Background Checks for Private Gun Sales by State (2026)
Whether each state requires background checks or permits for private gun sales.
| State | Background checks and private sales |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama has no state law that requires a background check, permit or license for private (non-dealer) firearm sales. Retail dealers who sell pistols must hold a local pistol dealer license (§§ 13A-11-78, 13A-11-79); the former section regulating pistol sales and purchase applications (§ 13A-11-77) was repealed effective August 1, 2000. Knowingly giving a licensed dealer or private seller materially false information about whether a transfer is legal is a Class C felony (§ 13A-11-58.1). Ala. Code 1975 Title 13A, ch. 11, §§ 13A-11-50 to 13A-11-98 (reviewed); §§ 13A-11-58.1, 13A-11-77, 13A-11-78, 13A-11-79 |
| Alaska | Alaska has no state law that requires a background check, permit-to-purchase or license for private (non-dealer) firearm sales. State law does make it a crime to knowingly sell or transfer a concealable firearm to a person convicted of a felony (class C felony), to knowingly sell or transfer a firearm to a person who is substantially impaired by alcohol or drugs (class C felony), or to knowingly sell a firearm to a person under 18 (class A misdemeanor). AS 11.61 Article 2 (AS 11.61.190-11.61.250); AS 18.65; AS 11.61.200(a)(2), (a)(4), (i); AS 11.61.210(a)(6), (d) |
| Arizona | Arizona has no state law that requires a background check, permit or license for private (non-dealer) firearm sales. Selling or transferring a deadly weapon to a prohibited possessor is a class 6 felony. State law says 'Nothing in this section requires the reporting of firearm sales,' and cities and counties may not require licensing or registration of firearms or keep records of people who buy, sell or transfer firearms. A.R.S. Title 13, ch. 31 (reviewed); A.R.S. §§ 13-3102(A)(5), (M), 13-3108(A)-(C), 13-3109(B) |
| California | Yes, universal. 'Generally, all firearms purchases and transfers, including private party transactions and sales at gun shows, must be made through a California licensed dealer under the Dealer's Record of Sale (DROS) process.' A private party transfer must be done with both parties in person at a licensed dealer; the dealer may charge up to $10.00 per firearm on top of the state fee of $37.19 (DROS fee $31.19, $1.00 Firearms Safety Act Fee, $5.00 Safety and Enforcement Fee). Exceptions include transfers between parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, and spouses or registered domestic partners (handgun recipients must have a Firearm Safety Certificate and report the transfer to DOJ with a $19 fee within 30 days), and antique and certain curio or relic long guns. Buyers must present a Firearm Safety Certificate (FSC). A person may not apply to buy more than three firearms within any 30-day period, with limited exceptions. Cal. Pen. Code §§ 27545, 28055, 26840, 27535, 27870-27875, 31700; CA DOJ Public FAQs |
| Colorado | Yes, universal. Since July 1, 2013, before any person who is not a licensed dealer transfers or attempts to transfer a firearm, the transferor must have a licensed gun dealer run a Colorado Bureau of Investigation background check on the transferee and obtain CBI approval; the dealer records the transfer as if selling from its inventory. Dealers may not transfer a firearm until CBI approves the transfer. C.R.S. §§ 18-12-112(1)-(2), 18-12-112.5(1)(a) |
| Connecticut | Yes, for all sales including private sales. A buyer of any handgun must hold a carry permit, a handgun eligibility certificate, or a dealer permit, and every handgun transfer requires an authorization number from DESPP, which runs the national instant background check. Every long gun buyer must hold a long gun eligibility certificate, handgun eligibility certificate or permit; private (non-dealer) long gun sales require either the parties to get a DESPP authorization number themselves or a licensed dealer to obtain it for them. DESPP may issue no more than three handgun authorization numbers for retail sales to one buyer within 30 days (six for certified firearms instructors). Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 29-33(b), (c), (f); 29-37a(c)-(f) |
| Delaware | Yes. An unlicensed person may not sell or transfer any firearm to another unlicensed person except through a licensed dealer, who runs the background check (exemptions include transfers between close family members). Since November 16, 2025, a Delaware resident must also hold a handgun qualified purchaser permit (permit to purchase), issued by the State Bureau of Identification within the Delaware State Police, to buy or receive a handgun. The permit requires a firearms training course with a live-fire component (100 rounds) completed within the prior 5 years, is to be granted within 30 days unless grounds for denial exist, and is valid for 2 years. Current CCDW holders and active or retired law enforcement officers do not need the permit. 11 Del. C. §§ 1448A, 1448B(a)(1), (c), 1448D |
| District of Columbia | Yes, effectively. All firearms must be registered with MPD before possession, which involves qualification checks, training and a knowledge test. Persons eligible to register a firearm may sell or transfer it, but transfers are directed through a licensed dealer; MPD states that residents 'must purchase a firearm through a federal firearms licensee (FFL).' D.C. Code §§ 7-2502.01, 7-2502.03, 7-2505.02(a) |
| Florida | Florida has no state law that requires a background check for private (non-dealer) firearm sales. The state background check (through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement) applies to sales or transfers by licensed importers, manufacturers and dealers. However, the Florida Constitution gives each county 'the authority to require a criminal history records check and a 3 to 5-day waiting period, excluding weekends and legal holidays, in connection with the sale of any firearm occurring within such county,' where a 'sale' is a transfer for value 'when any part of the transaction is conducted on property to which the public has the right of access'; concealed weapons license holders are exempt. Otherwise, state law preempts local firearm regulation. Fla. Stat. ch. 790 (reviewed); Fla. Stat. ss. 790.065, 790.33(1); Fla. Const. art. VIII, s. 5(b) |
| Hawaii | Yes, for all acquisitions. No person may acquire ownership of a firearm, by purchase, gift, inheritance, bequest or any other manner, without first obtaining a permit to acquire from the county chief of police (an heir may transfer an inherited firearm directly to a licensed dealer without a permit). A pistol or revolver permit is void unless used within 30 days and covers one transaction; a rifle or shotgun permit covers purchases for one year. Applicants must have completed, within four years before issuance, an approved hunter education course (rifles and shotguns) or an approved firearms training course (pistols and revolvers; the instructor-led option requires at least four hours of classroom instruction and two hours of firing training). The only fee is a single county fee equal to the Hawaii criminal justice data center fee. HRS § 134-2(a), (e), (g), (i) |
| Idaho | Idaho has no state law that requires a background check, permit or license for private (non-dealer) firearm sales, and Idaho has no permit-to-purchase. The state occupies the whole field of firearms regulation, so cities and counties may not regulate the sale, acquisition or transfer of firearms. A person 21 or older who presents a valid Idaho concealed weapons license is exempt from the records check at the time of purchase from a federally licensed dealer (a temporary emergency license does not qualify). Idaho Code Title 18, ch. 33 (reviewed); Idaho Code §§ 18-3302J(1)-(2), 18-3302(23) |
| Illinois | Yes. A private seller who is not a federally licensed dealer must, before transferring a firearm to another non-dealer, either have a federally licensed dealer conduct the transfer (the dealer runs a background check; the dealer may charge up to $25 per firearm plus check fees) or contact the Illinois State Police with the buyer's FOID card number so ISP can determine whether the card is valid under state and federal law, including the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. ISP gives the seller an approval number if the card is valid; approvals are valid for 30 days. A private seller at a gun show must have ISP run a background check. Exceptions include bona fide gifts to listed close relatives, transfers by operation of law or court order, and gunsmith repairs. A buyer in a private transfer must give a record of the transfer to a federally licensed dealer within 10 days; sellers must keep transfer records for 10 years. 430 ILCS 65/3(a-5), (a-10), (a-15), (b) |
| Indiana | Indiana has no state law that requires a background check, permit-to-purchase or license for private (non-dealer) firearm sales. Dealers must obtain a completed Form 4473 and NICS authorization before transferring a handgun from inventory. For private handgun transfers, it is a defense to a charge of transferring to an ineligible person that the seller contacted NICS (or had a dealer do so) and received authorization. IC 35-47 (whole article reviewed); IC 35-47-2.5-4; IC 35-47-2-7(f) |
| Iowa | Iowa has no state law that requires a background check for private (non-dealer) firearm sales. Iowa's permit/background-check rule applies to acquiring a pistol or revolver from a federally licensed dealer: the buyer must have a valid permit to acquire or permit to carry, or pass a NICS check. A permit to acquire (optional) is issued by the sheriff after a criminal history check, valid three days after application and for five years. Private sellers may not transfer, loan or rent a firearm to someone they know or reasonably should know is prohibited, intoxicated or ineligible (class D felony). Iowa Code ch. 724 (reviewed); Iowa Code §§ 724.15(1), 724.16, 724.17, 724.20 |
| Kansas | Kansas has no state law that requires a background check, permit-to-purchase or license for private (non-dealer) firearm sales. It is a crime to sell, give or transfer any firearm to a person known to be addicted to and an unlawful user of a controlled substance, or a person who is or has been subject to involuntary commitment for mental illness or substance abuse. Cities and counties may not require fees, licenses or permits for, or regulate the sale, purchase or transfer of, firearms. K.S.A. ch. 21, art. 63 and ch. 75, art. 7c (reviewed); K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(8)-(9); 12-16,124(a) |
| Kentucky | Kentucky has no state law that requires a background check, permit-to-purchase or license for private (non-dealer) firearm sales, and state law bars any unit of government from limiting the right to purchase, transfer or own a firearm (outside listed exceptions) and bars keeping lists or registries of privately owned firearms or their owners. KRS chs. 237 and 527 (reviewed); KRS 237.104(1); 237.152 |
| Louisiana | Louisiana law does not require a background check, permit or license for private (non-dealer) sales. A current Louisiana concealed handgun permit counts as the federal background check for dealer sales under 18 U.S.C. 922(t) if the ATF has granted the waiver; using a suspended or revoked permit to buy from a dealer is punishable by up to $500 and six months. La. R.S. 40:1379.3(T)(1) |
| Maine | Partly. A private seller who sells a firearm at a gun show or as a result of an advertisement (TV, radio, internet, print, or posted sign) must complete the sale through a federally licensed dealer, who runs a NICS background check on the buyer; selling in violation is a Class C crime. Sales between family members and of curios/relics between licensed collectors or antique firearms are excluded. Other private sales do not require a check. No permit to purchase is required. 15 M.R.S. §395 |
| Maryland | Yes, for all sales. Handguns: a buyer must have a Handgun Qualification License (issued by the State Police to Maryland residents 21 or older after fingerprinting and a state/national records check, and a firearms safety course of at least 4 hours within the prior 3 years), with exceptions such as police, military and antique/curio buyers; a private seller of a handgun or other regulated firearm must complete the sale through a licensed dealer or a designated law enforcement agency with a firearm application to the State Police. Rifles and shotguns: a private (non-dealer) sale must be processed through a federally licensed dealer, who runs a NICS background check (exceptions include immediate family members and curio/relic transfers between licensed collectors). Md. Code, Pub. Safety §§5-117.1, 5-124, 5-204.1 |
| Massachusetts | Yes. Every buyer must hold a license or card, which requires a State Police check (including NICS, probation, mental health and protection-order records) before issuance. Private (non-dealer) sales are limited: a licensed private seller may sell to another LTC or FID holder (FID-only buyers need a permit to purchase for anything other than non-semiautomatic, non-large-capacity rifles and shotguns), no more than 4 firearm transfers per calendar year, and every sale must be conducted through the state's electronic firearms registration system before or at the point of sale, which verifies the buyer and says whether the sale may proceed. All firearm transactions must also be reported to the registration system by all parties within 7 days. M.G.L. c. 140, §§121F(d), 128A(b), (g), 121B(b) |
| Michigan | Yes, since February 13, 2024. A person may not buy a pistol, or (for acquisitions after that date) any other firearm, without first obtaining a license from the local police chief or county sheriff, unless exempt. Exempt buyers include holders of a Michigan concealed pistol license, federally licensed dealers, certified police officers, and buyers of a firearm other than a pistol who passed a federal NICS check run by a federally licensed dealer no more than 5 days before the purchase. Exempt purchases are recorded on a State Police form; pistol records are forwarded to local police within 10 days. Licenses are void unless used within 30 days. MCL 28.422(1), (3)-(4); MCL 28.422a(1)-(2) |
| Minnesota | Yes, for pistols and semiautomatic military-style assault weapons. An unlicensed person may not transfer a pistol or semiautomatic military-style assault weapon to another unlicensed person unless the transfer is done through a federally licensed dealer (who runs the background check as if selling from inventory) or the buyer shows a valid transferee permit and photo ID. A transferee permit (issued by the local police chief or sheriff after a state and NICS check, free of charge, within 30 days) is valid for one year; a permit to carry also counts as a transferee permit. Private sales of other rifles and shotguns are not covered. Minn. Stat. §624.7134, subds. 2-3; §624.7131, subds. 2, 3, 5, 6 |
| Mississippi | Mississippi has no state law that requires a background check, permit or license for private (non-dealer) firearm sales. It is a felony to knowingly solicit a dealer or private seller to make an illegal sale, or to give a seller materially false information about the legality of a sale (Honesty in Purchasing Firearms Act), and a misdemeanor to knowingly sell, give or lend a deadly weapon (or other weapon whose concealed carry is prohibited) or pistol cartridges to a minor under 18 or an intoxicated person. Miss. Code Ann. §§97-37-1 to 97-37-105; §§45-9-31 to 45-9-209 (reviewed); §§97-37-103, 97-37-105, 97-37-13 |
| Missouri | Missouri has no state law that requires a background check, permit or license for private (non-dealer) firearm sales. It is a crime to knowingly transfer a firearm or ammunition to a person not lawfully entitled to possess one (class E felony), to recklessly transfer a firearm to a person under 18 without a custodial parent's or guardian's consent, or to an intoxicated person (class A misdemeanor), and to fraudulently purchase a firearm. RSMo ch. 571 (reviewed); RSMo §§571.060, 571.063 |
| Montana | Montana has no state law that requires a background check, permit or license for private (non-dealer) firearm sales. A Montana concealed weapon permit holder is exempt from the federal handgun-purchase background check where federal law allows. MCA 45-8-301 to 45-8-377; MCA 30-20-101 to 30-20-106 (reviewed); MCA 45-8-330 |
| Nebraska | Handguns only: a person may not buy, lease, rent or receive a handgun without a certificate, and may not sell or transfer a handgun to someone who lacks one, including in private sales. The certificate is obtained from the chief of police or sheriff where the buyer lives, includes a criminal history record check ($5 fee), is valid for three years and covers any number of handguns. Not required for: transfers to licensed dealers; antique handguns; law enforcement; temporary transfers within line of sight or at a shooting range; transfers between spouses, siblings, parents, children, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews or grandparents; holders of a valid Nebraska concealed handgun permit; and peace officers. No state certificate or check is required for private sales of long guns. Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 69-2403, 69-2404, 69-2407 |
| Nevada | Yes. 'Except as otherwise provided in NRS 202.2548, an unlicensed person shall not sell or transfer a firearm to another unlicensed person unless a licensed dealer first conducts a background check on the buyer or transferee.' Both parties must appear together with the firearm at a licensed dealer, who runs the check as if selling from inventory and may charge 'a reasonable fee.' If the buyer is ineligible, the transfer may not be completed. Exceptions include antique firearms, transfers between immediate family members (spouses, domestic partners, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews), temporary transfers to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm, and temporary transfers at an established shooting range. Penalty: gross misdemeanor for a first offense; category C felony for a second or later offense. NRS 202.2547, 202.2548, 202.2549 |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire has no state law that requires a background check, permit or license for private (non-dealer) firearm sales. No person may sell, deliver or otherwise transfer a pistol, revolver or any other firearm to a person convicted of a felony (class B felony), and no firearm may be delivered to a buyer who is not personally known to the seller or does not present clear evidence of identity. The Department of Safety may serve as the state point of contact for NICS checks on dealer sales. RSA chs. 159, 159-D, 159-E, 159-F (reviewed); RSA 159:7, 159:8, 159-D:1 |
| New Jersey | Yes, for all transfers with narrow exceptions. A handgun may not be acquired without a permit to purchase a handgun, and a rifle or shotgun may not be acquired without a firearms purchaser identification card. A person who is not a licensed retail dealer and sells or acquires a handgun, rifle or shotgun 'shall conduct the transaction through a licensed retail dealer', which 'shall complete a National Instant Criminal Background Check' of the buyer. Exceptions: transfers between members of an immediate family, between law enforcement officers, between licensed curio-and-relic collectors, and authorized temporary transfers. For a long-gun private transfer the dealer may charge 'a fee, not to exceed $70'. Application fees: 'a fee of $25' for a permit to purchase a handgun and 'a fee of $50' for a firearms purchaser identification card. 'Only one handgun shall be purchased or delivered on each permit and no more than one handgun shall be purchased within any 30-day period' (with listed exemptions). A handgun purchase permit 'shall be valid for a period of 90 days from the date of issuance'; cards issued or renewed after P.L.2022, c.58 expire in the 10th calendar year after issuance. N.J.S. 2C:58-3(a), (b), (f), (i) |
| New Mexico | Yes. Since July 1, 2019, selling a firearm 'without conducting a federal instant background check' is a misdemeanor. A seller without a federal firearms license 'shall arrange for a person who does hold that license to conduct the federal instant background check'; the licensee may charge 'a fee not to exceed thirty-five dollars ($35.00)'. Exempt: sales by or to a federal firearms licensee, to a law enforcement agency, between two certified law enforcement officers, and 'between immediate family members' (spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, great-grandchild, niece, nephew, first cousin, aunt or uncle). 'Sale' means passing ownership, possession or control 'for a fee or other consideration'. NMSA 1978, § 30-7-7.1 (Laws 2019, ch. 45, § 1) |
| New York | Yes. 'all sales, exchanges or disposals of firearms, rifles or shotguns shall be conducted in accordance with this section' — a national instant criminal background check 'must be completed by a dealer' — unless the transfer is by a licensed importer, manufacturer or dealer, or 'between members of an immediate family' (defined as 'spouses, domestic partners, children and step-children'). Handguns and semiautomatic rifles additionally require a license under Penal Law § 400.00. N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 898; N.Y. Penal Law § 400.00(2) |
| North Carolina | North Carolina has no state law that requires a background check, permit or license for private (non-dealer) firearm sales. The former pistol purchase permit law (G.S. 14-402 to 14-405) was repealed effective March 29, 2023. It is unlawful to solicit an unlawful firearm purchase or to give a dealer or private seller materially false information about the legality of a transfer, and dealers must keep records of sales. N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 14, arts. 35, 52A, 53A, 53B, 53C, 54A, 54B (reviewed); G.S. 14-402 (repealed by S.L. 2023-8, s. 2(a)); G.S. 14-406, 14-408.1 |
| North Dakota | North Dakota has no state law that requires a background check, permit or license for private (non-dealer) firearm sales. State law bars transferring a handgun to anyone the transferor 'knows or has reasonable cause to believe is a person prohibited' from possessing a firearm (class A misdemeanor), and supplying a firearm to a known prohibited person is an offense under § 62.1-02-08. N.D.C.C. chs. 62.1-01 to 62.1-05 (reviewed); N.D.C.C. §§ 62.1-02-02, 62.1-02-08 |
| Ohio | Ohio has no state law that requires a background check, permit or license for private (non-dealer) sales. State law makes it an offense to 'Recklessly sell, lend, give, or furnish any firearm to any person prohibited' from acquiring firearms under R.C. 2923.13 or 2923.15, and to give materially false information to 'a federally licensed firearms dealer or private seller'. R.C. 2923.20(A); R.C. ch. 2923 (reviewed) |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma has no state law that requires a background check, permit-to-purchase or license for private (non-dealer) sales. Only the state may regulate the sale, purchase, transfer or licensing of firearms; cities and counties may not. 21 O.S. § 1289.24(B); 21 O.S. ch. 53 (reviewed) |
| Oregon | Yes. Private (non-dealer) transfers, including sales, gifts, loans and leases, generally must go through a gun dealer. Both parties appear in person with the firearm, and the dealer runs a State Police criminal background check on the buyer. If the parties live more than 40 miles apart, the seller may ship the gun to a dealer near the buyer. Exceptions include certain family transfers and temporary transfers (such as at a shooting range, while hunting, or in the owner's presence). Measure 114 (2022) also requires buyers to hold a permit-to-purchase, issued by the local police chief or sheriff after a fingerprint background check and a firearm safety course. Under 2026 Oregon Laws chapter 120 (HB 4145), that permit is not required for transfers until January 1, 2028. ORS 166.435(1)-(3), 166.436, 166.438; 166.412; 166.505; 2026 Or. Laws c. 120 (HB 4145) |
| Pennsylvania | Yes, for handguns and other short firearms. A private (unlicensed) seller who wants to sell or transfer a 'firearm' to another unlicensed person must do it at a licensed dealer's business or the county sheriff's office, where a background check is done. Under § 6102, 'firearm' here means pistols and revolvers with barrels under 15 inches, shotguns with barrels under 18 inches, or any gun under 26 inches overall. Most rifles and shotguns are not covered. Transfers between spouses, parent and child, and grandparent and grandchild are exempt. 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 6111(c), (f)(2); 6102 |
| Rhode Island | Yes, for all buyers. Any person delivering a pistol, revolver, rifle or shotgun must have the buyer complete a signed application. The seller sends it on the day of application to the police chief of the buyer's city or town, or to the State Police for Exeter and out-of-state buyers. The police then run a background check. Handgun buyers must also show a pistol/revolver safety certificate from the Department of Environmental Management, earned by completing a basic safety course. R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 11-47-35(a)-(b), 11-47-35.2 |
| South Carolina | South Carolina has no state law that requires a background check, permit-to-purchase or license for private (non-dealer) sales. It is unlawful to knowingly sell or deliver a handgun to the persons listed in § 16-23-30(A), but no check procedure is set. S.C. Code § 16-23-30(A); S.C. Code tit. 16, ch. 23; tit. 23, ch. 31 (reviewed) |
| South Dakota | South Dakota has no state law that requires a background check, permit or license for private (non-dealer) sales. A retail dealer may not sell a pistol unless the buyer is personally known to the seller or shows clear evidence of identity. SDCL 23-7-18; SDCL ch. 22-14, 23-7 (reviewed) |
| Tennessee | Only gun dealers must run a background check: before delivering a firearm, a gun dealer (a person engaged in the business as defined in federal law, including retail dealers and pawnbrokers) must obtain an instant check from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. An occasional sale of a used or second-hand firearm by a person not in the business of dealing in firearms is exempt, so private sales do not require a check. No permit to purchase is required. It is a Class A misdemeanor for anyone to sell or offer to sell a firearm to a person knowing that person is prohibited from possessing one. Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1316(b)(2), (c), (q)(2), (q)(5), (r) |
| Texas | Texas has no state law that requires a background check, permit to purchase or license for private (non-dealer) sales. State law does make it an offense for any seller to transfer a firearm to a child under 18, to sell a firearm or ammunition to an intoxicated person, to knowingly sell to a person convicted of a felony within five years of release from confinement or supervision, or to transfer a handgun to a person known to be subject to an active protective order. Cities may not adopt or enforce regulations relating to the transfer, licensing or registration of firearms. Tex. Penal Code § 46.06(a); Tex. Local Gov't Code § 229.001(a); Tex. Penal Code ch. 46 (reviewed) |
| Utah | A criminal history background check through the Bureau of Criminal Identification is required for sales by a licensed firearm dealer, and the dealer may not transfer until the bureau approves; holders of a Utah concealed firearm or provisional permit who present the permit are exempt from the check and its fee. Utah has no state law that requires a background check or permit to purchase for private (non-dealer) sales. The bureau offers a voluntary online process letting a private buyer or seller check whether the other party holds a valid Utah concealed carry permit, or whether the gun (by serial number) is reported stolen; government may not require its use. State law bars local governments from requiring a permit or license to purchase. Utah Code §§ 53-5a-602(2)-(3), (10); 53-5a-603; 53-5a-102(2)(b); Utah Code tit. 53 ch. 5a; tit. 76 ch. 11 (reviewed) |
| Vermont | Yes, universal. An unlicensed person may not transfer (sell, trade or give) a firearm to another unlicensed person unless both appear together with the firearm before a licensed dealer who agrees to facilitate the transfer and runs it as if selling from its own inventory, including a background check; the dealer may charge a reasonable fee. Violations: up to one year or $500. Exempt: transfers to or by law enforcement agencies, officers or armed forces members on duty; transfers between immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild and step- and great- relations); and temporary transfers to prevent imminent harm. No permit to purchase is required. 13 V.S.A. § 4019 |
| Virginia | Yes, for sales. Since 2020, no person may sell a firearm (for money, goods, services or anything of value) without first obtaining verification from a licensed dealer that the State Police has determined the buyer is not prohibited; the dealer may charge an extra fee of up to $15. Both the seller and the buyer commit a Class 1 misdemeanor if they skip the check. Exceptions include sales to an authorized gun buy-back program and certain sales at firearms shows after a State Police determination. Dealers must obtain consent and a State Police criminal history check before transferring any firearm. Since 2026 the private sale of an assault firearm is prohibited outright. No permit to purchase is required, except that buying more than one handgun in a 30-day period requires an enhanced State Police check (with exemptions). Va. Code §§ 18.2-308.2:5; 18.2-308.2:2(B), (R) |
| Washington | Yes, universal. All firearm sales or transfers, including at gun shows, online and between unlicensed persons, require a background check; where neither party is a dealer, the transfer must be completed through a licensed dealer as if from its inventory (the dealer may charge a fee). Exceptions include bona fide gifts or loans between listed immediate family members, antiques, and temporary transfers to prevent imminent death, great bodily harm or suicide. Buyers must also show proof of completing a recognized firearms safety training program within the last five years (with exemptions for officers and active military). Permit to purchase: under RCW 9.41.121, effective May 1, 2027, buyers will need a permit to purchase firearms from the Washington State Patrol, which requires fingerprints and certified safety training (including live fire) within the last five years; the State Patrol must decide within 30 days (60 for some applicants). RCW 9.41.113(1)-(4); 9.41.1132 (version effective until May 1, 2027); 9.41.121 (effective May 1, 2027) |
| West Virginia | West Virginia has no state law that requires a background check, permit-to-purchase or license for private (non-dealer) sales. Any seller, including a private seller, commits a felony by knowingly selling, renting, giving or lending a firearm or ammunition to a person prohibited by state law or 18 U.S.C. § 922, and it is a felony to solicit a dealer or private seller to make an unlawful transfer. Per the Attorney General, a WV CHL issued on or after June 4, 2014 qualifies as an alternative to the federal NICS check at a dealer; provisional licenses do not. W. Va. Code § 61-7-10(c)-(e); AG guide 'On the Mark' p. 12; W. Va. Code ch. 61, art. 7 (reviewed) |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin has no state law that requires a background check for private (non-dealer) sales. When a licensed firearms dealer sells a handgun, the dealer may not transfer it until the buyer shows photo ID, completes a state notification form, and the dealer receives an approval number from the Department of Justice after a firearms restrictions record search. Per DOJ, handgun checks are done by DOJ and long-gun checks by the FBI's NICS. No permit-to-purchase or purchase license exists, and local governments may not regulate firearm sales, transfers, licensing or registration more strictly than state law. Wis. Stat. §§ 175.35(2), 66.0409(2); Wis. Stat. chs. 941, 175 (reviewed) |
| Wyoming | Wyoming has no state law that requires a background check, permit-to-purchase or license for private (non-dealer) sales. Dealers, wholesalers, retailers and pawnbrokers must keep the records required by federal law at their place of business, open to inspection by peace officers. Per DCI, the ATF has determined that a Wyoming concealed firearm permit satisfies federal law in place of the instant background check when buying from a federal licensee. Local governments and agencies may not regulate the sale, transfer or purchase of firearms. W.S. 6-8-203, 6-8-401(c); W.S. tit. 6, ch. 8 (reviewed) |
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.