Legal Age To Buy A Gun May 2026

: States like California , Colorado , Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont generally require a buyer to be 21 for both handguns and long guns.

It is important to distinguish between buying and possessing. Federal law generally prohibits anyone under from possessing a handgun (with exceptions for ranching, hunting, or military service), but it does not set a minimum age for the possession of long guns. International Snapshot Outside the U.S., legal ages vary significantly: Minimum Age - Giffords.org legal age to buy a gun

States can raise these minimum ages but cannot lower them below the federal standard. As of 2026, several states have stricter rules: : States like California , Colorado , Delaware,

: Washington and Massachusetts require buyers to be 21 for semiautomatic rifles, while allowing 18-year-olds to purchase other long guns. International Snapshot Outside the U

: Federal law permits unlicensed (private) sellers to transfer handguns to individuals at least 18 years old , and there is no federal minimum age for the private transfer of long guns. State-Specific Variations