Buying a Gun in North Carolina
The age to buy a gun in North Carolina, background checks for dealer and private sales, any waiting period, and rules on ghost guns.
Short answer: Handguns: transferring a handgun to a minor (under 18) is a Class H felony, except a temporary loan where the minor's possession is lawful, a transfer to an adult custodian, or a devise distributed to a parent or guardian. N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 14-315(a1), 14-269.7
| Age to buy a gun | Handguns: transferring a handgun to a minor (under 18) is a Class H felony, except a temporary loan where the minor's possession is lawful, a transfer to an adult custodian, or a devise distributed to a parent or guardian. 'Any minor who willfully and intentionally possesses or carries a handgun is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor' ('minor' means 'Any person under 18 years of age'), except military duty, adult-supervised educational or recreational use, an emancipated minor at home, and hunting or trapping with written parental permission. § 14-315(a1) covers handguns only; no state minimum age for buying rifles or shotguns was found in the sections read. |
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| Background checks and private sales | 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 The former pistol purchase permit law (G.S. 14-402 to 14-405) was repealed effective March 29, 2023.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. Reviewed N.C. Gen. Stat. |
| Waiting period | North Carolina has no state law that sets a waiting period between buying a firearm and taking delivery. The pistol purchase permit process that previously applied to handgun transfers (G.S. 14-402) was repealed effective March 29, 2023. Reviewed N.C. Gen. Stat. |
| Ghost guns and homemade firearms | North Carolina has no state law that requires serial numbers on, or bans, homemade or unserialized firearms or firearm kits. It is a Class H felony to alter, deface, destroy or remove a firearm's permanent serial number to conceal or misrepresent its identity, or knowingly to sell, buy or possess a firearm whose serial number was removed for that purpose. Reviewed N.C. Gen. Stat. |
More North Carolina gun laws
- Concealed Carry in North Carolina
- Open Carry in North Carolina
- Red Flag Law and Weapon Limits in North Carolina
- All North Carolina gun laws rules
FAQ
How old do you have to be to buy a gun in North Carolina?
Handguns: transferring a handgun to a minor (under 18) is a Class H felony, except a temporary loan where the minor's possession is lawful, a transfer to an adult custodian, or a devise distributed to a parent or guardian. 'Any minor who willfully and intentionally possesses or carries a handgun is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor' ('minor' means 'Any person under 18 years of age'), except military duty, adult-supervised educational or recreational use, an emancipated minor at home, and hunting or trapping with written parental permission.
Do private gun sales need a background check in 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.
Is there a waiting period to buy a gun in North Carolina?
North Carolina has no state law that sets a waiting period between buying a firearm and taking delivery. The pistol purchase permit process that previously applied to handgun transfers (G.S. 14-402) was repealed effective March 29, 2023.
Are ghost guns legal in North Carolina?
North Carolina has no state law that requires serial numbers on, or bans, homemade or unserialized firearms or firearm kits. It is a Class H felony to alter, deface, destroy or remove a firearm's permanent serial number to conceal or misrepresent its identity, or knowingly to sell, buy or possess a firearm whose serial number was removed for that purpose.
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.