Licensing laws are safety measures proven to promote safe gun ownership and reduce gun deaths.
Gun licensing has been proven to reduce gun violence and trafficking, and it remains a necessary component to crafting comprehensive, lifesaving gun laws. Licensing laws are an effective way to make sure guns are only purchased and used by responsible Americans, and yet just a handful of states have these laws in place.
Background
Licensing laws ensure that gun owners have passed a background check before they purchase a gun. In contrast to states which require a background check at the point of sale of a firearm, licensing laws typically require an in-person application at law enforcement agencies, which provides an additional safeguard against fraud or inaccuracies that could allow dangerous individuals to obtain guns.
Licensing laws that require periodic renewal can also reduce gun crimes by helping law enforcement confirm that a gun owner remains eligible to possess firearms and facilitating the removal of firearms from people who become ineligible. Furthermore, licensing laws can help to empower safe and responsible gun ownership. Many states will only issue or renew license after an applicant has completed a safety training course and firearm safety tests showing that the applicant knows relevant gun laws and how to safely load, fire, and store a gun.
Studies show that these attributes of licensing laws can lead to significant reductions in both gun homicides and gun suicides.
- When Connecticut passed a licensing law, its firearm homicide rate decreased by 28%1 and its firearm suicide rate decreased by 33%.2
- Conversely, when Missouri repealed its licensing law, its firearm homicide rate increased by 47%3 and its firearm suicide rate increased by 24%.4
- A study of licensing laws across 80 large urban counties found that these laws are associated with an 11% decrease in firearm homicides.5
- Licensing laws that require an in-person application or fingerprinting also help prevent mass shootings. States with these laws have 56% fewer fatal mass shootings.6
Licensing laws also help to prevent gun trafficking and the diversion of guns to criminals.
- In places with licensing laws, criminals typically acquire guns that originate from states with weaker laws.7
- After Missouri repealed its licensing law, the share of crime guns that originated from an in-state retail transaction doubled.8
- States with strong licensing laws were associated with 76% lower rates of gun exported to criminals.9
Summary of Federal Law
Federal law does not require licensing of gun owners or purchasers.
For information about the exemption that federal law provides for certain license holders to the background check required when a firearm is purchased from a licensed dealer, see our summary on Background Check Procedures.
Summary of State Law
In general, state licensing laws fall into four categories: (1) permits to purchase firearms, (2) licenses to own firearms, (3) firearm safety certificates, which indicate that the certificate-holder has completed required safety training and is licensed to purchase a firearm, and (4) registration laws that impose licensing requirements.12
- “Permit to purchase”: Nine states have enacted permit to purchase licensing schemes that require prospective purchasers obtain a permit or license before buying at least some firearms.13
- “License to own”: Three states—Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York—require a license to own firearms (New York’s law applies to handguns and semiautomatic rifles). Unlike a permit to purchase, a license to own a firearm must remain valid for as long as the person owns the firearm.
- Firearm Safety Certificate: Two states—California and Washington—require prospective firearm purchasers to first obtain a certificate showing that they have completed required firearm safety training. California requires this for all firearms, Washington requires it only for semiautomatic rifles.
- Registration: One jurisdiction—the District of Columbia—has a registration law that also functions as a license requirement.
Any of these forms of licensing laws can be used to impose a background check requirement, or (like California’s firearm safety certificate) they can be used to supplement a separate background check system. See our summary on Universal Background Checks for further information. Permits to purchase, licenses to own, firearm safety certificates, and registration requirements can also be used to ensure that firearm owners or purchasers have undergone adequate safety training or testing.
State Laws Governing Licensing of Gun Owners or Purchasers
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