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 prior to October 1, 1993, on April 4, 2013, or on June 5, 2023, depending on the weapon's category, 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, one for the original 1993 assault weapons definition and one each for the 2013 and 2023 expansions of that 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.[1]
- 2023 Registration: HB 6667 (Public Act 23-53) further expanded the definition to include semiautomatic firearms other than a pistol, revolver, rifle or shotgun that have a listed feature, including an arm brace or other stabilizing brace, and closed the "pre-ban" loophole for semiautomatic firearms meeting the earlier feature criteria that were legally manufactured prior to September 13, 1994. Owners had until May 1, 2024, to register newly covered firearms.[2]
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 full name, address, date of birth and thumbprint, and a description of the firearm that identifies it uniquely, including all identification marks.
- 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 other than to a licensed gun dealer, by relinquishment to a police department or the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection under CGS 53-202e, or by bequest or intestate succession or, upon the death of a testator or settlor, to a trust or from a trust to a beneficiary who is eligible to possess the assault weapon (CGS 53-202d(b)).[1]
- The weapon may be possessed at the holder's residence, place of business or other property they own, or on another person's property with that owner's express permission. It may also be possessed at a public or private club's target range, at a licensed target range, at a licensed shooting club, or at a firearms exhibition, display or educational project sponsored, conducted or approved by a law enforcement agency or a nationally or state recognized entity promoting firearms proficiency or education. It may be transported between these locations or to a licensed gun dealer for servicing or repair, subject to the statutory transport requirements.
- The certificate must contain a description of the firearm that identifies it uniquely, including all identification marks, and the holder may possess the assault weapon 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 disclosed to law enforcement agencies, U.S. Probation Office employees and Department of Correction parole officers acting in the performance of their duties, and to the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to carry out CGS 17a-500(c).[1]
Penalties for Failure to Register
Unless a statutory exemption or the first-time misdemeanor exception applies, possession of an unregistered assault weapon is a Class D felony carrying up to five years imprisonment, with one year that may not be suspended or reduced. A first-time violation is a Class A misdemeanor if the person proves lawful possession before October 1, 1993, on April 4, 2013, or on June 5, 2023, as applicable to the weapon's statutory category, and has otherwise complied with the possession restrictions in CGS 53-202d(f) (CGS 53-202c).[4]
Sale or transfer of an assault weapon in violation of CGS 53-202b(a)(1) is a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and up to a $10,000 fine, with two years that may not be suspended or reduced.[3]
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. On August 22, 2025, the Second Circuit affirmed the denial of preliminary injunctions in both cases. The Supreme Court granted review in Grant v. Higgins on June 30, 2026 and consolidated it with Viramontes v. Cook County, No. 25-238, with argument set for December 2, 2026. The separate NAGR petition, No. 25-421, has no grant or denial recorded on the docket checked October 20, 2026. Grant docket NAGR docket[5]