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Waiting Periods

    Waiting Periods

      What does this solve?

      A waiting period law requires a certain number of days to pass between the purchase of a gun and when the buyer can actually take possession of that gun. This creates a buffer between someone having a suicidal crisis and access to a gun.

      Creating a buffer between someone having a suicidal crisis and access to a gun can be the difference between life and death. Waiting period laws require gun buyers to wait until a certain period of time has passed before they are able to access a gun they have purchased.

      If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org/chat to chat with a counselor from the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, free, and confidential support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress anywhere in the US.

      Which states require a waiting period before gun purchases?

      13 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

      Waiting Periods

      Alabama has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Alaska has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Arizona has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Arkansas has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      California has adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Colorado has adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Connecticut has not adopted this policy

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      Delaware has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Florida has adopted this policy

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      Georgia has not adopted this policy

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      Hawaii has adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Idaho has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Illinois has adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Indiana has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Iowa has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Kansas has not adopted this policy

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      Kentucky has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Louisiana has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Maine has adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Maryland has adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Massachusetts has not adopted this policy

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      Michigan has not adopted this policy

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      Minnesota has adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Mississippi has not adopted this policy

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      Missouri has not adopted this policy

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      Montana has not adopted this policy

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      Nebraska has not adopted this policy

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      Nevada has not adopted this policy

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      New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

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      New Jersey has adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      New Mexico has adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      New York has not adopted this policy

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      North Carolina has not adopted this policy

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      North Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Ohio has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Oregon has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Pennsylvania has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Rhode Island has adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      South Carolina has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      South Dakota has not adopted this policy

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      Tennessee has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Texas has not adopted this policy

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      Utah has not adopted this policy

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      Vermont has adopted this policy

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      Virginia has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Washington has adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      West Virginia has not adopted this policy

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      Wisconsin has not adopted this policy

      Waiting Periods

      Wyoming has not adopted this policy

      How it Works

      When someone is considering suicide, days matter—and waiting periods can save lives.

      Guns are by far the most lethal method of commonly-used methods of self-harm, with a fatality rate of about 90%. By contrast, less than 4% of people who attempt suicide using other methods will die, and the vast majority of people who survive a suicide attempt do not go on to die by suicide. Although guns are used in less than 6% of suicide attempts, more than half of suicide deaths are by gun. In a study of statewide suicide rate changes between 2013 and 2014, states with waiting periods saw a decrease in suicide rates, while those without waiting period laws had an increase.

      Unlike the Charleston Loophole, which affects gun buyers whose records require further investigation to determine if they are prohibited, a waiting period applies to all gun buyers. This provides a “cooling off” period for the people who might reconsider their intentions in the interim.

      Myth

      Suicide is inevitable.

      Fact

      Suicide can be prevented. In fact, the vast majority of people who survive a suicide attempt do not go on to die by suicide. Most people who attempt suicide do not die—unless they use a gun. Across all suicide attempts not involving a firearm, 4% will result in death. But for gun suicides, those statistics are flipped: about 90% of gun suicide attempts end in death.

      Featured Resources

      Waiting Periods

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      Did you know?

      Every day, 125 people in the United States are killed with guns, twice as many are shot and wounded, and countless others are impacted by acts of gun violence.

      Everytown Research analysis of CDC, WONDER, Provisional Mortality Statistics, Multiple Cause of Death, 2019–2023; Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project nonfatal firearm injury data, 2020; and SurveyUSA, Market Research Study #26602, 2022.

      Last updated: 11.8.2024