Gun control continues to be a highly contentious issue in American politics. A recent survey by the Pew Research Center highlights the significant disparity in views between probable Democratic and Republican voters. While 86% of likely Democratic voters believe that it is too easy to buy a gun legally, only 34% of likely Republican voters share this view.
Political impasses on Capitol Hill have prevented significant advancements in gun control laws for years. Even though the federal government sets restrictions on types of commercially available firearms and eligibility for ownership, individual states still have considerable power to establish their own regulations. As a result, there is now a wide range of gun control laws at the state level.
Certain states have implemented measures to improve background checks, raise standards for ownership eligibility, and outlaw assault weapons, but the majority of states have made minimal efforts to expand on federal gun regulations.
Using the Annual Gun Law Scorecard from the gun violence prevention group Gifford Law Center, 24/7 Wall St. identified the states with the least restrictive gun control laws. The Gun Law Scorecard assigns each state a letter grade rating the strength of their firearm laws. Grades are current as of early January 2024 and range from “A,” for the states with the strongest laws, to “F,” for the states with the weakest. Gun laws noted in this story are also from Giffords Law Center. They are not exhaustive, however, and are only broad guidelines. Legal nuances can vary at the state and local levels.
Each of the 21 states on this list received a grade of “F.” None of these states, listed in alphabetical order, are in the Northeast and the majority are Southern states.
In many of these states, prospective gun buyers can legally sidestep federal background check requirements by purchasing from private sellers. Additionally, gun owners are allowed to carry concealed weapons in public without a permit, and law enforcement is typically prohibited from confiscating firearms from individuals experiencing a crisis. The minimal gun laws in these states often focus solely on child access prevention and ownership restrictions for domestic violence offenders, and individuals with particular mental health conditions.
The objective of gun control regulation is to prevent firearms from ending up in the wrong hands and to reduce the risk of fatal gun-related incidents. States without comprehensive control measures usually have higher rates of gun violence. According to 2021 firearm mortality statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nine out of the top 10 states with the highest rates of deadly gun violence are included on this list.
Here are the states with the least restrictive gun laws:
Alabama
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Mental health record reporting
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirements, strong open carry restrictions, or child access prevention laws
- Gun deaths in 2021: 26.4 per 100,000 people — 4th highest of 50 states (1,315 total)
Alaska
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Mental health record reporting
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirements, strong open carry restrictions, or child access prevention laws
- Gun deaths in 2021: 25.2 per 100,000 people — 6th highest of 50 states (182 total)
Arizona
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Firearms prohibited at polling places, mental health record reporting
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirements, strong open carry restrictions, or child access prevention laws
- Gun deaths in 2021: 18.3 per 100,000 people — 17th highest of 50 states (1,365 total)
Arkansas
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Partial mental health record reporting
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, domestic violence gun laws, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirements, strong open carry restrictions, or child access prevention laws
- Gun deaths in 2021: 23.3 per 100,000 people — 8th highest of 50 states (698 total)
Georgia
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: strong open carry restrictions, child access prevention laws
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, domestic violence gun laws, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, or concealed carry permitting requirements
- Gun deaths in 2021: 20.3 per 100,000 people — 14th highest of 50 states (2,200 total)
Idaho
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Mental health record reporting
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing requirements, extreme risk protection orders, domestic violence gun laws, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirements, strong open carry restrictions, or child access prevention laws
- Gun deaths in 2021: 16.3 per 100,000 people — 25th highest of 50 states (309 total)
Iowa
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Certain domestic violence gun laws, child access prevention law
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, extreme risk protection orders, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, concealed carry permitting requirement, bulk firearm purchase restrictions, or firearms licensing
- Gun deaths in 2021: 11.2 per 100,000 people — 12th lowest of 50 states (364 total)
Kansas
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Mental health record reporting
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirements, strong open carry restrictions, or child access prevention laws
- Gun deaths in 2021: 17.3 per 100,000 people — 19th highest of 50 states (503 total)
Kentucky
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Child access prevention laws
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, domestic violence gun laws, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirements, or strong open carry restrictions
- Gun deaths in 2021: 21.1 per 100,000 people — 13th highest of 50 states (947 total)
Louisiana
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Certain domestic violence gun laws
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, strong open carry restrictions, or child access prevention laws
- Gun deaths in 2021: 29.1 per 100,000 people — 2nd highest of 50 states (1,314 total)
Mississippi
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Partial mental health record reporting, child access prevention laws
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, domestic violence gun laws, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirement, or strong open carry restrictions
- Gun deaths in 2021: 33.9 per 100,000 people — the highest of 50 states (962 total)
Missouri
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Partial strong open carry restrictions, child access prevention laws
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, domestic violence gun laws, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, or concealed carry permit requirements
- Gun deaths in 2021: 23.2 per 100,000 people — 9th highest of 50 states (1,414 total)
Montana
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Certain domestic violence gun laws
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirements, strong open carry restrictions, or child access prevention laws
- Gun deaths in 2021: 25.1 per 100,000 people — 7th highest of 50 states (280 total)
North Dakota
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Certain domestic violence gun laws
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirements, strong open carry restrictions, or child access prevention laws
- Gun deaths in 2021: 16.8 per 100,000 people — 22nd highest of 50 states (128 total)
Oklahoma
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Child access prevention laws
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, or waiting periods
- Gun deaths in 2021: 21.2 per 100,000 people — 12th highest of 50 states (836 total)
South Dakota
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Mental health record reporting
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirements, strong open carry restrictions, or child access prevention laws
- Gun deaths in 2021: 14.3 per 100,000 people — 19th lowest of 50 states (128 total)
Tennessee
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Certain domestic violence gun laws, strong open carry restrictions
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, or concealed carry permit requirements
- Gun deaths in 2021: 22.8 per 100,000 people — 10th highest of 50 states (1,569 total)
Texas
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Mental health record reporting, child access prevention law
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirements, or strong open carry restrictions
- Gun deaths in 2021: 15.6 per 100,000 people — 24th lowest of 50 states (4,613 total)
Utah
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Domestic violence gun laws, child access prevention laws, extended background check period, state background check database
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirements, or strong open carry restrictions
- Gun deaths in 2021: 13.9 per 100,000 people — 16th lowest of 50 states (450 total)
West Virginia
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Domestic violence gun laws
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirements, strong open carry restrictions, or child access prevention laws
- Gun deaths in 2021: 17.3 per 100,000 people — 19th highest of 50 states (319 total)
Wyoming
- Gun law strength grade: F
- Notable gun controls: Ban on concealed carry in bars
- Notable gun rights: No universal background checks, gun owner licensing, extreme risk protection orders, domestic violence gun laws, assault weapon restrictions, large capacity magazine ban, waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirements, strong open carry restrictions, or child access prevention laws
- Gun deaths in 2021: 26.1 per 100,000 people — 5th highest of 50 states (155 total)
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