Please Note: In addition to state laws, the purchase, sale and (in certain circumstances) the possession and interstate transportation of firearms is regulated by the Gun Control Act of 1968 as amended by the Firearms Owners' Protection Act. Also, cities and localities may have their own firearms ordinances in addition to federal and state laws. Details may be obtained by contacting local law enforcement authorities, and by consulting the State Laws and Published Ordinances--Firearms, available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.
Rifles and
Shotguns Handguns
_____________________
Permit to Purchase No* No*
Registration of Firearm No No
Licensing of Owner No No
Permit to Carry No Yes
* Waiting period.
It is unlawful to possess a handgun by a person who has been convicted of a felony, illegal possession of a controlled substance, negligent homicide, third degree assault, first degree reckless endangerment, second degree unlawful restraint, rioting, or second degree stalking; discharged from custody within the preceding 20 years after acquittal by reason of mental disease or defect; confined by court order for mental illness within the preceding 12 months; subject to a restraining or protective order involving physical force; or an illegal alien. It is unlawful to possess any other firearm by a person who has been convicted of a felony.
It is unlawful to sell a firearm to any person convicted of a felony, any alien, or any minor under the age of 18. It is unlawful to sell or transfer a handgun to any person who is forbidden to possess a handgun (see POSSESSION), or to a person under 21. However, a handgun may be temporarily transferred to a person under 21 for target shooting under the immediate supervision of a person eligible to possess a handgun and such use is otherwise permitted by law.
No person, firm, or corporation shall sell or transfer a firearm unless an application provided by the commissioner of public safety is filled out. Copies are sent to the commissioner, to the police chief where the applicant resides, or, if there is no police chief, to the first selectmen or warden of such municipality. There is a 2 weeks waiting period. Upon sale or transfer, the recipient of the firearm signs a form containing a full description of himself or herself and the firearm, including serial number. Copies of the receipt are sent to the police, a copy is retained by the person making the sale or transfer, and a copy is given to the recipient of the firearm. If a handgun, on and after October 1, 1995, the receipt shall also contain the identification number of the recipient's permit to carry, permit to sell handguns at retail, or handgun eligibility certificate and the authorization number designated for the transfer by the department of public safety. The commissioner shall establish a data base that any person selling or transferring a handgun may access to determine if the recipient's permit to carry, permit to sell, or eligibility certificate is valid.
A handgun eligibility certificate, valid for 5 years, shall be issued by the commissioner of public safety within 90 days after filing of the application to a person who may lawfully possess a handgun, who completes a handgun safety course, is fingerprinted, and pays $35. The eligibility certificate entitles a person to purchase, but not to carry, a handgun. The commissioner must be notified within 2 business days of an address change.
The waiting period is waived for police and parole officers, holders of a permit to carry, permit to sell handguns, or handgun eligibility certificate, but all forms must be filled out. Holders of a valid Connecticut hunting license and active or reserve members of the armed forces are also exempt from the waiting period on rifles and shotguns. Antique firearms are exempted from both the waiting period and application form requirements.
Application for a permit is made to the local Chief of Police or other issuing authority. The applicant must provide a full description and be fingerprinted. The Chief of Police is required to conduct an investigation concerning the applicant's "suitability to carry any such weapons." The applicant must successfully complete a handgun safety course approved by the commissioner. An approved course includes one utilizing instructors certified by the NRA.
A permit may be issued if the issuing authority finds that the applicant "intends to make no use of any pistol or revolver which he may be permitted to carry ... other than a lawful use", and that the applicant "is a suitable person to receive such permit". No showing of a "need" to carry a handgun is required, and Connecticut courts have ruled that a permit may not be denied on a basis of "insufficient need." No permit will be issued to any person ineligible to possess a handgun. The applicant must be notified within eight weeks of the issuing authority's decision.
The local issuing authority may issue a permit to carry valid only within his jurisdiction. A permit to carry within the entire state can be issued only by the Commissioner of State Police. To obtain a statewide permit to carry, the applicant must already possess a local permit to carry. The commissioner must be notified within 2 business days of an address change.
Once issued--and kept continuously in force without lapse or revocation--a statewide permit may be renewed without further issuance or renewal of a local permit. Thus, if a holder of a statewide permit moves to another part of the state, it is not necessary for him to obtain a local permit from the authorities in his new community in order to renew his statewide permit.
A permit to carry may be revoked "for cause" if the issuing authority determines that the permit holder is no longer a "suitable person" to carry a handgun. Although facts justifying any such revocation must be shown, the authorities have broad discretion, and conduct by the permit holder which is not necessarily a violation of law may be sufficient to support a revocation.
An eligibility certificate revocation or refusal to issue or renewal may be appealed within 90 days to the Board of Permit Examiners, State Armory, 360 Broad Street, Hartford, CT 06115. No fee is charged for this review. A revocation or refusal to issue will be overturned by the Board if not for a "just and proper cause". Either the applicant or the issuing authority may appeal any decision of the Board to the courts.
No permit to carry is required:
The fee for the original permit to carry is $35.00; the renewal is $35.00. Each original or renewal is valid for five years.
A permit to carry is required to carry a handgun outside one's home (even though one may still be on his own property) or in any "place of business" in which one is merely an employee, not an owner or operator. A permit is also required to transport a handgun back and forth between one's home and place of business, or to and from a range for target shooting.
It is unlawful to possess a firearm on elementary or secondary school property. This prohibition shall not apply to a person with a firearm carrying permit, with permission from school officials, or while traversing school property with an unloaded firearm for the purpose of gaining access to lands open to hunting or for other lawful purposes, provided entry is not prohibited by school officials.
A machine gun is any weapon designed or readily restored to shoot automatically more than one bullet, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. It also includes parts designed to convert a weapon into a machine gun.
Each machine gun shall be registered in the office of the commissioner of public safety within 24 hours after acquisition and, thereafter, annually on July 1.
A presumption of possession for an offensive or aggressive purpose is raised:
Loaded shotguns and rifles may not be carried in a vehicle or snowmobile. Muzzle-loading rifles and shotguns are regarded as "unloaded" even though a charge may be in the bore, provided there is no powder in the flash pan or percussion cap on the nipple.
It is unlawful to alter, remove or obliterate the name of any make or model or number or other mark of identification on any handgun. The possession of any handgun with its numbers or other marks altered creates a legal presumption that the possessor committed the offense.
It is lawful to hunt with a handgun provided the hunter has a permit to carry and complies with all hunting laws; however, a handgun may not be used to hunt waterfowl or deer.
Persons convicted of robbery with a deadly weapon "shall be sentenced" to five (5) years, which sentence may not be suspended or reduced by the court.
Persons convicted of assault with a deadly weapon or instrument shall be confined for 5 years, which term shall not be suspended or reduced.
Absent mitigating circumstances, any person convicted of carrying a firearm without a permit shall receive a mandatory one year penalty.
No person shall keep or store any loaded firearm on any premises under his control if he knows or reasonably should know that a person under 16 is likely to gain access without parent's or guardian's permission, unless it is in a location which a reasonable person would believe to be secured, is carried on the person or within close proximity, or is in a locked container.
Retail sellers of firearms shall provide a purchaser with a gun locking device and a warning about the unlawful storage of a loaded firearm.
"Assault Weapon" means: Any selective-fire firearm capable of fully automatic, semiautomatic or burst fire at the option of the user or any of the following specified semiautomatic firearms: Algimec Agmi; Armalite AR-180; Australian Automatic Arms SAP Pistol; Auto Ordnance Thompson type; Avtomat Kalashnikov AK-47 type; Barrett Light-Fifty model 82A1; Beretta AR-70; Bushmaster Auto Rifle and Auto Pistol; Calico models M-900, M-950 and 100-P Chartered Industries of Singapore SR-88; Colt AR-15 and Sporter; Daewoo K-1, K-2, Max-1 and Max-2; Encom MK-IV, MP-9 and MP-45, Fabrique Nationale FN/FAL, FN/LAR, or RN/FNC; FAMAS MAS 223; Feather AT-9 and Mini-AT; Federal XC-900 and XC- 450; Franchi SPAS-12 and LAW-12; Galil AR and ARM; Goncz High-Tech Carbine and High Tech Long Pistol; Heckler & Koch HK-91, HK-93, HK-94 and SP- 89; Holmes MP-83; MAC-10, MAC-11 and MAC-11 Carbine type; Intratec TEC-9 and Scorpion; Iver Johnson Enforcer model 3000; Ruger Mini-14/5F folding stock model only; Scarab Skorpion; SIG 57 AMT and 500 series, Spectre Auto Carbine and Auto Pistol; Springfield Armory BM-59, SAR-48 and G-3; Sterling MK-6 and MK-7; Steyr AUG; Street Sweeper and Striker 12 revolving cylinder shotguns; USAS-12; UZI Carbine, Mini-Carbine and Pistol; Weaver Arms Nighthawk; Wilkinson "Linda" Pistol; or a part or combination of parts designed or intended to convert a firearm into an assault weapon may be rapidly assembled if those parts are in the possession or under the control of the same person. The term "assault weapon" does not include any firearm modified to render it permanently inoperable. It is unlawful to distribute, transport or import, keep or offer for sale, or possess an assault weapon except as provided.
Any person who lawfully possesses an assault weapon, prior to October 1, 1993, shall apply by October 1, 1994, to the department of public safety, for a certification of possession with respect to such assault weapon. The commissioner of public safety shall maintain a file of all certificates of transfer at this central office.
No assault weapon lawfully possessed may be sold or transferred on or after January 1, 1994, to any person other than to a licensed gun dealer, or any individual who arranged in advance to relinquish it to a police department or the department of public safety, or by bequest or intestate succession. Any person who obtains title to an assault weapon for which a certificate of possession has been issued by bequest or intestate succession shall, within 90 days of obtaining title, apply to the department of public safety for a certificate of possession, render the weapon inoperable, sell the weapon to a licensed gun dealer, or remove the weapon from the state. Any person who moves into the state in lawful possession of an assault weapon shall, within 90 days, either render it permanently inoperable, sell it to a licensed gun dealer, or remove it from the state.
A person who has been issued a certificate of possession of an assault weapon may possess it only under the following conditions:
Caution: State firearms laws are subject to frequent change. The above summary is not to be considered as legal advice or a restatement of law. To determine the applicability of these laws to specific situations which you may encounter, you are strongly urged to consult a local attorney.
Compiled by:
NRA Institute for Legislative Action
11250 Waples Mill Road
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
(c) 1995, NRA Institute for Legislative Action.
NS 01030 Rev. 4/95 5M