Which states require all gun dealers to get a state-issued license?
15 states have adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Alabama has adopted this policy
- Does the state law require employees to pass a background check?
- No
- Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security?
- No
Dealer License Required
Alaska has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Arizona has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Arkansas has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
California has adopted this policy
- Does the state law require employees to pass a background check?
- Yes
- Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security?
- Yes
Dealer License Required
Colorado has adopted this policy
- Does the state law require employees to pass a background check?
- Yes
- Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security?
- Yes
Dealer License Required
Connecticut has adopted this policy
- Does the state law require employees to pass a background check?
- Yes
- Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security?
- Yes
Dealer License Required
Delaware has adopted this policy
- Does the state law require employees to pass a background check?
- Yes
- Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security?
- No
Dealer License Required
Florida has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Georgia has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Hawaii has adopted this policy
- Does the state law require employees to pass a background check?
- No
- Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security?
- No
Dealer License Required
Idaho has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Illinois has adopted this policy
- Does the state law require employees to pass a background check?
- Yes
- Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security?
- Yes
Dealer License Required
Indiana has adopted this policy
- Does the state law require employees to pass a background check?
- No
- Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security?
- No
Dealer License Required
Iowa has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Kansas has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Kentucky has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Louisiana has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Maine has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Maryland has adopted this policy
- Does the state law require employees to pass a background check?
- No
- Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security?
- Yes
Dealer License Required
Massachusetts has adopted this policy
- Does the state law require employees to pass a background check?
- Yes
- Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security?
- Yes
Dealer License Required
Michigan has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Minnesota has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Mississippi has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Missouri has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Montana has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Nebraska has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Nevada has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
New Hampshire has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
New Jersey has adopted this policy
- Does the state law require employees to pass a background check?
- Yes
- Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security?
- Yes
Dealer License Required
New Mexico has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
New York has adopted this policy
- Does the state law require employees to pass a background check?
- No
- Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security?
- Yes
Dealer License Required
North Carolina has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
North Dakota has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Ohio has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Oklahoma has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Oregon has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Pennsylvania has adopted this policy
- Does the state law require employees to pass a background check?
- No
- Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security?
- No
Dealer License Required
Rhode Island has adopted this policy
- Does the state law require employees to pass a background check?
- No
- Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security?
- Yes
Dealer License Required
South Carolina has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
South Dakota has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Tennessee has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Texas has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Utah has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Vermont has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Virginia has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Washington has adopted this policy
- Does the state law require employees to pass a background check?
- Yes
- Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security?
- Yes
Dealer License Required
West Virginia has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Wisconsin has not adopted this policy
Dealer License Required
Wyoming has not adopted this policy
What It Does
Basic safety practices for dealers can help stop guns from getting into the wrong hands, including gun traffickers. Although federal law requires all gun dealers to obtain a license, dealer regulations haven’t been updated in decades, and the ATF, the agency that enforces the law, has been undermined by restrictions written by the gun lobby. Despite these limitations, ATF had made significant progress in recent years in addressing gun dealers that supply gun traffickers, with strong agency policies1Biden-Harris White House, “Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Comprehensive Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gun Crime and Ensure Public Safety,” June 23, 2021, https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/23/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-comprehensive-strategy-to-prevent-and-respond-to-gun-crime-and-ensure-public-safety/; ATF, “Enhanced Regulatory Enforcement Policy,” accessed January 17, 2025, https://web.archive.org/web/20250117171012/https://www.atf.gov/rules-and-regulations/enhanced-regulatory-enforcement-policy. and an intelligence-driven approach to gun dealer inspections. However, in 2025, ATF’s mission was dramatically undercut, with priorities shifted away from combating gun trafficking and the dealers who supply guns to traffickers. Many states fill the gap by mandating a state-issued license and additional oversight; the strongest states require background checks and training for employees, robust physical security, including security alarm and video surveillance systems, to prevent theft, and thorough record-keeping.2Everytown for Gun Safety, “The Life-Saving Promise of State Gun Dealer Licensing,” April 17, 2025, https://www.everytown.org/report/the-life-saving-promise-of-state-gun-dealer-licensing.
The Impact
There are tens of thousands of licensed gun dealers throughout the US. Gun dealer licensing can help combat gun trafficking within states and across state lines. States with the highest number of gun dealers per capita have 10 times higher rates of guns trafficked to another state and subsequently used in a crime.1Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, “Inside the Gun Shop: Firearms Dealers and their Impact,” July 6, 2023, https://everytownresearch.org/report/firearms-dealers-and-their-impact/. And research shows that in-state gun trafficking is 64 percent lower in places with strong gun dealer regulations and oversight.2Daniel W. Webster, Jon S. Vernick, and Maria T. Bulzacchelli, “Effects of State-Level Firearm Seller Accountability Policies on Firearm Trafficking,” Journal of Urban Health 86, no. 4 (July 2009): 525–37, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-009-9351-x.
Dealer License Required
| Policy adopted? | Does the state law require employees to pass a background check? | Does the state law require the dealer to have physical security? |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No | No |
| Alaska | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — |
| California | Yes | Yes |
| Colorado | Yes | Yes |
| Connecticut | Yes | Yes |
| Delaware | Yes | No |
| Florida | — | — |
| Georgia | — | — |
| Hawaii | No | No |
| Idaho | — | — |
| Illinois | Yes | Yes |
| Indiana | No | No |
| Iowa | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — |
| Kentucky | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — |
| Maine | — | — |
| Maryland | No | Yes |
| Massachusetts | Yes | Yes |
| Michigan | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — |
| Missouri | — | — |
| Montana | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — |
| New Jersey | Yes | Yes |
| New Mexico | — | — |
| New York | No | Yes |
| North Carolina | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — |
| Ohio | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | No | No |
| Rhode Island | No | Yes |
| South Carolina | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — |
| Tennessee | — | — |
| Texas | — | — |
| Utah | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — |
| Virginia | — | — |
| Washington | Yes | Yes |
| West Virginia | — | — |
| Wisconsin | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — |
Show Citations and Footnotes
Source: Ala. Code § 13A-11-78; Cal. Penal Code § 26500, 26915, 26710; Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-401.5, 18-12-407; Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 29-28(a), 29-37d, 29-37f; Del. Code Ann. tit. 24, §§ 901, 904(b); Haw. Rev. Stat. § 134-31; 430 Ill. Comp. Stat. §§ 68/5-15(a), 68/5-40, 68/5-50; Ind. Code § 35-47-2-14; Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-106, 5-145.1; Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 6, § 172M, ch. 140, § 122; N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2C:58:2, N.J. Admin. Code § 13:54-3.3(d); N.Y. Penal Law § 400.00(2), N.Y. Gen. Bus. § 875-b; 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6112; R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-38; Wash. Rev. Code § 9.41.110(5), (9). 64%: Daniel W. Webster, Jon S. Vernick, and Maria T. Bulzacchelli, “Effects of State-Level Firearm Seller Accountability Policies on Firearm Trafficking,” Journal of Urban Health 86, no. 4 (July 2009): 525–37, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-009-9351-x.