Gun licence for sport shooting in the United States

No federal licence

Federal law has no licence for a private gun owner, and it bars ATF’s rules from setting up a register of ordinary guns or of their owners. The only federal register is the one for NFA items.18 U.S.C. § 926(a); 26 U.S.C. § 5841

Background check

A licensed dealer records every sale on ATF Form 4473, checks your photo ID and contacts NICS, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, before handing over the gun.18 U.S.C. § 922(t); 27 CFR 478.102, 478.124

Age

A dealer may not sell any gun or ammunition to anyone under 18, or, to anyone under 21, any gun other than a rifle or shotgun, such as a handgun or a bare frame or receiver, or ammunition other than for a rifle or shotgun.18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(1); 27 CFR 478.99(b)

Your state

A dealer sells a handgun only to a resident of the dealer’s state; a rifle or shotgun also to a resident of another state, in person, if the sale complies with the laws of both. A private seller may sell only to a resident of the seller’s own state.18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(3), (a)(5), (b)(3)

Who may not

Among others, a person convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison, an unlawful drug user, a person under certain restraining orders or convicted of a misdemeanour of domestic violence, and a holder of a nonimmigrant visa without an exception may not have a gun or ammunition.18 U.S.C. § 922(g)

State licences

14 states and the District of Columbia require a licence, permit or certificate of their own to buy or to own a gun; the table below lists them.Each state’s statute, in the table

NFA items

Machine guns and destructive devices need ATF’s approval, registration and a $200 tax. Suppressors and short-barrelled rifles and shotguns have had a $0 tax since 1 January 2026, and ATF stopped enforcing their approval and registration on 9 October 2026; ATF says most states still expect NFA items to comply with federal law or be registered, though many do not control suppressors.26 U.S.C. §§ 5811, 5821; ATF guidance of 9 October 2026

In this guide, a gun means a firearm as federal law defines it (18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(3)). For air guns, see Air rifles.

• 1 January 2026: the National Firearms Act’s making and transfer tax fell from $200 to $0 for everything but machine guns and destructive devices (26 U.S.C. §§ 5811(a), 5821(a), as amended by Pub. L. 119-21, § 70436, of 4 July 2025).
• 18 September 2026: the Justice Department released an opinion of its Office of Legal Counsel, dated 17 September, concluding that the federal ban on dealers selling handguns to adults aged 18 to 20 may not be enforced with criminal penalties against dealers who sell to law-abiding adults of that age. The statute itself, 18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(1), is unchanged.
• 21 September 2026: a person barred from having guns, for example by an old conviction, can apply to the Justice Department for relief from the federal prohibition (18 U.S.C. § 925(c); 28 CFR part 107).
• 9 October 2026: after a district court ruling the Justice Department chose not to appeal, ATF stopped enforcing the NFA’s approval and registration requirements for suppressors, short-barrelled rifles and shotguns and “any other weapons”, for everyone (ATF, Update to NFA Transfer Guidance).
• States: Delaware’s handgun qualified purchaser permit has applied since 16 November 2025 (11 Del. C. § 1448D) and Colorado’s card and course for most semi-automatics with detachable magazines since 1 August 2026 (C.R.S. 18-12-116). California replaced its one-gun-a-month rule with three firearms in 30 days on 1 April 2026 (Cal. Penal Code § 27535). From 28 October 2026 every gun kept in Massachusetts must be registered in the state’s online system (M.G.L. c. 140 § 121B).
• Massachusetts votes on 3 November 2026 (Question 9) on whether to keep Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024, its 2024 gun law. A Yes vote keeps it; a No vote repeals it 30 days after the election, provided the No vote is at least 30% of all ballots cast. It applies in full until then.
• Coming: from 1 January 2027 a new California resident who brings a gun into the state must get a Firearm Safety Certificate within 180 days, and from 1 January 2029 the certificate needs a course of at least four hours with live fire (Cal. Penal Code §§ 31615(a)(3), 31640.5, Stats. 2026, ch. 465). Washington’s permit to purchase starts on 1 May 2027 (RCW 9.41.121). Oregon’s, from Ballot Measure 114, is set to start on 1 January 2028, unless the Oregon Supreme Court strikes the measure down (Oregon Laws 2026, chapter 120).

1. If your state requires a licence, permit or certificate for the gun you want, get it first (see the table below). A dealer may not sell a gun to someone whose purchase or possession of it would break the law of the state where the sale takes place (18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(2)).
2. Buy from a federal firearms licensee (FFL), a dealer licensed by ATF. A handgun can be bought from a dealer only in the state where you live. A rifle or shotgun can also be bought from a dealer in another state, if you meet in person and the sale complies with the laws of both states (18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(3)).
3. Fill in ATF Form 4473, the firearms transaction record: your name, address, date and place of birth, citizenship, and a certification that you are not prohibited from having a gun. The dealer checks a photo ID (27 CFR 478.124; 18 U.S.C. § 922(t)(1)(D)).
4. The dealer contacts NICS, run by the FBI or, in some states, by a state agency as point of contact (28 CFR 25.6). On a proceed answer, the sale goes ahead. If NICS has not answered within three business days, the dealer may complete the sale; for a buyer under 21 whose juvenile record needs a closer look, after up to ten business days (18 U.S.C. § 922(t)(1)(B)–(C)).
5. One check covers one transaction for up to 30 days; a later purchase needs a new check (27 CFR 478.102(c)).
6. A handgun from a dealer comes with a secure storage or safety device, such as a lock (18 U.S.C. § 922(z)).

In some states a permit replaces the NICS check: one the state issued within the last five years after checking that you may have a gun (18 U.S.C. § 922(t)(3)(A)). ATF’s list includes Hawaii’s permit to acquire, Michigan’s licence to purchase, Nebraska’s certificate to purchase a handgun and many carry permits. A dealer does not have to accept one.

Federal law requires no background check when one private person sells to another who lives in the same state; the seller must only not sell to someone they know or have reason to believe is prohibited (18 U.S.C. § 922(d)). Many states require such sales to go through a dealer or a check; California, New Jersey, New York and Washington are among them. Selling now and then from a personal collection is not dealing (18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(21)(C)).

Ammunition: New York has every commercial ammunition sale go through a dealer or registered seller who checks the buyer with the State Police (N.Y. Penal Law § 400.03). California has every ammunition sale go through a licensed vendor, and the Department of Justice approves the buyer at each purchase; as the department asks for a California driver’s licence or ID card or a military ID, a visitor can in practice buy ammunition only at a target facility for use there (Cal. Penal Code §§ 30312, 30352, 30370). New Jersey lets handgun ammunition, which includes calibres used in both rifles and handguns, be sold, given or passed on only to holders of its card or permits who are 21 or over, apart from a small amount sold for use at a range run by a dealer, the police, the military or a chartered club (N.J.S.A. 2C:58-3.3). Connecticut and Rhode Island also ask for a certificate (see the table).

Buying two or more handguns from one dealer within five business days is reported by the dealer to ATF and to the state or local police on Form 3310.4 (27 CFR 478.126a). It is a report, not a limit.

No. Federal law sets no club membership, number of sessions or shooting test for buying or keeping a gun, and none of the state licences and permits in the table asks for shooting activity. What stands in its place is the background check at every purchase from a dealer and, in the states that have one, a licence or permit with its own conditions: a safety course or test, often with live fire, fingerprints, and a renewal date.

Two places tie a gun to the sport. The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) may sell surplus military rifles, M1911 pistols and shotguns only to US citizens of legal age who are members of a gun club affiliated with it, after a criminal records check (36 U.S.C. § 40732(b)); its own rules also ask for proof of a marksmanship activity, such as competition results, a CMP or NRA classification card or a live-fire clinic, except over 60 for a surplus rifle. And Washington’s licence for non-citizens on a temporary visa who live there is issued on a Washington hunting licence or proof of membership in a sport shooting club (RCW 9.41.173).

These states require a licence, permit, certificate or registration of their own to buy or to own a gun. It comes on top of the federal rules, and a dealer runs the background check as well unless the state’s permit replaces it.

No other state requires a licence or permit to buy or to own a gun: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. For Nevada and Pennsylvania this rests on ATF’s permit chart, which lists only carry permits there. Washington does require a licence of non-citizens who live there and are not permanent residents (see Shooters from abroad). Iowa’s permit to acquire is optional (Iowa Code § 724.15); North Carolina repealed its pistol purchase permit in 2023 (S.L. 2023-8) and Missouri its permit in 2007. Several of these states have other rules, such as a check on private sales, a waiting period or an age of 21.

Washington’s permit to purchase starts on 1 May 2027: issued by the Washington State Patrol, valid five years, after training with live fire (RCW 9.41.121, 9.41.1132). Until then a Washington buyer shows the dealer proof of a safety course taken within five years; every buyer waits ten business days, now and after May 2027 (RCW 9.41.090, 9.41.092). Oregon’s permit to purchase from Ballot Measure 114 is postponed to 1 January 2028 while the Oregon Supreme Court reviews it (Oregon Laws 2026, chapter 120).

Massachusetts registration: from 28 October 2026 every gun possessed in Massachusetts must be registered in the state’s online system, unless it is already recorded there. A private sale or transfer goes through the system at or before the sale; a loan of seven days or more, and a loss or theft, are reported within seven days (M.G.L. c. 140 §§ 121B, 128A(g)). A first offence carries a fine of up to $1,000, a third up to five years in prison, and any failure to report can cost you your licence (§ 121B(e)). The state’s guidance says a non-resident need not register while travelling through or using one of the exemptions for rifles and shotguns (EOPSS Guidance #5). An FID holder who already owned a semi-automatic rifle or shotgun may keep it until the card expires (Acts of 2024, chapter 135, § 153) but, the guidance says, not shoot it; to keep using it, get an LTC.

The training behind these documents differs: California has a written test; Colorado a course of 4 hours on top of a hunter-education course, otherwise 12 hours; Delaware a course with at least 100 rounds of live fire, taken within five years, though the law exempts, among others, holders of a Delaware hunter safety card or an NRA, IDPA, IPSC or USPSA classification card, NRA instructors, Delaware carry-licence holders and service members, and ties each exemption to training that meets the course’s requirements (11 Del. C. § 1448D(f)(4), (g), (p)); Hawaii, for a handgun, a police course or one with two hours on a range and four in class, for a rifle or shotgun also hunter education (H.R.S. § 134-2(g)); Maryland four hours, including firing at least one live round, taken within three years, unless, among others, you have passed Maryland’s hunter-safety course, were honourably discharged from the armed forces or the National Guard, or already lawfully own a regulated firearm such as a handgun (Md. Code, Public Safety § 5-117.1(d)(3), (e)); Massachusetts a basic firearms safety course. Connecticut asks for a course approved by its Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, completed within two years before the application and taught by an instructor certified by the National Rifle Association or the state (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 29-36f, 29-37p); the department requires it to include live fire. New York requires its 18 hours of training only for a carry licence, not for one to keep a handgun at home, except in Westchester County, which requires a safety course and test for every pistol licence (N.Y. Penal Law § 400.00(1)(l)).

Federal law sets no limit on how many guns you may own or buy; a dealer only reports two or more handguns sold to one person within five business days (27 CFR 478.126a).

• California: no more than three firearms in 30 days, since 1 April 2026 (Cal. Penal Code § 27535).
• Connecticut: no more than three retail sales of handguns to one buyer in 30 days, six for an instructor certified by the state or the NRA (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-33(f)).
• Maryland: no more than one regulated firearm, such as a handgun, in 30 days, unless the State Police approve a multiple purchase, for example for a collection (Md. Code, Public Safety §§ 5-128(b), 5-129).
• New Jersey: no more than one handgun in 30 days (N.J.S.A. 2C:58-3(i)).
• Virginia: no more than one handgun in 30 days, unless you hold a Virginia concealed handgun permit or the State Police approve more after an enhanced check, for example for a collection (Va. Code § 18.2-308.2:2(R)).
• New York City: no more than one handgun, and one rifle or shotgun, in 90 days (NYC Admin. Code § 10-302.1(b)).
• Massachusetts: a private person may sell or transfer no more than four guns a calendar year to other private persons; sales to a dealer have no limit (M.G.L. c. 140 § 128A).

The National Firearms Act (NFA) covers rifles with a barrel shorter than 16 inches, shotguns with a barrel shorter than 18 inches, silencers (suppressors), machine guns, destructive devices and a class it calls “any other weapons” (26 U.S.C. § 5845(a)). Until the end of 2025 each paid a tax of $200, or $5 to transfer an “any other weapon”, and until 9 October 2026 each needed ATF’s approval before it was made or transferred, and registration in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (26 U.S.C. §§ 5811, 5812, 5821, 5822, 5841).

• Since 1 January 2026 the making and transfer tax is $0 for everything but machine guns and destructive devices, which stay at $200 (26 U.S.C. §§ 5811(a), 5821(a)).
• Since 9 October 2026 ATF does not enforce the NFA’s approval, registration and marking requirements for short-barrelled rifles and shotguns, suppressors and “any other weapons”. It follows a district court ruling of 5 August 2026 in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF, which the Justice Department chose not to appeal. ATF still registers items for anyone who files.
• They are still firearms under the Gun Control Act: a dealer sells them on Form 4473 with a NICS check, and never in breach of state or local law. ATF’s guidance does not override state law. ATF says most states allow NFA items only if they comply with federal law or are registered under the NFA, and that it cannot say whether an unregistered item counts as lawfully held there; it also says many states do not control suppressors at all, and a minority ban most or all NFA items.
• A short-barrelled rifle or shotgun still needs ATF’s approval on Form 20 before you take it to another state, a match included, even when it is not registered (18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(4)).
• Machine guns and destructive devices remain under the full NFA. A private person may own or transfer a machine gun only if it was lawfully possessed before 19 May 1986 (18 U.S.C. § 922(o)).

ATF itself warns that enforcement could resume if Congress sets a new tax, the injunction is overturned or the policy is withdrawn, and that federal law has no general way to register such an item later.

• Air guns: see Air rifles below.
• Antiques and muzzle-loaders: a weapon made in or before 1898 (an antique firearm), and a muzzle-loading rifle, shotgun or pistol for black powder that cannot use fixed ammunition, is not a firearm under the Gun Control Act; but a muzzle-loader built on a firearm frame or receiver, converted from a firearm, or readily convertible to fixed ammunition is one (18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(3), (a)(16)). New Jersey still counts black-powder muzzle-loaders under its FPIC and permit.
• Collectors: ATF’s collector’s licence, the curio and relic licence, costs $10 a year and covers only curios and relics (18 U.S.C. § 923(b)).
• Hunting: hunting licences are issued by the states and are outside this guide. A US hunting licence is one of the ways a visitor on a nonimmigrant visa may lawfully have a gun (see below).

Licence-free

Federal law needs no licence for an air rifle or air pistol, however powerful. It counts as a firearm only a weapon that fires, is designed to fire or can readily be converted to fire a projectile by an explosive, so an air gun is not one unless it can readily be so converted. The federal rules for firearms in this guide, the dealer’s background check included, do not apply to it.18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(3)

Age

Federal law sets no age to buy or own an air gun, and its law on look-alike guns forbids a state to ban the sale of traditional BB, paintball and pellet air guns, except to minors. Whether that overrides New York City’s ban or Rhode Island’s age of 21 is not settled; the table gives each rule as written.15 U.S.C. § 5001(g)(2)

Younger shooters

The federal ban on handguns under 18, with exceptions such as a parent’s written consent for target practice, covers firearms only, so it does not reach air pistols. Rules for young air-gun shooters, where there are any, are state or local law; see the table.18 U.S.C. §§ 921(a)(30), 922(x)

Look-alikes

A toy, look-alike or imitation firearm, an airsoft gun firing non-metal projectiles included, may be made, put on the market, shipped or received only with an approved marking: a blaze orange plug or band at the muzzle, bright colouring all over, or a transparent body. Traditional BB, paintball and pellet air guns are outside that rule and need no marking.15 U.S.C. § 5001(a)–(c); 16 CFR 1272.1–1272.3

Pointing

In Minnesota, intentionally pointing any gun that can injure, an air gun included, at someone, loaded or not, is a crime, and so is brandishing a BB gun in a threatening way that causes, tries to cause or recklessly risks terror. In California, drawing or showing an air gun that looks like a real firearm at someone in a threatening way is a crime, with at least 30 days in jail.Minn. Stat. §§ 609.66, subd. 1(a)(2); 609.713, subd. 3; Cal. Penal Code § 417.4

Schools

California makes bringing or having any BB or pellet gun on the grounds of a school from kindergarten to grade 12 an offence, and Minnesota having a BB gun (.18 inch or less) on school property, unless, among other exceptions, the principal has given written permission (in Minnesota, also at a firearm safety or marksmanship course or activity there).Minn. Stat. § 609.66, subd. 1d; Cal. Penal Code § 626.10

Carrying and transport

Federal law’s right to take a gun through any state, unloaded and out of reach (see Taking guns to a match in another state), is for firearms, so it does not cover an air gun. Carrying and transporting one is governed by state and local law (see the table) and, in a national park, by the rules below.18 U.S.C. § 926A; 36 CFR 2.4(b)

Where you may shoot

Federal law has no general rule on where you may shoot an air gun; state and local law governs. On federal land it does have rules, such as those for national parks and national forests below.36 CFR 2.4(b); 36 CFR 261.10(d)

National parks

In a national park an air gun counts as a weapon, and the rule that lets you have a firearm there under state law does not cover it. Unless the park’s special regulations say otherwise, you may have, carry or use one only where and when the park allows hunting or fishing, at a target range it designates, or inside a home.36 CFR 1.4, 2.4(a)–(b)(2)

Park vehicles and lodging

In a vehicle or temporary lodging in a national park, an air gun may be kept only unloaded, and either made temporarily inoperable or packed, cased or stored so that it cannot readily be used.36 CFR 2.4(b)(3)(i)

National forests

In a national forest you may not shoot an air gun within 150 yards of a residence, building, campsite, developed recreation site or occupied area, across or on a forest road or a body of water next to it, into or within a cave, or anywhere it puts people or property at risk.36 CFR 261.10(d)

Penalties

Breaking the national park or national forest rules can bring up to six months in prison, a fine, or both. State penalties can be heavier; see the table.36 CFR 1.3, 261.1b; 18 U.S.C. § 1865; 16 U.S.C. § 551

The table lists the places this guide researched, not every rule: other states, counties and cities may have rules of their own on age, carrying, shooting within their limits or hunting with an air gun. Check your state’s law and your local ordinances before you buy or shoot.

More on air rifles on the Shooter blog →

A licensed dealer sells no gun or ammunition to anyone under 18 (18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(1)).

Under 18, federal law forbids having a handgun or handgun ammunition, with exceptions. For target practice, hunting or a course in safe handling, a juvenile may have and use a handgun with the prior written consent of a parent or guardian who may legally have guns, and must carry that consent while holding the handgun. The law also sets how the handgun travels: unloaded, in a locked container, directly between the place it was handed over and the range, and back (18 U.S.C. § 922(x)).

From 18 to 20, the statute lets a dealer sell you a rifle or a shotgun, but not a handgun or any other firearm. Since 18 September 2026 the Justice Department does not seek criminal penalties against dealers who sell handguns to law-abiding adults aged 18 to 20. The policy covers handguns only, not frames or receivers; the statute and ATF’s regulation still say 21, a dealer may still refuse, and several states set 21 themselves. A buyer under 21 may also wait up to ten business days for NICS when the juvenile record needs a closer look (18 U.S.C. § 922(t)(1)(C)).

Several states set 21 for buying some or all guns, whatever the Justice Department does, among them: Florida, Colorado, Hawaii and Rhode Island for every gun, California for most guns from a dealer, Virginia for handguns and assault firearms, Washington for pistols and semi-automatic rifles, Nebraska for handguns, Michigan for pistols from a dealer, and Delaware for owning most guns (Fla. Stat. § 790.065(13); C.R.S. 18-12-112.5; H.R.S. § 134-2(d); R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-37; Cal. Penal Code § 27510; Va. Code § 18.2-308.7(C); RCW 9.41.240; Neb. Rev. Stat. § 69-2404; MCL 28.422(3)(b); 11 Del. C. § 1448(a)(5)). Most of the states in the table also issue their handgun licence or permit only from 21. Delaware exempts shotguns and muzzle-loading rifles, and 18-to-20-year-olds with a Delaware concealed-carry licence or in the armed forces, and lets under-21s shoot under the direct supervision of an adult of 21 or over. Hawaii also lets no one under 21 bring a gun into the state (H.R.S. § 134-3(g)).

Some states make room for young shooters: Illinois issues a FOID card under 21 with a parent’s written consent, and someone eligible for one needs none on a range under the direct supervision of a cardholder of 21 or over (430 ILCS 65/2(b)(15), 65/4(a)(2)(i-5)); Massachusetts issues an FID card from 15 with a parent’s certificate (M.G.L. c. 140 § 129B); New York lets a shooter aged 14 to 20 use a pistol on a club range or at an NRA-approved match under the immediate supervision of a qualified adult to whom the pistol is licensed (N.Y. Penal Law § 265.20(a)(7-e)).

Air guns under 18: see Air rifles.

• A person admitted on a nonimmigrant visa may not have a gun or ammunition unless an exception applies. The one for shooters: admission for lawful hunting or sporting purposes, or a hunting licence or permit lawfully issued in the United States (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5)(B), (y)(2)(A)).
• A nonimmigrant who brings guns or ammunition into the country for hunting or sport needs ATF’s approval on Form 6NIA first, and shows Customs and Border Protection the papers for the exception (27 CFR 478.120). The guns and any ammunition left over go back out when the shooting is over (27 CFR 478.115(d)(1)).
• The federal residence rules do not stop a gun being lent or rented for temporary use for lawful sporting purposes (18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(5)(B), (b)(3)(B)).
• Washington requires a noncitizen firearm licence of every non-citizen but permanent residents, and issues it only to holders of a temporary (nonimmigrant) visa who live there. A visiting nonimmigrant needs none while hunting or competing in an organised match, with a passport and visa (a Canadian, the documents needed to enter the United States), ATF’s permit where federal law requires one, and an invitation to the event or a US hunting licence (RCW 9.41.171–9.41.175).
• Hawaii lets a visitor from abroad aged 21 or over bring up to ten guns for up to 90 days with written notification from a range, registered within five days of arrival (H.R.S. § 134-3(a), (g)). Illinois needs no FOID card of a non-resident on a range recognised by the Illinois State Police, or with guns unloaded and in a case (430 ILCS 65/2(b)(7), (9)).

Federal law lets you take a gun through any state, whatever its law says, from a place where you may lawfully have it to another place where you may lawfully have it, if it is unloaded and neither the gun nor its ammunition can be reached from the passenger compartment. In a vehicle without a separate trunk, both go in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console (18 U.S.C. § 926A).

That protects the journey, not the stay: at the match, the law of the state you shoot in applies. Several licensing states make room for visiting competitors, within limits:

• New York: a non-resident competing in a pistol match held under the auspices of, or approved by, the National Rifle Association, or in a silhouette match sanctioned by the International Handgun Metallic Silhouette Association, may have pistols while going to, attending or returning from it within 48 hours of the event, if never convicted of a felony or of a crime that would be a felony in New York, with the pistols unloaded in a locked opaque container together with the match programme, schedule or registration card; those papers count as proof of the exemption together with a pistol licence or registration card from the shooter’s home state (N.Y. Penal Law § 265.20(a)(13)). A New York licence issued outside New York City does not cover taking a pistol into the city without written authorisation from the city’s police, only through it on a continuous trip in a locked container (§ 400.00(6)); in the city, no one who is not allowed to have a pistol there may have pistol ammunition, and no one who needs the city’s rifle and shotgun permit and lacks it may have rifle or shotgun ammunition (NYC Admin. Code §§ 10-131(i)(3), 10-306(d)).
• New Jersey: the offences of having a handgun, rifle, shotgun or other weapon without a permit do not apply to taking it directly to or from a range for practice, a match, target, trap or skeet shooting, unloaded and in a closed and fastened case, gun box or locked trunk, with only reasonably necessary stops (N.J.S.A. 2C:39-6(f)(3), (g)); the exemption does not cover assault firearms or magazines over ten rounds.
• Connecticut: no permit is needed to transport a gun in or through the state to take part in competitions or training, for a US resident who is allowed to possess and carry a gun in their home state, with the gun unloaded and, in a vehicle, out of reach from the passenger compartment or in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-35(a)(3)(K), (a)(4)).
• Massachusetts: a non-resident aged 18 or over may have a rifle or shotgun that is neither semi-automatic nor large capacity on a range, or travel in or through the state with it unloaded in a locked container; with a licence from one of the states on the State Police’s list, among them New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island, they may have it anywhere in the state (M.G.L. c. 140 § 129C(i)–(j)). For a handgun or a semi-automatic, Massachusetts honours no other state’s licence: the exemption for visiting pistol competitors (§ 131G) was repealed in 2024, so you need the one-year non-resident licence, which cannot be used to buy guns or ammunition (§ 131F).
• Michigan: a visitor needs no Michigan licence for a pistol if they are a US citizen with another state’s concealed-carry licence (MCL 28.432(1)(f)), or if licensed at home to buy, carry or transport pistols, carrying that licence, owning the pistol and staying 180 days or less (MCL 28.422(9)); otherwise they may shoot a pistol only at a recognised range with its owner present and supervising (MCL 28.422(13)). In a car, a pistol must be unloaded in a closed case in the trunk unless you hold a carry licence from your home state; carrying it otherwise is a felony (MCL 750.227, 750.231a).
• Illinois: non-residents need no FOID card to have guns and ammunition while on a range recognised by the Illinois State Police (with them unloaded and cased everywhere else), at any time with them unloaded and in a case, or if licensed or registered to possess a gun in their home state (430 ILCS 65/2(b)(7), (9), (10)).
• District of Columbia: a non-resident needs no registration while taking part in a lawful recreational shooting activity, or travelling to or from one, if the gun is lawful at home, travels unloaded and out of reach (outside a vehicle, in a locked container apart from any ammunition), and proof of both is shown on demand (D.C. Code §§ 7-2502.01(b)(3), 22-4504.02). That exemption does not cover ammunition: D.C. lets only registrants, dealers, officials on duty and people in a firearms training class have it, and anyone else faces up to a year in prison (§§ 7-2506.01(a), 7-2507.06(a)).
• Hawaii: anyone who brings a gun into the state registers it with the county police, is fingerprinted and photographed unless already on file, and has the gun inspected within five days of arrival; no one under 21 may bring one (H.R.S. § 134-3).

Magazines: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia ban magazines holding more than ten rounds, Massachusetts also those holding more than five shotgun shells, and New York City rifle and shotgun magazines that can hold more than five. California bans them too and makes bringing one into the state a crime; Hawaii bans pistol magazines over ten rounds, a felony when the magazine is in the pistol; Washington forbids bringing magazines over ten rounds into the state; Colorado bans having large-capacity magazines; and since 1 July 2026 Virginia forbids bringing in or buying one over fifteen rounds unless you had it before that date. None has an exception for visiting competitors. The full Third Circuit held New Jersey’s limit unconstitutional on 17 July 2026 but stayed its ruling while the state asks the Supreme Court to review it, so the limit still applies (N.Y. Penal Law §§ 265.00(23), 265.02(8); N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(y), 2C:39-3(j); Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-202w; M.G.L. c. 140 §§ 121, 131M; D.C. Code § 7-2506.01(b); NYC Admin. Code § 10-306(b); Cal. Penal Code § 32310; H.R.S. § 134-8; RCW 9.41.370; C.R.S. 18-12-302; Va. Code § 18.2-309.1). Check the limit of every state you shoot in or drive through before you pack.

Assault weapons: several states also ban guns they define as assault weapons, which include many semi-automatic rifles and some pistols, with no exception for a visiting competitor’s rifle: New York and Connecticut make having one a felony, New Jersey punishes it with up to ten years in prison, and Massachusetts bans them too. New York’s match exemption covers pistols (N.Y. Penal Law § 265.20(a)(13)), and Connecticut exempts semi-automatic pistols that its Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection designates as Olympic target pistols, at or on the way to a target pistol competition in the state (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-202c(h)). Since 1 July 2026 Virginia forbids bringing in or buying one unless you had it before that date; its Attorney General said in June 2026 that a Virginia court had barred the State Police from enforcing that ban, so check what applies (N.Y. Penal Law § 265.02(7); Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-202c; N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(f); M.G.L. c. 140 § 131M; Va. Code § 18.2-287.4:1).

• If NICS denies the sale, the dealer gives you the name and address of the agency that ran the check and the transaction number. Ask that agency in writing for the reason; it answers within five business days (28 CFR 25.10(a)–(b)).
• If the record is wrong, or your right to have a gun was restored, appeal to that agency and then to the agency the record came from; where a state ran the check, you may also write to the FBI. You may also ask a court to order the record corrected (28 CFR 25.10(c)–(f)).
• To avoid being delayed or denied by mistake again, you can ask the FBI to keep your details in its Voluntary Appeal File (28 CFR 25.10(g)).
• If you are prohibited, for example by an old conviction, you can apply to the Justice Department for relief from the federal prohibition, since 21 September 2026 (18 U.S.C. § 925(c); 28 CFR part 107).
• A state permit that is refused can be appealed under that state’s law; in Minnesota, for example, to the district court (Minn. Stat. § 624.7131, subd. 8). In Massachusetts, a person whose licence or card is revoked, suspended or denied must hand in their guns and ammunition to the licensing authority without delay; within a year they may have them transferred to a dealer or a licensed person (M.G.L. c. 140 § 129D).

With no activity requirement in US law, the Shooter app has nothing to count towards a licence, and outside Sweden it has no defaults for the shots and sessions, so it counts nothing until you set them. It keeps a log of every session and score with each of your guns, air guns included, with room for the gun’s serial number and your permit number, and exports your shooting activity as a PDF or CSV file.

If you want a pace of your own, the app can track one per gun, air guns included: set, once for all your guns, the Shots for an approved session, the Sessions per gun and the Activity window, and give a gun a Next activity deadline. It then counts the days in the window before that date on which you fired at least that many shots with the gun.

Shooter is not affiliated with ATF, with any state’s licensing authority or with any shooting association. Whether you may buy or keep a gun is decided by the background check and by your state.

Do I need a licence to own a gun in the United States?

Not under federal law, which has no licence for a private owner and bars ATF’s rules from setting up a register of ordinary guns or their owners (18 U.S.C. § 926(a)); the only federal register is the one for NFA items (26 U.S.C. § 5841). 14 states and the District of Columbia do require a licence, permit, certificate or registration of their own, to buy or to own; the table on this page lists them.

Which states require a permit to buy a gun?

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia; Minnesota requires its permit only for a private sale of a pistol or a semi-automatic military-style assault weapon not made through a dealer. Some cover all guns, others only handguns or certain semi-automatics. Washington’s permit starts on 1 May 2027; Oregon’s is set for 1 January 2028, unless its Supreme Court strikes it down.

How old must I be to buy a gun?

From a licensed dealer, 18 for a rifle or shotgun and 21 for any other gun, a handgun included (18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(1)). Since 18 September 2026 the Justice Department does not seek criminal penalties against dealers who sell handguns to law-abiding adults aged 18 to 20. The policy covers handguns only, not frames or receivers; the statute and ATF’s regulation still say 21, a dealer may still refuse, and several states set 21 themselves.

Is there an activity requirement, as in Europe?

No. Federal law and the state permits in the table ask for no club membership or number of sessions. Two exceptions: the Civilian Marksmanship Program sells surplus rifles only to members of an affiliated club, with proof of a marksmanship activity under its own rules (36 U.S.C. § 40732), and Washington’s licence for non-citizens on a temporary visa who live there asks for a Washington hunting licence or membership of a sport shooting club (RCW 9.41.173).

Do I still need a tax stamp for a suppressor?

The federal tax has been $0 since 1 January 2026, and since 9 October 2026 ATF does not enforce approval or registration for suppressors and short-barrelled rifles and shotguns. But ATF says most states expect NFA items to comply with federal law or be registered, though many have no controls on suppressors: check your state’s law. A dealer still runs a NICS check, and a short-barrelled rifle still needs ATF’s Form 20 before it crosses a state line.

Can I buy a gun in another state?

A rifle or shotgun, yes: from a dealer, in person, if the sale complies with the laws of both states. A handgun, only from a dealer in your own state. A private seller may sell only to a resident of their own state, and you may not bring home a gun you obtained in another state other than in those ways, or by inheritance if you may have the gun at home (18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(3), (a)(5), (b)(3)).

Can a foreign shooter bring a gun to a match in the United States?

Yes, with ATF’s approval on Form 6NIA before travelling, and on a nonimmigrant visa only within an exception such as admission for lawful sporting purposes (27 CFR 478.120; 18 U.S.C. § 922(y)(2)). The state you shoot in may add its own rules, such as New York’s narrow match exemption or a limit on magazines.

Do I need a licence for an air rifle in the United States?

Not under federal law, which counts as a firearm only a weapon that fires, or can readily be converted to fire, a projectile by an explosive, so an air rifle or air pistol needs no federal licence, background check or minimum age (18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(3)). Some places differ: New Jersey treats most air guns as firearms, so an air pistol needs its permit to purchase a handgun and, the State Police say, an air rifle its Firearms Purchaser Identification Card; Illinois requires its FOID card for one of 700 feet per second or more, unless it fires a round ball of .18 inch or less; and New York City forbids selling or having one, though using one at a range authorised by law is allowed. Several states also set ages, such as New York State, where no one under 16 may have one outside supervised shooting.

What if the background check denies me?

Ask the agency that ran the check, in writing, for the reason; it answers within five business days. If the record is wrong, appeal to that agency and the one the record came from, or go to court, and ask the FBI to keep you in its Voluntary Appeal File (28 CFR 25.10). If you really are prohibited, since 21 September 2026 you can apply to the Justice Department for relief (28 CFR part 107).