State Gun Laws

It is illegal under Connecticut state law for a person to have a firearm or ammunition if any of the following are true:

1. s/he has a final restraining or protective order issued against him/her from any state in a case involving the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force;
2. s/he has been convicted of a felony;
3. s/he has been convicted of one of the following misdemeanors against a family or household member:
   
   • criminal violation of a protective order;  
   • criminal violation of a restraining order;
   • criminal violation of a standing criminal protective order;
   • assault (1^st, 2^nd degree);
   • assault of an elderly, blind, disabled or pregnant person or a person with intellectual disability (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd degree);
   • assault of an elderly, blind, disabled or pregnant person or a person with intellectual disability in the second degree with a firearm;
   • assault of a pregnant woman resulting in termination of pregnancy;
   • assault in the second degree with a firearm;
   • threatening (2^nd degree);
   • reckless endangerment (1^st and 2^nd degree);
   • strangulation or suffocation (1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd degree);
   • sexual assault (1^st degree);
   • aggravated sexual assault (1^st degree);
   • sexual assault (2^nd, 3^rd degree);
   • aggravated sexual assault of a minor;
   • sexual assault in the third degree with a firearm;
   • stalking (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd degree);
   • harassment (1^st and 2^nd degree);
   • breach of the peace in the second degree; or
   • disorderly conduct;
4. s/he has been convicted of illegal possession of a controlled substance on or after October 1, 2015;
5. s/he has been convicted of any of the following misdemeanors within the past 20 years:
   
   • criminally negligent homicide;
   • assault in the third degree;
   • assault of an elderly, blind, disabled or pregnant person or a person with intellectual disability;
   • threatening in the second degree;
   • reckless endangerment in the first degree;
   • unlawful restraint in the second degree;
   • riot in the first degree;
   • riot in the second degree;
   • inciting to riot;
   • stalking in the second degree;¹
6. s/he has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence as defined by federal law;²
7. s/he has been convicted as delinquent for a “serious juvenile offense;”
8. s/he has been discharged from custody within the past 20 years after having been found not guilty of a crime by reason of mental disease or defect;
9. within the past five years, s/he was in a psychiatric hospital by order of a probate court;
10. within the past six months, s/he voluntarily admitted him/herself to a psychiatric hospital or was committed under an emergency certificate; Note: This does not apply if:
    
    • the only reason for being in the hospital was alcohol or drug dependency; or
    • the person is a police officer whose firearm was returned for official use; or
11. s/he has a final firearms seizure order issued against him/her; 
12. s/he has a risk protection order or risk protection investigation order issued against him/her;¹ 
13. s/he has been adjudicated as a “mental defective” or has been committed to a mental institution; or
14. s/he is a fugitive from justice.²

In addition, a person can be denied a certificate to carry a revolver or pistol if any of the following are true:

• s/he meets any of the conditions listed above; or
• any of the following apply:
  
  • s/he has an ex parte domestic violence relief from abuse order issued against him/her;
  • s/he has an ex parte civil protection order due to sexual abuse, sexual assault, or stalking issued against him/her;
  • s/he is under age 21; or
  • s/he is an undocumented immigrant who is illegally or unlawfully in the United States.³

Also, federal laws, which apply to all states, restrict an abuser’s right to have a gun if s/he was convicted of a felony or a domestic violence misdemeanor or if you have a final protection order against him/her that meets certain requirements. Go to the Federal Gun Laws page to get more information.

¹ C.G.S.A. §§ 53a-217(a); § 46b-38h
² C.G.S.A. § 53a-217(a); 18 USC § 922(g)(2), (g)(4), (g)(9)
³ C.G.S.A. § 29-36f(b)