Which states prohibit assault weapons?
11 states have adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Alabama has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Alaska has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Arizona has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Arkansas has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
California has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Colorado has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Connecticut has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Delaware has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Florida has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Georgia has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Hawaii has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Idaho has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Illinois has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Indiana has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Iowa has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Kansas has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Kentucky has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Louisiana has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Maine has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Maryland has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Massachusetts has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Michigan has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Minnesota has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Mississippi has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Missouri has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Montana has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Nebraska has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Nevada has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
New Hampshire has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
New Jersey has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
New Mexico has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
New York has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
North Carolina has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
North Dakota has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Ohio has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Oklahoma has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Oregon has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Pennsylvania has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Rhode Island has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
South Carolina has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
South Dakota has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Tennessee has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Texas has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Utah has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Vermont has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Virginia has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Washington has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
West Virginia has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Wisconsin has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Wyoming has not adopted this policy
What It Does
These states prohibit the purchase and possession (or, in some cases, the sale and manufacture) of assault weapons—high-powered semi-automatic firearms, including AR- and AK-style rifles, that are used in most high-profile mass shootings. In addition to these states, Hawaii prohibits assault pistols, but its law does not cover assault-style rifles. While state definitions vary, assault weapons typically fire rounds with up to four times the muzzle velocity of a standard handgun round,1Peter M. Rhee et al., “Gunshot Wounds: A Review of Ballistics, Bullets, Weapons, and Myths,” Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery 80, no. 6 (June 2016): 853–67, https://doi.org/10.1097/TA.0000000000001037. inflicting greater damage on the human body. A full discussion on Assault Weapons is here and here.
The Impact
Since 2016, all 10 of the highest casualty mass shootings have involved the use of at least one assault weapon and a high-capacity magazine.1Everytown Research analysis of Mass Shootings in the United States, 2016–2025. A mass shooting is defined as any incident in which four or more people were shot and killed. The following shootings were those with the most casualties: Las Vegas, Nevada, with 60 killed, 411 wounded; Orlando, Florida, with 49 killed, 53 wounded; Highland Park, Illinois, with 7 killed, 48 wounded; Sutherland Springs, Texas, with 25 killed, 22 wounded; El Paso, Texas, with 23 killed, 22 wounded; Uvalde, Texas, with 21 killed, 17 wounded; Parkland, Florida, with 17 killed, 17 wounded; Odessa-Midland, Texas, with 7 killed, 25 wounded; Lewison, Maine, with 18 killed, 13 wounded; and Dayton, Ohio, with 9 killed, 17 wounded. See Tannuja D. Rozario and Paige Tetens, “Assault Weapons and High-Capacity Magazines,” Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, June 24, 2026, https://everytownresearch.org/report/assault-weapons-and-high-capacity-magazines/. A 2024 study found that the federal prohibition on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines was associated with a significant decrease in public mass shootings and related casualties, preventing up to five public mass shootings during the 10 years (1994–2004) it was in effect. The researchers also estimated that, had the law remained in effect from 2005 through 2022, it would have prevented 38 public mass shootings.2 Alex Lars Lundberg et al., “Public Mass Shootings: Counterfactual Trend Analysis of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban,” JMIR Public Health and Surveillance 10 (2024): e62952, https://doi.org/10.2196/62952. Similarly, a 2019 study found that the federal assault weapons and high-capacity magazine bans reduced mass shooting fatalities, and had the law continued, it would have prevented hundreds of mass shooting deaths.3Charles DiMaggio et al., “Changes in US Mass Shooting Deaths Associated with the 1994–2004 Federal Assault Weapons Ban: Analysis of Open-Source Data,” Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery 86, no. 1 (2019): 11–19, https://doi.org/10.1097/TA.0000000000002060.
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Show Citations and Footnotes
Source: Cal. Penal Code § 30510; Cal. Penal Code § 30515; Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-202a; Del. Code Ann. tit. 11, §§ 1465, 1466; Haw. Rev. Stat. § 134-1; Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 4-301; Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 121; N.J. Stat. Ann. § 13:54-1.2; N.Y. Penal Law § 265.00; R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 11-47.2-1, 11-47.2-2; Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-287.4:1; Rev. Code Wash. (ARCW) §§ 9.41.390, 9.41.010(2)