Connecticut Gun Laws

Connecticut requires buyers to be at least 21 for handguns, 18 for most long guns, and 21 for semiautomatic centerfire rifles accepting 5+ round mags.

Connecticut limits handgun purchases to three per 30-day period, enforced through DESPP authorization numbers. Certified instructors may buy six.

CGS 29-28 establishes Connecticut's two-step pistol permit process and retail firearms dealer permits, administered by DESPP through the SLFU office.

CGS 29-28a governs pistol permit application procedures, eight-week decision timelines, written denial notices, and the BFPE appeals process.

CGS 29-30 sets the fee schedule, five-year validity period, renewal procedures, and the 90-day grace period for Connecticut firearms permits.

CGS 29-33 governs all handgun sales, deliveries, and transfers in Connecticut, requiring a DESPP authorization number before any transaction occurs.

CGS 29-35 prohibits carrying a pistol without a permit (Class D felony) and bans open carry statewide effective October 1, 2023 under HB 6667.

CGS 29-36f through 29-36i establish the Handgun Eligibility Certificate required for purchasing pistols and revolvers without a State Pistol Permit.

CGS 29-37a governs all long gun sales and transfers in Connecticut, requiring an eligibility certificate and a DESPP authorization number for every sale.

Connecticut's Ethan's Law requires all firearms to be securely locked or on the owner's person, with criminal and strict civil liability for violations.

CGS 29-37p through 29-37r establish the Long Gun Eligibility Certificate required for purchasing rifles and shotguns in Connecticut since April 2014.

CGS 29-38 makes it a Class D felony to knowingly have weapons in a vehicle without proper permits. Permit holders may carry.

Connecticut's red flag law (CGS 29-38c) allows courts to order the seizure of firearms from persons deemed a risk of imminent personal injury.

CGS 29-38d codifies FOPA safe passage protections for lawful interstate transportation of firearms through Connecticut.

Connecticut requires a State Pistol Permit for concealed carry. The may-issue, two-step process involves local and state approval.

A comprehensive overview of criminal penalties for firearms violations in Connecticut, from Class A misdemeanors to Class B felonies with mandatory minimums.

Connecticut law bars firearms permit applicants convicted of specific misdemeanors within the preceding 20 years, including assault and drug offenses.

Connecticut bans unserialized "ghost guns" and requires all post-1968 firearms to be serialized through DESPP or declared by the January 1, 2024 deadline.

Connecticut banned open carry effective October 1, 2023 under HB 6667. A federal court dismissed a constitutional challenge to the ban in March 2026.

Connecticut prohibits firearms in schools, state parks, the Capitol complex, and other locations even with a valid permit.

Connecticut dealers must retain firearms sale records for at least 20 years, conduct annual inventory reconciliations, and submit attestations to DESPP.

Connecticut requires all retail firearms sales to include a trigger lock or gun locking device, and mandates loaded chamber indicators on new handguns.

Connecticut requires background checks for all firearm transfers, including private sales, through its DESPP authorization number system and permits.

CGS 53-202 regulates machine guns through mandatory registration with DESPP, strict penalties for offensive use, and limited possession exceptions.

CGS 53-202a defines assault weapons through named model lists, feature-based tests, and 2023 expansions covering arm braces and pre-ban firearms.

CGS 53-202aa makes firearms trafficking a Class B felony with a mandatory minimum three-year prison sentence for offenses on or after Oct. 1, 2013.

CGS 53-202b prohibits the sale, transfer, and distribution of assault weapons in Connecticut, with violations classified as a Class C felony.

CGS 53-202c bans assault weapon possession with a mandatory minimum one-year sentence, unless the owner holds a valid Certificate of Possession.

CGS 53-202d establishes the Certificate of Possession system allowing continued legal possession of grandfathered assault weapons registered with DESPP.

CGS 53-202w bans magazines holding more than 10 rounds, with limited grandfathering for magazines declared to DESPP before the statutory deadline.

CGS 53-206 prohibits carrying specific dangerous weapons including switchblades, brass knuckles, and knives over four inches, as a Class E felony.

CGS 53a-217 makes it a Class C felony with a mandatory minimum of 2 years and 1 day in prison, non-suspendable, for convicted felons and other prohibited persons to possess any firearm.

CGS 53a-217b makes possessing a firearm or deadly weapon on school grounds a Class D felony with limited exceptions.

Connecticut permits short-barreled rifles and shotguns with federal NFA registration. Semiautomatic configurations must comply with state assault weapon laws.

Connecticut permits suppressor ownership with federal NFA registration but prohibits their use while hunting. Unlawful possession is a Class D felony.

Connecticut General Statutes 53a-19 authorizes reasonable physical force in self-defense and limits deadly force to situations involving deadly threats.

CGS 53a-20 permits reasonable force to stop criminal trespass and authorizes deadly force only to prevent arson, crimes of violence, or forced entry.

CGS 53a-21 allows reasonable physical force to prevent theft or criminal mischief but strictly prohibits the use of deadly force to defend property alone.

Connecticut law requires retreat before using deadly force outside the home or workplace. The Castle Doctrine removes this duty inside a dwelling.

Connecticut bans firearms carry in state parks and forests under Administrative Code 23-4-1. The ban is under legal challenge on appeal to the Second Circuit.

Connecticut allows most NFA items -- suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and destructive devices -- with federal registration. Machine guns face added state restrictions.