Overview of Assault Weapon Registration
Connecticut bans the sale, transfer, and possession of assault weapons as defined in CGS 53-202a. However, owners who lawfully possessed these firearms before the applicable ban dates may retain them if they registered with the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) and obtained a Certificate of Possession under CGS 53-202d.[1]
Three Registration Windows
Connecticut has opened three separate registration windows corresponding to three expansions of the assault weapons definition:
- 1993 Registration: Owners who possessed assault weapons before October 1, 1993, had until October 1, 1994, to apply for a Certificate of Possession.[1]
- 2013 Registration: After the Sandy Hook reforms expanded the definition (Public Act 13-3), owners had until January 1, 2014, to register newly covered firearms with DESPP.[2]
- 2023 Registration: HB 6667 further expanded the definition to include firearms with stabilizing braces and closed the "pre-ban" loophole for weapons manufactured before September 13, 1994. Owners had until May 1, 2024, to register newly covered firearms.[3]
How to Obtain a Certificate of Possession
The registration process is administered by DESPP's Special Licensing and Firearms Unit (SLFU). To apply:
- Contact the SLFU to obtain the application form for a Certificate of Possession.
- Provide your personal information (name, address) and firearm details (make, model, serial number).
- Submit the completed application to DESPP within the applicable registration window.
Military or naval forces members on official duty outside Connecticut who could not apply by the deadline have 90 days after returning to the state to submit their application.[1]
What a Certificate of Possession Allows
A Certificate of Possession allows the holder to continue possessing the registered assault weapon. However, the following restrictions apply:
- The weapon may not be sold or transferred to any person within Connecticut, except to a licensed gun dealer or to the state or a municipality (CGS 53-202b).[4]
- The weapon may only be possessed at the owner's home or place of business, or while transporting it between authorized locations (range, gunsmith, etc.).
- The weapon must be registered with the specific serial number listed on the certificate.
Confidentiality
The name and address of a person issued a Certificate of Possession is confidential and generally may not be disclosed. Records may be shared with law enforcement agencies, U.S. Probation Office employees, Department of Correction parole officers, and the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services for application status checks.[1]
Penalties for Failure to Register
Possession of an unregistered assault weapon is a Class D felony carrying up to five years imprisonment with a mandatory minimum of one year that may not be suspended. A first-time offender who can prove they lawfully possessed the weapon before the applicable ban date may be charged with a Class A misdemeanor instead (CGS 53-202c).[5]
Sale or transfer of an assault weapon is a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and up to a $10,000 fine.[4]
Ongoing Legal Challenges
Connecticut's assault weapons ban is the subject of active litigation. In Grant v. Rovella and NAGR v. Lamont, challengers argue the ban violates the Second Amendment under the Supreme Court's Bruen framework. The Second Circuit upheld the bans in August 2025, and both cases have petitions for certiorari pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.[6]