Glossary

Key terms and abbreviations used in Connecticut firearms law.

Assault Weapon: As defined in CGS 53-202a, a firearm that appears on the named model list or meets the characteristics-based test for semiautomatic firearms with enumerated features such as a pistol grip, folding stock, flash suppressor, or arm brace. The definition was expanded by HB 6667 in 2023.
Authorization Number: A unique number issued by the DESPP Commissioner that must be obtained before any sale, delivery, or transfer of a firearm. Required for handgun transactions under CGS 29-33 and long gun transactions under CGS 29-37a. Functions as Connecticut's point-of-sale background check mechanism.
BFPE: Board of Firearms Permit Examiners. An eight-member board appointed by the Governor that hears appeals of permit and certificate denials, limitations and revocations under CGS 29-32b. At least one member is a lawyer licensed in Connecticut who chairs appeal hearings, and two members are public members.
Bruen: Shorthand for the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which requires the government to show a firearms regulation is consistent with the Nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation. It governs the challenge to Connecticut's assault weapon and magazine bans in NAGR v. Lamont, now before the Supreme Court as Grant v. Higgins.
Bulk Purchase Limit: Under HB 6667 (2023), DESPP may not issue more than three authorization numbers for retail sales of pistols or revolvers to one transferee within a 30-day period, or six for a firearms instructor certified by the state or the NRA. Some transfers do not count toward the limit, such as an exchange with the same dealer within 30 days and transfers by bequest.
Castle Doctrine: Connecticut's exception to the duty to retreat under CGS 53a-19, allowing the use of deadly force without retreating when in one's dwelling or place of work, provided the person is not the initial aggressor.
Certificate of Possession: A registration document issued by DESPP under CGS 53-202d allowing continued lawful possession of assault weapons that were owned before the applicable ban dates (1993, 2013, or 2023). Owners had to register by the statutory deadlines for each ban period.
CGS: Connecticut General Statutes. The codified statutes of the State of Connecticut, organized by title and chapter. Firearms laws are primarily found in Title 29 (Chapter 529) and Title 53 (Chapter 943).
Convertible Pistol: Under Public Act 26-41 (HB 5043 of 2026), a semiautomatic pistol with a cruciform trigger bar that can be readily altered by hand or with a common household tool so that it can be converted into a machine gun by installing a pistol converter. Hammer-fired pistols are excluded. The act was approved on May 26, 2026, and the definition takes effect October 1, 2026.
DESPP: Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. The Connecticut agency that includes the Division of State Police and serves as the state point of contact for NICS background checks on firearm purchasers. Its Special Licensing and Firearms Unit (SLFU) is located at State Police Headquarters.
Duty to Retreat: Connecticut's requirement under CGS 53a-19 that a person must retreat to safety before using deadly force, if the person knows they can do so with complete safety. Exceptions apply in one's dwelling or place of work (Castle Doctrine).
Eligibility Certificate: A permit issued by DESPP/SLFU that authorizes the purchase of handguns (Handgun Eligibility Certificate under CGS 29-36f) or long guns (Long Gun Eligibility Certificate under CGS 29-37p). Required if the buyer does not hold a State Pistol Permit. Valid for 5 years.
Ethan's Law: Connecticut's safe storage law (CGS 29-37i). A person who stores or keeps a firearm on premises under the person's control must keep it in a securely locked box or container or in a manner a reasonable person would believe to be secure, or carry it on or close to the person. The law was first enacted in 1990 (P.A. 90-144), amended in 2019 (P.A. 19-5), and amended again in 2023 by HB 6667, which removed the condition that a minor or other at-risk person could gain access.
Ghost Gun: A firearm without a serial number or other mark of identification. Since 2019, a person who completes the manufacture of a firearm must obtain a unique serial number from DESPP and engrave or affix it. Under HB 6667 (2023), on and after January 1, 2024, no person may possess such a firearm unless its possession was declared to DESPP or a serial number has been applied for. Antique firearms and firearms made before December 16, 1968 are exempt.
HB 6667: Public Act 23-53, Connecticut's 2023 omnibus gun reform bill. Banned open carry, expanded the assault weapon definition, limited bulk handgun purchases to three per 30 days, expanded ghost gun registration requirements, and strengthened Ethan's Law safe storage provisions.
Large-Capacity Magazine: Under CGS 53-202w, a magazine capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Sale, transfer, and possession are prohibited, with grandfathering for pre-April 4, 2013 magazines that were declared to DESPP by the statutory deadline.
May-Issue: Connecticut's permit classification, where the issuing authority has discretion in granting permits based on "suitability" under CGS 29-28. In Bruen (2022), the U.S. Supreme Court described Connecticut's discretionary criteria as appearing to operate like a shall-issue system.
NICS: National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The federal background check system through which DESPP, serving as the state point of contact, performs background checks for all firearms transactions in Connecticut.
Pre-Ban: Refers to firearms manufactured or possessed before the applicable Connecticut ban dates (1993, 2013, or 2023). HB 6667 closed the pre-1994 loophole that had previously allowed the sale of pre-ban assault weapons.
Risk Protection Order: Under CGS 29-38c, a court order authorizing seizure of firearms from a person who poses a risk of imminent personal injury to self or others. Connecticut enacted this law in 1999. Also called a "red flag" order. Expanded in 2021 to let family or household members and medical professionals apply for a risk protection order investigation.
SLFU: Special Licensing and Firearms Unit. A unit of the Connecticut State Police within DESPP that issues state pistol permits, eligibility certificates and ammunition certificates, oversees and regulates firearm sale transactions, and investigates violations of state law on the purchase, sale and transfer of firearms. DESPP is the state point of contact for NICS checks.
State Pistol Permit: Connecticut's concealed carry permit issued under CGS 29-28. Requires a two-step process: a local temporary permit from the police department followed by a permanent state permit from DESPP/SLFU. Valid for 5 years. Also satisfies the eligibility certificate requirement for purchasing firearms.
Suitability: The discretionary standard used by Connecticut permit-issuing authorities to evaluate applicants under CGS 29-28. Considers criminal history, mental health, and overall fitness. In Bruen (2022), the U.S. Supreme Court described the standard as appearing to operate like shall-issue.
Temporary Permit: The initial permit issued by the local permitting authority, such as the chief of police or resident state trooper, as part of Connecticut's two-step pistol permit process under CGS 29-28. It expires 60 days after it becomes effective and cannot be renewed. Within those 60 days the applicant must appear at a location designated by the DESPP commissioner to receive the state permit.
Two-Step Permit Process: Connecticut's pistol permit system under CGS 29-28. Applicants first obtain a temporary state permit from the local permitting authority and then, within 60 days, appear at a location designated by the DESPP commissioner to receive the state permit. The fee is $140 plus the cost of the FBI national criminal history records check. The local authority keeps $70 and sends $70 to the commissioner.