How Old Do I Have to Be to Own a Gun in the US?

To own a gun in the United States, you generally have to be 18 to buy a rifle or shotgun and 21 to buy a handgun from a licensed dealer. Those are the federal floors. Private sales drop the handgun age to 18 and set no federal minimum for long guns, and several states push every age higher. So how old you have to be to own a gun depends on the type of firearm, how you acquire it, and which state you live in.

Buying From a Licensed Dealer

The Gun Control Act sets the nationwide minimums. Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(1), a federally licensed dealer cannot sell or deliver any firearm or ammunition to someone under 18, and the cutoff jumps to 21 for handguns and handgun ammunition.¹ The ATF applies the same framework in its guidance to dealers: no handgun or handgun ammunition to anyone the seller knows or has reason to believe is under 21, and no long gun or long gun ammunition to anyone under 18.²

That produces two tiers at any gun store:

At 18, you can buy rifles, shotguns, and the ammunition for them.
At 21, you can buy handguns, handgun ammunition, and any other firearm.

Parental permission does not move these lines. A parent cannot walk into a licensed dealer and buy a handgun for a 19-year-old.

Private Sales, Gifts, and Family Transfers

The rules loosen when the seller is not a licensed dealer. Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(x), an unlicensed person cannot transfer a handgun or handgun-only ammunition to anyone they know or have reason to believe is under 18.¹ Under federal law, an 18-year-old can legally receive a handgun through a private sale, a gift, or a family transfer, even though they cannot buy one at a store.

Long guns are more open still. Section 922(x) speaks only to handguns, so federal law sets no age floor for the private transfer of a rifle or shotgun. A parent could give a 16-year-old a hunting rifle without violating the transfer statute. State law often steps in here, and many states set their own minimums for possessing or receiving long guns.

The split catches people off guard. An 18-year-old turned away at a gun counter for trying to buy a handgun could legally receive the same handgun as a birthday gift from an uncle the same day, at least under federal law. Whether their state allows it is another question.

Owning a Gun vs. Having One in Your Hands

Federal law separates title from physical possession. You can inherit ownership of a handgun at any age, but section 922(x) makes it illegal for anyone under 18 to actually possess a handgun or handgun-only ammunition outside the narrow exceptions the statute lists.¹ A grandparent who wills a handgun to a 15-year-old can pass along the title, but an adult has to hold the gun itself until the grandchild turns 18.

For long guns, federal law sets no minimum age for possession. A minor can legally have a rifle or shotgun under federal law, though state laws frequently impose their own restrictions, often around ages 14 or 16 or tied to activities like hunting. A parent who lets a 16-year-old use a shotgun for hunting is not breaking federal law. Handing that same teenager a handgun to keep in their room would violate section 922(x) unless a statutory exception applies.

When a Minor Can Legally Handle a Handgun

Federal law carves out specific situations where someone under 18 can temporarily possess a handgun. Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(x)(3), those include:³

Farm or ranch work where a handgun is used in connection with those activities.
Target practice or hunting with written parental consent.
Instruction in the safe and lawful use of a handgun.
Service in the Armed Forces or National Guard, in the line of duty.
Defense against an intruder in the minor’s home or a home where they are an invited guest.
Inherited title, though not physical possession.

For most of these, the juvenile has to carry written consent from a parent or guardian at all times while holding the handgun, and the parent or guardian must not themselves be prohibited from owning firearms. During transportation, the handgun has to be unloaded and in a locked container.³ Missing any one condition turns a legal activity into a federal offense.

How States Raise the Bar

Federal law is a floor, not a ceiling. As of early 2025, eight states have raised the minimum purchase age to 21 for all firearms, wiping out the federal distinction between handguns and long guns. Several more require buyers to be 21 for handguns even in private sales, closing the gap federal law leaves open for 18-to-20-year-olds. When state law is stricter, it controls.

Other states add requirements instead of raising the age itself. Some make buyers under 21 complete a firearm safety course, obtain a permit before purchasing, or wait through a cooling-off period. A few states impose no restrictions beyond the federal minimums. The variation is wide enough that an 18-year-old who can buy a rifle and receive a gifted handgun in one state might be unable to buy any firearm one state over.

The Extra Background Check for Buyers Under 21

Even after clearing the age minimum, buyers under 21 go through a more intensive background check than older buyers. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022 requires NICS examiners to reach beyond the standard database search and contact three additional sources in the buyer’s state of residence: the state juvenile justice or criminal history repository, the state custodian of mental health adjudication records, and local law enforcement.⁴

Juvenile records are not automatically part of what NICS normally searches, so a disqualifying juvenile adjudication might never surface under the standard three-business-day review. Under the enhanced process, if any of those agencies need more time or flag a potential issue, the review can extend up to 10 business days before the dealer may complete the transfer.⁵ If you are between 18 and 20, expect a possible wait well beyond what older buyers experience.

Owning Is Not the Same as Carrying

Being old enough to own a gun does not mean you are old enough to carry one in public. Most states that issue concealed carry permits set the minimum at 21. More than half of all states now allow some form of permitless concealed carry, and among those the minimum age is split: roughly half require 21, and the rest allow it at 18 or 19. Open carry rules vary similarly. An 18-year-old who can legally carry a concealed handgun without a permit in their home state could commit a crime by crossing into a neighboring state where the minimum is 21. If you travel with a firearm, check every state along the route.

Penalties for Getting the Age Wrong

Under 18 U.S.C. § 924(a)(6), a juvenile caught possessing a handgun in violation of section 922(x) faces up to one year in prison, though first-time offenders with no prior convictions or delinquency adjudications are generally sentenced to probation rather than incarceration.⁶

Adults who transfer a handgun to a juvenile also face up to one year for a standard violation. The exposure jumps to up to 10 years in federal prison if the adult knew or had reason to know the juvenile intended to use the firearm in a violent crime.⁶ State penalties layer on top and vary widely, with some jurisdictions treating violations as felonies that permanently strip the offender’s right to own firearms.

Quick Reference by Age

Here is how the federal rules stack up at each threshold. State laws often add restrictions on top.

Under 18: Cannot buy any firearm from a licensed dealer. Cannot receive a handgun through a private transfer except under the narrow statutory exceptions. Can possess a long gun with no federal age limit, though state law may restrict it. Can temporarily possess a handgun for hunting, target practice, farming, safety training, military duty, or self-defense with written parental consent.
18 to 20: Can buy rifles and shotguns from licensed dealers. Can receive a handgun through a private sale or gift under federal law. Can possess both handguns and long guns. Subject to the enhanced background check and a possible 10-business-day wait. Cannot buy a handgun from a licensed dealer. Whether you can carry in public depends entirely on state law.
21 and older: Can buy any firearm from any lawful source. Standard background check applies. Eligible for concealed carry permits in every state that issues them, absent other disqualifying factors.li>

1
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts
2
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Minimum Age for Gun Sales and Transfers
3
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 922 – Unlawful Acts
4
Federal Bureau of Investigation. NICS Enhanced Background Checks for Under-21 Gun Buyers Showing Results
5
Federal Register. Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022 and Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 Implementation
6
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 924 – Penalties