Buying a Gun in Pennsylvania

A person under 18 may not possess or transport a firearm anywhere in Pennsylvania. Exceptions include supervised lawful activities and lawful hunting or trapping. Knowingly giving a firearm to a minor in violation of this rule is a third-degree felony. The license to carry requires age 21. The chapter sets no separate state minimum age of 21 for buying.

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.

Pennsylvania has no state law that sets a fixed waiting period now that the instant check system is in place. Section 6111(a)(1) sets a 48-hour wait, but only 'Except as provided in paragraph (2)'; paragraph (2) provides that, 30 days after publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin that the Instantaneous Criminal History Records Check System has been established, no seller shall deliver a firearm 'until the provisions of this section have been satisfied' (including the background check). The State Police say they launched the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS) in 1998 and that it 'completes most background checks in a few minutes.' Firearms must be delivered securely wrapped and unloaded.

Pennsylvania has no state law that specifically regulates unserialized, homemade, 3D-printed or kit firearms or unfinished frames or receivers. Possessing a firearm whose manufacturer's number on the frame or receiver has been altered, changed, removed or obliterated is a crime, as is altering marks of identification.