Lifestyle
Gun Laws by State: A Complete Guide for 2026
By Sonia Varga · April 23, 2026
Gun laws vary more between states than almost any other legal category. California sits at one extreme with the strictest regulations in the country, while states like Wyoming and New Hampshire have virtually no restrictions beyond federal minimums. Here is what every state actually requires in 2026.
The gap between the strictest and most permissive state gun laws is wider in 2026 than at any point in American history. California has 14 major firearms restrictions on the books, while 27 states now allow permitless carry with no training requirement whatsoever.
How States Are Ranked
Everytown for Gun Safety released its 2026 state gun law rankings in January, and California held the top spot for the ninth consecutive year. The rankings score each state on roughly 50 individual policies, covering everything from background check requirements to red flag laws to safe storage mandates.
A higher ranking number means fewer restrictions. California scores #1 (most restrictive). Wyoming scores #50 (least restrictive). The middle of the list is occupied by states like Virginia and Colorado, which have added restrictions in recent years but still fall well short of the West Coast tier.
The Strictest States in 2026
The five most restrictive states are California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Hawaii. All five require a permit to purchase a handgun, mandate universal background checks for private sales, and have red flag laws allowing courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed a risk.
New York and New Jersey go further than most. New Jersey requires a firearms purchaser identification card for any long gun purchase and a separate permit for each handgun transaction. California requires a 10-day waiting period on all firearm purchases, a handgun roster limiting which models can be sold, and magazine capacity limits of 10 rounds.
Illinois, Connecticut, Maryland, and Colorado round out the top ten most restrictive. Colorado's position is notable. The state passed universal background check requirements back in 2013, but added red flag laws in 2019 and expanded them in 2023, pushing it firmly into the restrictive tier.
If you are weighing a move and gun ownership is a factor in your decision, states with strict firearms laws often come with other regulatory trade-offs. See how California and New York compare on taxes and cost of living in our Florida vs. California: The Tax Reality breakdown.
The Most Gun-Friendly States in 2026
Permitless carry, also called constitutional carry, is now legal in 27 states. That means residents can carry a concealed handgun in public without obtaining a permit or completing any training. The states that adopted permitless carry most recently include Ohio (2022), Indiana (2022), and Georgia (2022). No additional states moved to permitless carry between late 2025 and early 2026, as of the most recent legislative data available.
The top ten most permissive states, in order from least restrictive, are Wyoming, Arizona, Alaska, Kansas, Idaho, Montana, West Virginia, Missouri, Mississippi, and New Hampshire.
New Hampshire is a useful benchmark. The state has no permit requirement to purchase firearms, no registration requirement, no waiting period, and allows permitless open and concealed carry statewide. There is no red flag law and no requirement for safe storage. The only restrictions that apply are federal ones, including the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) requirement for licensed dealer sales.
Texas allows permitless carry and has no state income tax, which makes it a frequent relocation target for gun owners leaving high-restriction states. The Texas vs. New York: What You Actually Keep post breaks down the full financial picture of that move.
What the Federal Floor Looks Like
Regardless of what state you live in, federal law sets the minimum. Licensed dealers must run a NICS background check on every sale. Felons, domestic violence misdemeanants, and individuals involuntarily committed to psychiatric facilities are prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms under federal law.
Federal law does not require background checks for private sales, which is why states like California and New York have passed their own universal background check laws to close that gap. It also does not require any permit to carry a firearm, which is why state-level permitless carry laws are legally valid.
If you are planning a move based partly on gun laws, those laws interact with cost of living, income tax rates, and property taxes in ways that are not always obvious. Run your full comparison using our state comparison calculator to see the complete picture.
Key Takeaways
- California ranks #1 most restrictive and Wyoming ranks #50 least restrictive in the 2026 Everytown state gun law rankings.
- 27 states allow permitless concealed carry as of 2026, up from just 8 states a decade ago.
- New Hampshire, Arizona, and Alaska have no state-level permit, registration, or waiting period requirements beyond the federal NICS background check for dealer sales.
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