How Do I Register A Firearm In Arizona

Updated April 16, 2021

Arizona gun laws practice not crave registration of firearms or CCW permits to carry concealed. And groundwork checks are mandatory just for commercial gun sales, non private sales. Information technology is a felony for prohibited possessors such as bedevilled felons to possess a gun. Only information technology may be possible to regain gun rights through a ready bated, a restoration of firearm rights, or a pardon.

In this article, our Arizona criminal defense attorneys reply:

1. Am I allowed to have a gun in Arizona?

In general, people 18 and older may possess, carry, ain, or buy a firearm in Arizona as long as they are not a prohibited possessor. But 21 is the minimum age to purchase a handgun from a licensed dealer.¹

Prohibited possessors in Arizona include:

People bedevilled of a felony, whatever crime potentially carrying a prison term of more one year, or misdemeanor domestic violence
People adjudicated runaway of a felony
People facing charges for a offense potentially conveying a prison house term of more than than one twelvemonth
People constitute incompetent to stand trial, and who have not since been constitute competent
People currently serving time in a correctional facility or detention facility
People currently on probation for a felony or domestic violence
People on parole, community supervision, piece of work furlough, or home arrest
People serving probation or parole pursuant to an interstate compact
People found to constitute a danger to themselves or others or to be "persistently or acutely disabled or gravely disabled" in a court gild under ARS 36-540
People found guilty except insane
Subjects of a restraining social club for harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner (or his/her kid)
Drug users or addicts
People adjudicated as mental defectives or who accept been committed to a mental institution
Fugitives
Dishonorably discharged veterans
Undocumented aliens
People who renounced their U.South. citizenship
Nonimmigrant aliens with a foreign residence, except for those with a valid U.S. hunting license or allow, participants in an approved competitive target shooting event or firearms display event, people with a wavier for the U.Due south. Attorney Full general, certain diplomats, or foreign officials or distinguished visitors designated by the U.S. Land Department²

Juveniles (under 18) may possess guns in the following circumstances:

In a private home
On property endemic or leased by their parent, grandparents, or legal guardians
With a parent, grandparent, a legal guardian
With a certified hunter or firearms rubber instructor with the consent of the child'south parent or guardian
After the juvenile has been emancipated

And children 14 and older may possess a gun during certain lawful hunting, shooting, marksmanship, or farming activities.³

Revolver with pen and background check application

Would-exist gun owners must pass a background check before buying a gun from a commercial dealer.

2. Practise I need a background bank check to buy a gun?

Groundwork checks are required to purchase firearms from a licensed commercial seller in Arizona.⁴ But groundwork checks are not required for private sales.⁵

Annotation that Arizona and its political subdivisions do not require that guns be registered.^{half dozen}

3. Tin I carry curtained without a permit?

Yes, Arizona does not require CCW permits for people to deport concealed handguns.^vii Withal, many people cull to get an Arizona CCW let because it helps streamline the process of buying a gun. A CCW permit may be necessary to comport concealed in other states. And certain localities may prohibit concealed carry at public establishments and public events without a CCW allow.

A shall issue state, Arizona has reciprocity with the following other states:

Alabama
Alaska – permitless carry if at least 21 years erstwhile
Arkansas – permitless carry if at to the lowest degree 18 years old
Colorado – simply resident permits
Delaware
Florida – only resident permits
Georgia
Idaho – permitless carry if at least 18 years former
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas – permitless carry if at least 21 years quondam
Kentucky – permitless carry if at least 21 years old
Louisiana
Maine – only resident permits, and at to the lowest degree 21 years old
Michigan – simply resident permits
Mississippi – permitless carry if at least 18 years former
Missouri – permitless carry if at least xviii years old
Montana
Nebraska – only resident permits, and at least 21 years quondam
Nevada
New Hampshire – permitless carry if at least 18 years onetime
New United mexican states
Northward Carolina
Due north Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma – permitless carry if at least 21 years old, simply regime-issued ID required
Pennsylvania – only resident permits
South Carolina – simply resident permits
Due south Dakota – permitless deport if at least 18 years old
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont – permitless deport if at least 18 years quondam
Virginia
West Virginia – permitless acquit if at to the lowest degree 21 years erstwhile
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Puerto Rico

In order to be eligible for a curtained weapons permit, the applicant must complete a firearms training class, get fingerprinted, pay a fee, and submit an application.

Note that Arizona offers CCW permits to both Arizona residents and non-residents.^viii

4. Can I acquit guns in my car?

People 21 and older who are otherwise allowed to take guns may open up carry or muffle carry firearms in a vehicle ("means of transportation").

For people xviii to 20, the carry laws are different. It is unlawful to carry a concealed firearm within the immediate control of anybody in the car. Concealed firearms must be transported in a case, holster, scabbard, storage compartment, body, pack, luggage, or glove compartment. And openly carried firearms must be in evidently view from outside of the automobile.

If a person is on school grounds, any firearm in the machine must be unloaded. And if the person leaves the vehicle, the firearm also needs to be secured and out of obviously view.^ix

Man hiding revolver in jeans

Concealed carry permits are non required in Arizona to acquit concealed weapons.

five. What guns are illegal?

The few firearms that Arizona law prohibits include (but are not limited to):

Guns that shoot more than ane shot automatically by a single trigger press without manual reloading;
Rifles with a barrel length of less than 16 inches;
Shotguns with a barrel length of less than 18 inches

Information technology is as well illegal to have silencers.^ten And federal law bans bump stocks.^xi

6. Where are guns prohibited in Arizona?

Arizona law prohibits both the open and concealed comport of firearms in sure locations. With some exceptions, these prohibited locations include (but are non express to):

Airports by the security checkpoint
Polling places on ballot mean solar day
Jails, prisons, and juvenile halls
Hydroelectric or nuclear power generating stations
M-12 schools and grounds
Public colleges or universities where the governing board prohibited guns
Individual establishments or private holding where the owner – or someone with lawful control over the premises – gives reasonable notice that gun are forbidden
Federal buildings

Carrying a gun in a prohibited place can be a misdemeanor or a felony offense depending on the location. It does not thing if the person is carrying the gun for self-defense.¹²

7. Exercise I have to tell police that I have a gun?

People who are carrying concealed have no duty to inform law enforcement officers that they have a gun unless the officer asks. And during investigations such as traffic stops, peace officers may take temporary custody of the gun to ensure officeholder condom.¹³

8. What are the penalties for unlawfully having a gun?

Information technology is a class 4 felony in Arizona for prohibited possessors to have a gun unless their civil correct to have a gun was restored. The penalty is one year to 2-and-a-half years in Arizona State Prison and up to $150,000 in fines. But the sentence may be harsher if the defendant has a prior criminal record. ¹⁴

Man in gun store holding rifle

Convicted felons must have their firearm rights restored before possessing or ownership guns.

ix. How do I restore my gun rights?

Information technology depends on the person's particular case. People with non-serious felony convictions tin petition the court for a set up bated as soon as their instance ends. (A case is over afterward any incarceration or probation has been served.) Set asides for not-serious convictions automatically restore gun rights.

Otherwise, people with non-serious felony convictions can apply for a firearms rights restoration with the court, just the look to apply is two years afterwards their case ends.² Notation that people convicted of misdemeanor-level domestic violence are required to get a ready aside to restore their gun rights.

For people convicted of serious offenses, at that place is a 10-year expect later on their case ends before they tin apply to the court for a firearms rights restoration. Serious offenses are:

first-degree murder,
2nd-degree murder,
manslaughter,
an aggravated assault that amounts to a dangerous offense,
sexual assault,
a dangerous criminal offense confronting children,
arson of an occupied structure,
armed robbery,
first-caste burglary,
kidnapping,
sexual behave with a child under 15 years of historic period, and
child sexual activity trafficking

Note that people convicted of a dangerous criminal offence are not eligible for a fix aside or for a firearm rights restoration. Unsafe offenses are felony crimes that involve:

the use, belch, or threatening display of a mortiferous weapon or unsafe instrument, or
the intentional or knowing infliction of serious concrete injury on someone else.

And people with federal felony convictions typically tin never get their federal gun rights back. ^fifteen

Annotation that it may be possible to restore gun rights by getting a Governor'south pardon and/or a Presidential pardon.

x. What are the latest ghost gun laws?

It is currently legal in Arizona to possess ghost guns, which are guns made out of various parts and without a serial number. The Biden Assistants has indicated that it is trying to curb ghost guns. It is possible that federal law may soon require background checks to purchase ghost guns or that split gun parts comprise serial numbers. ^xvi

In response on Apr 6, 2021, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed House Bill 2111 to make Arizona a "Second Amendment sanctuary." HB2111 prevents Arizona state and local police enforcement agencies from enforcing federal gun control laws inconsistent with state laws. And so if federal measures restricting ghost guns go into effect, Arizona police officers will non be enforcing them. Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone opposed the bill. ¹⁷

Group of law firm receptionists with headsets

Call our law firm for legal advice. We offer free consultations in Phoenix and throughout the land of Arizona.

Legal References