Gun Buying Requirements Apr 2026

At the federal level, the and the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act set the primary standards for legal acquisition.

: Anyone convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. gun buying requirements

: Some states impose a mandatory "cooling off" period (often 3 to 10 days) between the purchase and the physical transfer of the firearm to allow for more thorough background checks. At the federal level, the and the Brady

: Federal law mandates a minimum age of 18 for the purchase of long guns (rifles and shotguns) and 21 for handguns from a licensed dealer. : Federal law mandates a minimum age of

: Once the form is completed, the dealer must contact the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) . This system, maintained by the FBI, cross-references the buyer's data against databases of prohibited persons. 2. Federally Prohibited Persons