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Which states prohibit people with felony convictions from having firearms?

39 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

Felony Prohibitor

Alabama has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
5 years

Felony Prohibitor

Alaska has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
10 years

Felony Prohibitor

Arizona has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Arkansas has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

California has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Colorado has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Connecticut has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Delaware has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Florida has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Georgia has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Hawaii has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Idaho has not adopted this policy

Felony Prohibitor

Illinois has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Indiana has not adopted this policy

Felony Prohibitor

Iowa has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Kansas has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Ranges from 3 months to indefinite, depending on felony

Felony Prohibitor

Kentucky has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Louisiana has not adopted this policy

Felony Prohibitor

Maine has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Maryland has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Massachusetts has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Michigan has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Minnesota has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Mississippi has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Missouri has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Montana has not adopted this policy

Felony Prohibitor

Nebraska has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Nevada has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

Felony Prohibitor

New Jersey has not adopted this policy

Felony Prohibitor

New Mexico has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
10 years

Felony Prohibitor

New York has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

North Carolina has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

North Dakota has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
10 years

Felony Prohibitor

Ohio has not adopted this policy

Felony Prohibitor

Oklahoma has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Oregon has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Pennsylvania has not adopted this policy

Felony Prohibitor

Rhode Island has not adopted this policy

Felony Prohibitor

South Carolina has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

South Dakota has not adopted this policy

Felony Prohibitor

Tennessee has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Texas has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
5 years

Felony Prohibitor

Utah has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Vermont has not adopted this policy

Felony Prohibitor

Virginia has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Washington has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

West Virginia has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Wisconsin has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely

Felony Prohibitor

Wyoming has adopted this policy

How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Indefinitely for violent felonies; 5 years for nonviolent felonies

What It Does

These policies prohibit gun possession by people with felony convictions. While federal law already bars these individuals from having guns, a separate state prohibition is important to ensure the law is enforced properly. Most states offer a form of petition process for restoring gun rights when a person no longer poses a danger, but the best policies do not allow for automatic restoration. A full discussion on who should be prohibited is here. 

The Impact

The federal law has been in place for nearly a century, and is a core public safety policy blocking gun access for people with an elevated likelihood of committing gun violence. 

Felony Prohibitor

Policy adopted? How long is a person prohibited by the state law?
Alabama 5 years
Alaska 10 years
Arizona Indefinitely
Arkansas Indefinitely
California Indefinitely
Colorado Indefinitely
Connecticut Indefinitely
Delaware Indefinitely
Florida Indefinitely
Georgia Indefinitely
Hawaii Indefinitely
Idaho —
Illinois Indefinitely
Indiana —
Iowa Indefinitely
Kansas Ranges from 3 months to indefinite, depending on felony
Kentucky Indefinitely
Louisiana —
Maine Indefinitely
Maryland Indefinitely
Massachusetts Indefinitely
Michigan Indefinitely
Minnesota Indefinitely
Mississippi Indefinitely
Missouri Indefinitely
Montana —
Nebraska Indefinitely
Nevada Indefinitely
New Hampshire —
New Jersey —
New Mexico 10 years
New York Indefinitely
North Carolina Indefinitely
North Dakota 10 years
Ohio —
Oklahoma Indefinitely
Oregon Indefinitely
Pennsylvania —
Rhode Island —
South Carolina Indefinitely
South Dakota —
Tennessee Indefinitely
Texas 5 years
Utah Indefinitely
Vermont —
Virginia Indefinitely
Washington Indefinitely
West Virginia Indefinitely
Wisconsin Indefinitely
Wyoming Indefinitely for violent felonies; 5 years for nonviolent felonies
Show Citations and Footnotes 
Source: Ala. Code § 13A-11-72(a)(1)(a); Alaska Stat. § 11.61.200(a)(2); Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 13-904, 13-3101(A)(7)(B), 13-3102(A)(4); Ark. Code Ann. § 5-73-103; Cal. Penal Code § 29800(a); Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-108(1); Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-217c(a); Del. Code Ann. tit. 11, § 1448(a)(6); Fla. Stat. § 790.23; Ga. Code Ann. § 16-11-131; Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 134-7, 134-2; 720 Ill. Comp. Stat. § 5/24-1.1(a); 430 Ill. Comp. Stat. §§ 65/4(a)(2)(ii), 65/8(c); Iowa Code § 724.26(1); Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-6304; Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 527.040(1); Me. Stat. tit. 15, § 393(1); Me. Stat. tit. 17-A, § 1252(1); Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-133(b)(1), 5-101(g)(2); Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, §§ 121F, 129B, 131; Mich. Comp. Laws § 750.224f; Minn. Stat. § 624.713, subd. (1)(10)(i); Miss. Code Ann. § 97-37-5(1); Mo. Rev. Stat. § 571.070(1)(1); Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-1206(1)(a); Nev. Rev. Stat. § 202.360(1); N.M. Stat. Ann. § 30-7-16(A); N.Y. Penal Law § 400.00; N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-415.1; N.D. Cent. Code § 62.1-02-01(1)(a); Okla. Stat. tit. 21, § 1283(A); Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 166.270, 166.250; SC Code 16-23-500(A); Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1307(f)(1)(C); Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 46.04(e); Utah Code Ann. § 76-10-503; Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-308.2; Wash. Rev. Code § 9.41.040; W. Va. Code § 61-7-7(a)(1); Wis. Stat. § 941.29; Wyo. Stat. § 6-8-102.

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