training requirements for handgun purchases or ownership. Nine of the 10 states with the lowest gun-death rates have enacted some or all of these policies. (These are the states with the strictest gun control laws.)
These are the handgun purchase laws by state:
Alabama
Alabama has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Alaska
Alaska has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 18, and the minimum age for handgun possession is 16.
Arizona
Arizona has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Arkansas
Arkansas has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
California
California requires safety training to obtain a handgun, universal background checks, and has mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21, and the minimum age for handgun possession is 18.
Colorado
Colorado has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, but it does have universal background checks for handgun purchases. It does have mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21, and the minimum age for handgun possession is 18.
Connecticut
Connecticut requires a permit and safety training to obtain a handgun and universal background checks, but has no waiting period for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 21.
Delaware
Delaware has no licensing and safety training requirements for handguns, but it does have universal background checks for handgun purchases. It also has no mandatory waiting period for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 21, but it is subject to exceptions for people with concealed carry permits, recreation, and hunting.
Florida
Florida has no licensing and safety training requirements for handguns and no universal background checks, but it does have mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21 and the minimum age for handgun possession is 18.
Georgia
Georgia has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Hawaii
Hawaii requires a permit and safety training to obtain a handgun, universal background checks, and has mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 21.
Idaho
Idaho has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21 from licensed dealers and 18 from private sellers. The minimum age for handgun possession is 18.
Illinois
Illinois has no training requirements, but does have license requirements, universal background checks, and mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 21.
Indiana
Indiana has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Iowa
Iowa has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 21.
Kansas
Kansas has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21 from licensed dealers, and 18 from private sellers. The minimum age for handgun possession is 18.
Kentucky
Iowa has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Louisiana
Louisiana has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 18 and the minimum age for handgun possession is 17.
Maine
Maine has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Maryland
Maryland requires a permit and safety training for handgun purchases. It also has universal background checks and mandatory waiting periods. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 21.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts requires a permit, license and safety training for handgun purchases. It has universal background checks and no mandatory waiting periods. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 21.
Michigan
Michigan requires permits and universal background checks for handgun purchases. There is no mandatory waiting period for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21 from licensed dealers and 18 from private sellers. The minimum age for handgun possession is 18.
Minnesota
Minnesota requires a permit for handgun purchases from a private seller. It has no universal background checks, but does have mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21 from a licensed dealer, and 18 from private sellers. The minimum age for handgun possession is 18.
Mississippi
Mississippi has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Missouri
Missouri has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Montana
Montana has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21 from a licensed dealer, and 18 from private sellers. The minimum age for handgun possession is 18.
Nebraska
Nebraska requires a permit for handgun purchases, but no safety training. It has universal background checks and no mandatory waiting periods. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21 and the minimum age for handgun possession is 18.
Nevada
Nevada has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, but it does have universal background checks. It does not have mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21 from a licensed dealer, and 18 from private sellers. The minimum age for handgun possession is 18.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
New Jersey
New Jersey requires permits and safety training for handgun purchases. It also has universal background checks and mandatory waiting periods. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 21.
New Mexico
New Mexico has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, but it does have universal background checks. It does not have mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21 from a licensed dealer, and 18 from private sellers. The minimum age for handgun possession is 19.
New York
New York requires a license for purchase and ownership of handguns, but no safety training. It has universal background checks and no mandatory waiting periods. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 21.
North Carolina
North Carolina has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
North Dakota
North Dakota has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. Minors may be loaned or given a handgun for specific purposes, with adult supervision. Otherwise, the minimum age for handgun possession is 18.
Ohio
Ohio has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21 and the minimum age for possession is 18.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Oregon
Oregon requires permits and safety training for handgun ownership. It has universal background checks but no mandatory waiting periods. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania does not require licensing or safety training for handgun purchases. It does have universal background checks, but does not have mandatory waiting periods. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island requires permits and safety training for handgun purchases. It has universal background checks and mandatory waiting periods. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21. The minimum age for handgun possession is 18.
South Carolina
South Carolina has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
South Dakota
South Dakota has no licensing and safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21 from a licensed dealer, and 18 from private sellers. The minimum age for handgun possession is 18.
Tennessee
Tennessee has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Texas
Texas has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Utah
Utah has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Vermont
Vermont has no licensing and safety training requirements for handguns, but it does have universal background checks for handgun purchases. It also has no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21, without a hunting safety certificate. The minimum age for handgun possession is 16.
Virginia
Virginia has no licensing and safety training requirements for handguns, but it does have universal background checks for handgun purchases. It also has no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Washington
Washington has no licensing and safety training requirements for handguns, but it does have universal background checks for handgun purchases. It also has no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 21.
West Virginia
West Virginia has no licensing and safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21 from a licensed dealer, and 18 from private sellers. The minimum age for handgun possession is 18.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase and possession is 18.
Wyoming
Wyoming has no licensing or safety training requirements for handguns, no universal background checks, and no mandatory waiting periods for handgun purchases. The minimum age for handgun purchase is 21 and the minimum age for handgun possession is 18.
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