Firearm suppressor laws vary by state: civilian ownership is legal in 42 states as long as you meet federal requirements under the National Firearms Act, and it is banned outright in 8 states plus the District of Columbia. Even in states where ownership is allowed, a separate question is whether you can hunt with one, and federal registration with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is required everywhere suppressors are legal.
The 42 States Where Suppressors Are Legal
These states allow civilian suppressor ownership if you complete the federal NFA process:1American Suppressor Association. State Legislation
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
A few of these states have passed laws attempting to exempt in-state suppressors from federal regulation. Kansas is the most prominent example. The ATF does not recognize those exemptions and still enforces NFA requirements nationwide, so you need to complete the federal registration process regardless of what your state statute says.
The 8 States and D.C. That Ban Suppressors
These jurisdictions prohibit civilian suppressor ownership entirely, and a valid federal registration does not override the state ban:1American Suppressor Association. State Legislation
- California
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- New York
- Rhode Island
The District of Columbia also bans them. In any of these places, possession is a state crime. Penalties vary but can include felony charges, prison time, and permanent loss of firearm rights. If you live in one of these states, there is no legal path to ownership short of relocating.
Hunting With a Suppressor
Legal ownership and legal hunting use are two different questions. Of the 42 ownership-legal states, 41 also allow suppressor use while hunting. Connecticut is the exception: state law specifically prohibits using a suppressor on any firearm while hunting, even though owning one is legal there. Vermont made hunting use permanent in 2024 after earlier temporary authorizations.2Vermont General Assembly. H.808 As Introduced – Vermont Suppressor Hunting
What Federal Law Requires To Buy One
The National Firearms Act of 1934 treats suppressors as NFA firearms, and every civilian-owned suppressor must be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record maintained by the ATF.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 U.S. Code 5841 – Registration of Firearms Buying from a licensed dealer means submitting ATF Form 4, providing fingerprint cards and a passport-style photograph, and clearing a federal background check.
The transfer tax for a suppressor is currently $0. The NFA’s $200 tax now applies only to machineguns and destructive devices; suppressors and other NFA firearms transfer at a zero-dollar rate.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 U.S. Code 5811 – Transfer Tax The registration and background check still apply.
You must be at least 21 to buy a suppressor from a licensed dealer. For certain non-dealer transfers, such as inheritance through a trust, the minimum age is 18.
How Long the Wait Takes
Electronic filing has cut wait times sharply. As of February 2026, ATF eForm 4 applications for individual buyers averaged 10 days from submission to approval. Paper Form 4 applications took about 21 days, and trust applications filed electronically averaged 26 days.5ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives). Current Processing Times A few years ago, waits of 5 to 14 months were common.
Individual Registration or a Gun Trust
You can register the suppressor to yourself or to a gun trust. A trust lets every named trustee legally possess and use the item and passes it to named beneficiaries without a new ATF transfer application. The tradeoff is that every “responsible person” on the trust must submit fingerprints, a photo, and a background check each time the trust acquires a new NFA item.6Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Background Checks for Responsible Persons (Final Rule 41F)
Who Cannot Own a Suppressor
Federal law bars certain people from possessing any firearm, and suppressors count as firearms under both the NFA and Title 18. You cannot own a suppressor if you:7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 922 – Unlawful Acts
- Have been convicted of any crime punishable by more than one year in prison
- Are a fugitive from justice
- Are an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance
- Have been adjudicated as mentally defective or committed to a mental institution at age 16 or older
- Are unlawfully in the United States or, with limited exceptions, hold a nonimmigrant visa
- Were dishonorably discharged from the military
- Have renounced U.S. citizenship
- Are subject to certain domestic violence restraining orders
- Have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence
These prohibitions apply everywhere, and lying on the application is a separate federal crime.
Traveling and Moving Between States
Suppressors do not require prior ATF authorization to cross state lines. Federal law requires an approved ATF Form 5320.20 before transporting a machinegun, short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun, or destructive device across state lines, but suppressors are not on that list.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 922 – Unlawful Acts You can travel with a registered suppressor to any state that allows them, as long as your paperwork is with you.
You are still responsible for the laws at your destination and along your route. Driving through New Jersey with a suppressor in the trunk on your way to Pennsylvania exposes you to New Jersey’s ban. Plan around prohibition states.
Relocating permanently to another suppressor-legal state works the same way. No Form 5320.20 is required; a courtesy notification to the ATF is appreciated but not mandatory.
Moving to a state that bans suppressors is different. You cannot bring it with you. Before establishing residency, you need to sell it through a licensed dealer, transfer it to another person on your trust who lives in a legal state, or arrange storage with a licensed dealer in a legal state. Skipping that step puts you in violation of the new state’s criminal law the day you arrive.
Federal Penalties for Getting It Wrong
Possessing an unregistered suppressor, or any other NFA violation, can bring up to 10 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 U.S. Code 5871 – Penalties The government can also seize the suppressor and any firearm involved. Common triggers include buying outside the NFA process, possessing a homemade suppressor without an approved Form 1, or letting a prohibited person use yours. In the eight ban states, state charges can stack on top of federal ones for the same suppressor.