Connecticut Constitutional Carry Laws
Legal information provided is for reference and not legal advice. Consult an attorney for specific legal concerns.
Legal information provided is for reference and not legal advice. Consult an attorney for specific legal concerns.
In 2012, twenty children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in the deadliest elementary school shooting in U.S. history. Since then, efforts to prevent gun violence and enhance gun safety have increased significantly.
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In 2013, Connecticut enacted an assault weapons ban and limited large-capacity magazines. The state expanded background check regulations and gun permit requirements. The definition of an assault weapon now includes the Bushmaster semiautomatic rifle, modeled after the M16. The law also imposes a 10-round limit on magazine capacity. Connecticut’s gun control measures have withstood several legal challenges.
The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) oversees Connecticut gun laws. The Connecticut State Police, Special Licensing and Firearms Unit (SLFU), manages permits for handguns and long guns, regulates all retail and private sales, maintains registries of machine guns and assault weapons, and conducts background checks for purchases and transfers.
All gun purchases and transfers in Connecticut must comply with federal and state law restrictions.
In 2023, Governor Ned Lamont signed new legislation to strengthen gun safety regulations. The law bans open carry in most situations and raises the minimum age to purchase certain semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21, aligning with handgun requirements.
The sale of ghost gun assembly kits, which allow individuals to assemble untraceable firearms without serial numbers, is banned. Sellers of pistols must provide a trigger lock or similar device, and gun owners are required to safely store firearms unless they are in immediate possession.
Anyone selling ten or more firearms in a calendar year is considered a gun dealer. Along with federally licensed dealers, they must obtain a state permit for sales from their local police chief or another executive officer.
- Section 53–202a : Assault Weapons Definitions
- Section 53a-217 : Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Ammunition, or Electronic Defense Weapon
- Section 53–202w : Large-Capacity Magazines; Sale, Transfer, or Possession Prohibited
- Section 29–35 : Carrying of Pistol or Revolver Without Permit
The following firearms are illegal in Connecticut:
- Assault weapons (see Section 53–202 for exceptions for weapons legally owned before July 1, 1994)
- Parts intended to convert a firearm into an assault weapon
- Certain semi-automatic centerfire rifles, pistols, and shotguns
- Silencers
- Bump stocks or other rate of fire enhancers
There is no waiting period to purchase a firearm in Connecticut. Buyers must have a valid permit or certificate, which requires a criminal background check.
You cannot own or possess a firearm if you:
- Have a felony or violent misdemeanor conviction
- Were convicted as a delinquent for a serious juvenile offense
- Were committed to a mental institution by court order in the past five years or discharged within 20 years after a finding of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect
- Are subject to a restraining or protective order involving physical force
- Are under a firearm seizure order
- Were voluntarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital within the past six months (except for drug or alcohol dependency)
- Are in the U.S. illegally (for handguns only)
- Are a fugitive from justice
- Are convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence under federal law
- Are otherwise prohibited under federal law
To own a handgun or semi-automatic centerfire rifle accepting over five rounds, you must be 21 years old.
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Connecticut requires a pistol permit, a permit to sell firearms, or an eligibility certificate to purchase a firearm.
A pistol permit (carry permit) is required to carry a concealed firearm in Connecticut.
Open carry is not generally allowed, except in limited circumstances like on private property or business. A pistol permit is required where open carry is permitted.
To obtain a carry permit, you must be 21 years old, a resident or business owner in Connecticut, and meet the following conditions:
- No illegal presence in the U.S.
- No felony or certain violent misdemeanor convictions
- No serious juvenile offense convictions
- No court-ordered commitment to a mental hospital within the past 60 months
- No restraining or protective orders
- No firearm seizure orders for posing a risk of harm
- No recent voluntary admission to a psychiatric hospital (except for substance dependency)
- Completion of an approved firearm training course
- Compliance with federal and state firearm laws
- Machine guns cannot be possessed for offensive purposes.
- Machine guns cannot be transferred to individuals under 16 years old.
- Machine guns must be registered with the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection within 24 hours of purchase.
- Criminal possession of a firearm, ammunition, or electronic defense weapon : Class C felony, punishable by 2–10 years in prison and a fine of $5,000-$10,000.
- Possession of a prohibited weapon : Class D felony, punishable by 1–5 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
