Buying a Gun in Louisiana
The age to buy a gun in Louisiana, background checks for dealer and private sales, any waiting period, and rules on ghost guns.
Short answer: It is a crime to sell or otherwise deliver for value any firearm to any person under the age of eighteen (lack of knowledge of the minor's age is not a defense); this applies to any seller, not only dealers. La. R.S. 14:91; R.S. 14:95.8
| Age to buy a gun | It is a crime to sell or otherwise deliver for value any firearm to any person under the age of eighteen (lack of knowledge of the minor's age is not a defense); this applies to any seller, not only dealers. A person under eighteen may not knowingly possess a handgun on his person, with exceptions for safety courses, target ranges, licensed hunting or trapping, travel to and from those activities with an unloaded gun, property with parental and owner permission, at home with parental permission, or with written parental permission carried on the person. Juvenile handgun possession: https://legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=78747 Source: La. R.S. 14:91; R.S. 14:95.8 |
|---|---|
| Background checks and private sales | 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. Reviewed La. R.S. 14:94-14:95.10 (Title 14, Part VI, Subpart A(1), Illegal Carrying and Discharge of Weapons) and R.S. 40:1751-40:1812 (Title 40, Chapter 9, Weapons), plus R.S. 40:1379.1-40:1383 on 2026-10-27; no provision requiring a background check, permit or license for private sales found. R.S. 14:95.1.4 bars knowingly transferring a firearm to a person prohibited from possessing one, and R.S. 14:95.1.3 bars giving a dealer or private seller materially false information. Source: La. R.S. 40:1379.3(T)(1) |
| Waiting period | Louisiana has no state law that sets a waiting period between buying a firearm and taking delivery. Reviewed La. R.S. 14:94-14:95.10 (Title 14, Part VI, Subpart A(1), Illegal Carrying and Discharge of Weapons) and R.S. 40:1751-40:1812 (Title 40, Chapter 9, Weapons), plus R.S. 40:1379.1-40:1383 on 2026-10-27; no provision found. |
| Ghost guns and homemade firearms | Louisiana has no state law that requires serial numbers on, or bans, homemade or unserialized firearms or firearm kits. It is a crime to possess, carry, buy, sell or transport a firearm whose serial number has been obliterated, but that rule does not apply to a firearm originally manufactured without a number. Reviewed La. R.S. 14:94-14:95.10 (Title 14, Part VI, Subpart A(1), Illegal Carrying and Discharge of Weapons) and R.S. 40:1751-40:1812 (Title 40, Chapter 9, Weapons), plus R.S. 40:1379.1-40:1383 on 2026-10-27; no provision on unserialized or privately made firearms found. R.S. 40:1788 requires manufacturers and dealers to mark only the weapons defined in R.S. 40:1781 (short-barreled guns, machine guns, silencers and similar); ordinary pistols, rifles and shotguns are exempt from that definition. |
More Louisiana gun laws
- Concealed Carry in Louisiana
- Open Carry in Louisiana
- Red Flag Law and Weapon Limits in Louisiana
- All Louisiana gun laws rules
FAQ
How old do you have to be to buy a gun in Louisiana?
It is a crime to sell or otherwise deliver for value any firearm to any person under the age of eighteen (lack of knowledge of the minor's age is not a defense); this applies to any seller, not only dealers. A person under eighteen may not knowingly possess a handgun on his person, with exceptions for safety courses, target ranges, licensed hunting or trapping, travel to and from those activities with an unloaded gun, property with parental and owner permission, at home with parental permission, or with written parental permission carried on the person.
Do private gun sales need a background check in 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.
Is there a waiting period to buy a gun in Louisiana?
Louisiana has no state law that sets a waiting period between buying a firearm and taking delivery.
Are ghost guns legal in Louisiana?
Louisiana has no state law that requires serial numbers on, or bans, homemade or unserialized firearms or firearm kits. It is a crime to possess, carry, buy, sell or transport a firearm whose serial number has been obliterated, but that rule does not apply to a firearm originally manufactured without a number.
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.