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Which states require prohibited domestic abusers to turn in any guns while under a restraining order?

22 states have adopted this policy

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Alabama has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Alaska has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Arizona has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Arkansas has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

California has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
Yes

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Colorado has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
No

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Connecticut has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
Yes

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Delaware has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Florida has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Georgia has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Hawaii has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
Yes

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Idaho has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Illinois has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
Yes

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Indiana has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Iowa has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
No

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Kansas has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Kentucky has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Louisiana has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
No

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Maine has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Maryland has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
Yes

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Massachusetts has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
Yes

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Michigan has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Minnesota has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
No

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Mississippi has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Missouri has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Montana has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Nebraska has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Nevada has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

New Hampshire has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
Yes

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

New Jersey has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
Yes

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

New Mexico has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
Yes

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

New York has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
Yes

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

North Carolina has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
Yes

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

North Dakota has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Ohio has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Oregon has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
No

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Pennsylvania has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
No

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Rhode Island has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
Yes

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

South Carolina has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

South Dakota has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Tennessee has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
No

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Texas has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Utah has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Vermont has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Virginia has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
No

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Washington has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
Yes

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

West Virginia has not adopted this policy

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Wisconsin has adopted this policy

Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
No

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Wyoming has not adopted this policy

What It Does

Requiring abusers to turn in guns after a restraining order is placed ensures they can’t keep weapons they already have at home—and use them to do more harm. While federal law bars these abusers from having guns, this additional policy adds an actual removal process. The best states don’t allow surrender to third parties such as friends or family, avoiding the danger that an abuser can subsequently try to take the firearms back. A full discussion on Domestic Abusers and Intimate Partner Violence is here. 

The Impact

State laws that require these abusers to turn in their guns are associated with a 14% to 16% lower intimate partner firearm homicide rate.

Relinquishment for Domestic Abusers Under Restraining Orders

Policy adopted? Does the state bar the surrender of firearms to third parties?
Alabama —
Alaska —
Arizona —
Arkansas —
California Yes
Colorado No
Connecticut Yes
Delaware —
Florida —
Georgia —
Hawaii Yes
Idaho —
Illinois Yes
Indiana —
Iowa No
Kansas —
Kentucky —
Louisiana No
Maine —
Maryland Yes
Massachusetts Yes
Michigan —
Minnesota No
Mississippi —
Missouri —
Montana —
Nebraska —
Nevada —
New Hampshire Yes
New Jersey Yes
New Mexico Yes
New York Yes
North Carolina Yes
North Dakota —
Ohio —
Oklahoma —
Oregon No
Pennsylvania No
Rhode Island Yes
South Carolina —
South Dakota —
Tennessee No
Texas —
Utah —
Vermont —
Virginia No
Washington Yes
West Virginia —
Wisconsin No
Wyoming —
Show Citations and Footnotes 
Source: Cal. Fam. Code § 6389; Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-14-105.5; Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-36k; Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 134-7(g), 134-7.3(b); 725 Ill. Comp. Stat. § 5/112A-14(b)(14.5)(a); 750 Ill. Comp. Stat. § 60/214(b)(14.5)(a); Iowa Code § 724.26(4); 2018 LA S 231; Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law § 4-506(f); Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 209A, § 3B; Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 129D; Minn. Stat. § 518B.01, subd. (6)(g), (h); N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 159-D:3, 173-B:5(I); N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:25-29b; N.M. Stat. Ann. § 30-7-16(A)(2); N.Y. Crim. Proc. Law § 520.14(5)(a), (b), (6)(a); N.Y. Fam. Ct. Act §§ 842-a(5), 842-a(6); N.Y. Penal Law § 400.05(6); N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 14-269.8, 50B-3, 50B-3.1; 2019 OR HB 2013, Sec. 4; 23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6108(a)(7), (a.1); 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6105(a.1)(2), (6); 8 R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-8.1-3(a)(4); 15 R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-15-3(a)(4); Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-3-625(a); Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.1:4(C)-(G); Wash. Rev. Code § 9.41.800(1); Wis. Stat. §§ 813.12(4m), 813.122(5m).

14 to 16: Díez C, Kurland RP, Rothman EF, Bair-Merritt M, . . . & Siegel M. (2017, October 17). State intimate partner violence–related firearm laws and intimate partner homicide rates in the United States, 1991 to 2015. Annals of Internal Medicine, 167: 536-53. Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://www.acpjournals.org/action/showCitFormats?doi=10.7326%2FM16-2849.

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