Restricted Items by State
GTO Armory
Last reviewed: 2026-09-24
Firearms and accessory law varies by state and changes frequently. This page reflects our understanding of current law as of the date above, compiled from public sources so you can do your own research as well. It is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice – confirm current law for your state independently before ordering if you have any doubt.
Magazine capacity restrictions
Active
California
StatusRestricted
Limit10 rounds
NotesNo grandfather clause for new acquisitions
CitationPenal Code § 32310
Active
Colorado
StatusRestricted
Limit15 rounds
NotesPre-7/1/2013 magazines grandfathered
CitationC.R.S. § 18-12-302
Active
Connecticut
StatusRestricted
Limit10 rounds
NotesClass A misdemeanor for simple possession by an otherwise-eligible owner; Class D felony applies only to sale/distribution or possession by a disqualified person
CitationConn. Gen. Stat. § 53-202w
Active
Hawaii
StatusRestricted
Limit10 rounds
NotesApplies to handgun magazines only
CitationHRS § 134-8
Active
Maryland
StatusRestricted
Limit10 rounds
NotesBans sale/transfer, not simple possession
CitationMd. Code, Crim. Law § 4-305
Active
Massachusetts
StatusRestricted
Limit10 rounds
NotesPre-9/13/1994 magazines exempt, subject to storage/use/transfer conditions
CitationM.G.L. c. 140, § 131M
Active
New Jersey
StatusRestricted
Limit10 rounds
NotesReaches possession, not just sale
CitationN.J.S.A. 2C:39-3(j)
Active
New York
StatusRestricted
Limit10 rounds
NotesEnforced under the SAFE Act; § 265.00 is definitions only, § 265.36 is the operative possession offense
CitationPenal Law § 265.36
Active
Vermont
StatusRestricted
Limit10 rounds
Notes10 for long guns, 15 for handguns
Citation13 V.S.A. § 4021
Active
Washington D.C.
StatusRestricted
Limit10 rounds
NotesNarrow exception for .22 tubular magazines
CitationD.C. Code § 7-2506.01
Watch
Illinois
StatusRecently changed – verify
Limit10 rounds
NotesRifle 10, shotgun 5 (shotgun figure not independently re-confirmed), handgun 15 – split by type
CitationPublic Act 102-1116; 720 ILCS 5/24-1.10
Enforceable as of 7/9/2026 (7th Cir. reversed injunction in Barnett v. Raoul) – confirmed. Verify the shotgun-5 figure independently before relying on it.
Active
Virginia
StatusRestricted
Limit15 rounds
NotesBans importation, sale, barter, transfer, and purchase of magazines/feeding devices holding more than 15 rounds (tubular .22 rimfire magazines excepted). Class 1 misdemeanor. Magazines lawfully owned before 7/1/2026 are grandfathered – may be kept, transferred to FFLs, or transferred out of state, but not sold/transferred to other VA residents.
CitationVa. Code § 18.2-309.1 (enacted by 2026 Va. Acts ch. 1106, 1107 / SB 749, signed 5/14/2026, eff. 7/1/2026)
Two legal challenges were filed (Va. Const. Art. I, Sec. 13) immediately after signing – no injunction reported as of 8/24/2026. Litigation is ongoing; monitor for developments.
Watch
Washington State
StatusRecently changed – verify
Limit10 rounds
NotesSale/transfer ban, not possession
CitationRCW 9.41.370
Section and sale-not-possession framing confirmed. The cited case (State v. Gator's Custom Guns) is consistent with known litigation but not independently re-confirmed this pass.
Watch
Delaware
StatusRecently changed – verify
Limit17 rounds
NotesUnusual 17-round threshold, CCP-holders exempted
CitationDel. Code Ann. tit. 11, § 1468(2)(a)
Confirmed via a secondary source (Giffords); primary Delaware Code text not independently re-checked this pass.
Watch
Rhode Island
StatusRecently changed – verify
Limit10 rounds
NotesEffective 2022
CitationR.I. Gen. Laws §§ 11-47.1-2, 11-47.1-3(a)
Confirmed via a secondary source (Giffords); primary Rhode Island Code text not independently re-checked this pass.
Not in effect
Oregon
StatusNot currently in effect
NotesMeasure 114 (10 rounds) passed but enjoined
CitationMeasure 114
Court-enjoined as of last confirmation. Re-confirm injunction is still in place before relying – status not independently re-checked this pass. Do NOT treat as a live restriction.
Suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns may not be offered for sale on this site. The information below is provided so you know what to expect if that category becomes available.
Suppressor possession bans
Active
California
StatusRestricted
NotesFelony to possess
CitationPenal Code § 33410
Active
Hawaii
StatusRestricted
NotesSame statute bans mufflers/silencers outright
CitationHRS § 134-8
Active
Illinois
StatusRestricted
NotesUnlawful Use of a Weapon to possess a device designed to silence a firearm
Citation720 ILCS 5/24-1(a)(6)
Active
Massachusetts
StatusRestricted
NotesNo civilian exemption – the only carve-outs are a federally licensed manufacturer (selling to law enforcement only), a municipal police training committee agent, or an on-duty sworn law enforcement officer. Prior candidate citation (c. 140 § 131C) was confirmed wrong – that section governs vehicle transport of a loaded firearm, unrelated to silencers.
CitationMass. Gen. Laws ch. 269, § 10A
Active
New Jersey
StatusRestricted
NotesRegardless of federal approval – possession offense is § 2C:39-3(c), not § 2C:39-9 (which covers manufacture/sale)
CitationN.J. Stat. § 2C:39-3(c)
Active
New York
StatusRestricted
NotesApplies even with an approved federal Form 4. Corrected citation – § 265.00 is definitions only; § 265.01 does not mention silencers. The actual offense (Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree) is one degree up.
CitationN.Y. Penal Law § 265.02(2) (incorporates the "firearm silencer" definition at § 265.00(2))
Active
Rhode Island
StatusRestricted
NotesManufacture/sale/purchase/possession all banned; narrow law-enforcement/tactical-team exception
CitationR.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-20
Active
Washington D.C.
StatusRestricted
NotesPenalty cross-referenced to § 22-4515
CitationD.C. Code § 22-4514
Active
Delaware
StatusRestricted
NotesMakes it unlawful to make, sell, transfer, buy, receive, or possess a firearm silencer – a Class E felony. Confirmed via two independent Delaware Code republishers (Justia, FindLaw); recommend a periodic live check against delcode.delaware.gov to confirm no recent amendment.
Citation11 Del. C. Sec. 1444(a)(3) ("Possessing a destructive weapon" – firearm silencers listed as a destructive weapon)
SBR / SBS – possession bans and fact-specific cases
Active
California
StatusRestricted
NotesManufacture, sale, and possession all prohibited; barrel under 16" or overall length under 26"
CitationCal. Penal Code §§ 33215, 33220
Active
Washington D.C.
StatusRestricted
NotesRegistration required for all firearms; SBRs categorically excluded from registration
CitationD.C. Code §§ 7-2502.02(a)(3), 7-2502.01
Active
Hawaii
StatusRestricted
NotesProhibits manufacture, possession, sale of rifles with barrels under 16 inches
CitationHRS § 134-8(a)
Active
New Jersey
StatusRestricted
NotesNJ folds SBRs into its "sawed-off shotgun" definition rather than using the term "short-barreled rifle" – do not quote NJ code as if it uses that phrase
CitationN.J.S.A. §§ 2C:39-1(o), 2C:39-3(b)
Active
New York
StatusRestricted
NotesRegulated in the handgun-equivalent "firearm" category rather than as a rifle
CitationN.Y. Penal Law §§ 265.00(3), 265.01(1)
Active
Rhode Island
StatusRestricted
NotesOutright ban, felony up to 10 yrs/$5,000. The claim that RI's separate assault-weapons statute does not reach a braced pistol is not independently confirmed this pass.
CitationR.I. Gen. Laws §§ 11-47-2, 11-47-8(b)
Fact-specific
Massachusetts
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesMA has no distinct SBR ban and no "sawed-off rifle" analog to its sawed-off-shotgun definition. §121 defines "Rifle" as requiring a barrel length of 16 inches or more – a rifle-pattern firearm under that length does not meet the statutory definition of "Rifle" at all, and instead falls under the general "Firearm" category (same family as pistols/revolvers), which requires a Class A License to Carry under §131 to possess.
CitationM.G.L. c. 140, § 121 (definitions – "Rifle" requires barrel ≥ 16"); § 131 (License to Carry issuance)
Confirm current LTC issuance practice before relying on this. The general-"Firearm" classification for a sub-16in rifled firearm is inferred from the definitions section itself, not from a licensing provision that names short rifles directly.
Fact-specific
Delaware
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesIndirect, and likely STATEWIDE, not just Wilmington-local as previously listed. Delaware's 2022 assault-weapons law defines "copycat weapon" to include a semiautomatic centerfire rifle with overall length under 30 inches – the same style of indirect restriction as Washington's and Maryland's rows below.
Citation11 Del. C. §§ 1465(6), 1466(a) (2022 law) – primary text not independently re-confirmed this pass
This is a correction to the prior "Wilmington-only" framing, not just a citation fill-in. Confirm against the actual Delaware Code before publishing; there may ALSO be a separate Wilmington municipal restriction layered on top.
Fact-specific
Washington State
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesWashington's actual short-barreled rifle/shotgun statute (not the assault-weapons law previously cited). Short-barreled rifles: prohibited under (1), but (2) exempts anyone "in compliance with applicable federal law" – i.e., a completed NFA transfer (Form 1/Form 4, tax stamp). Short-barreled shotguns: no such exception exists anywhere in this statute – prohibited outright regardless of federal/NFA compliance.
CitationRCW 9.41.190
This one row covers both SBRs and SBS. SBR legality hinges entirely on completed NFA paperwork, not barrel length. SBS has no legal path in WA at all, with or without NFA compliance – the tier here is not strict enough to hard-block SBS specifically; that would need its own separate entry if ever wanted.
Fact-specific
Maryland
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesNo SBR-specific ban, but the "copycat weapon" definition (part of Maryland's assault-weapon law) may reach a semiautomatic centerfire rifle under 29" overall length.
CitationMd. Code Ann., Crim. Law §§ 4-301(h)(1)(iii), 4-303
Configuration-dependent – verify before relying.
Fact-specific
Colorado
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesCORRECTED 8/24/2026: this is Denver's general assault-weapons ordinance, not an SBR-specific law – it does not use barrel length as a criterion. It reaches semiautomatic centerfire rifles with a detachable magazine holding 21+ rounds, semiautomatic shotguns with a folding stock or a magazine holding more than 6 rounds, and certain rifle-to-pistol conversions, plus a 21+-round magazine ban, all within Denver city limits only. An NFA-registered SBR is only caught by this ordinance if it independently meets one of those feature-based definitions – not simply because it has a short barrel. Colorado state law itself does not restrict SBRs.
CitationDenver Rev. Municipal Code Sec. 38-130 ("Assault weapons and large-capacity magazines")
Unfinished frames/receivers and build kits (PMF / “ghost guns”) are not the same as ordinary factory-serialized firearms – this section only applies to that category.
Ghost gun / PMF (unserialized firearm) restrictions
Active
Rhode Island
StatusRestricted
NotesOnly recognizes serial numbers applied by a licensed manufacturer – no self-serialization or individual-registration pathway exists, so this is a genuine outright ban.
CitationR.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-8(e)
Active
New York
StatusRestricted
NotesRECLASSIFIED from fact_specific: once New York's compliance window closed, no serialization pathway remained that legalizes possession of an unfinished frame/receiver – this functions as an outright ban, not a fact-specific serialization regime.
CitationN.Y. Penal Law §§ 265.00(32), 265.01(9)-(10), 265.07(1)
Based on one secondary source; recommend a primary-source confirmation before treating as fully settled.
Fact-specific
California
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesDOJ-issued serial number, firearm safety certificate, background check, and a 10-day engraving window required.
CitationCal. Penal Code §§ 29180(b)-(c), 29182
Fact-specific
Delaware
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesRECLASSIFIED from established: statute provides a dealer-serialization pathway rather than an unconditional possession ban. However, part of the law is currently under an active federal injunction (Rigby v. Jennings, D. Del.) blocking enforcement of specific subsections – status is unsettled.
CitationDel. Code Ann. tit. 11, § 1459A(a)-(b)
Active litigation (Rigby v. Jennings) partially enjoins this statute as of last check – confirm current injunction status before relying.
Fact-specific
Illinois
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesRECLASSIFIED from established: bans possession only of UNSERIALIZED frames/receivers; built-in FFL-serialization/FOID-verification pathway.
Citation720 ILCS 5/24-5.1(c), (d), (f)
Fact-specific
Maryland
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesRECLASSIFIED from established: working pathway exists – FFL-serialize (30-day grace period), then register via form MSP 77R.
CitationMd. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-703(b)(2)
Fact-specific
Nevada
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesRECLASSIFIED from established: possession is lawful once the component carries an importer/manufacturer-issued serial number.
CitationNev. Rev. Stat. §§ 202.253, 202.3625, 202.363
Fact-specific
Oregon
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesRECLASSIFIED from established: non-dealers may lawfully possess an unfinished frame/receiver once federally-compliant serialization and recordkeeping are done.
CitationOr. Rev. Stat. § 166.210, as amended by 2023 c.229 (HB 2005), eff. 9/1/2024
Fact-specific
Vermont
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesRECLASSIFIED from established: possession became unlawful only after a Feb. 25, 2025 compliance deadline unless serialized by an FFL beforehand.
Citation13 V.S.A. §§ 4082, 4083, 4084
Fact-specific
Washington State
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesRECLASSIFIED from established: possession becomes lawful once serialized by a federal licensee.
CitationRev. Code Wash. § 9.41.327(1), (3)
Fact-specific
Washington D.C.
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesRECLASSIFIED from established: a self-manufactured firearm can be lawfully registered if serial-numbered before finishing (self-serialization) or on the completed firearm – a real legalization pathway exists, contrary to common "outright ban" framing repeated on some aggregator sites.
CitationD.C. Code § 7-2502.02(a)(8), (c)(1)-(2)
Fact-specific
Colorado
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesColorado's carve-out only covers frames "required by federal law to be serialized" – there is no Colorado-run self-serialization program the way CA/NV/WA/OR have, so this may function closer to an outright ban in practice for an individual maker.
CitationColo. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-111.5
Confirm whether an individual actually has a usable pathway here, or whether this belongs in the established/outright-ban bucket instead.
Fact-specific
Connecticut
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesState-issued serial number via DESPP required; pre-2024 grandfather declaration available.
CitationConn. Pub. Act No. 19-6 (2019) – codified General Statutes section not independently confirmed this pass
Fact-specific
Hawaii
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesSerialization/registration mechanism applies to licensed dealers bringing unfinished receivers into the state; it is not clear an ordinary individual maker has any legal pathway.
CitationHRS § 134-10.2
Confirm whether an individual actually has a usable pathway, or whether this belongs in the established/outright-ban bucket instead.
Fact-specific
Massachusetts
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesSelf-registration via DCJIS-issued serial number within the statutory window.
CitationMass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 121C(c)
Fact-specific
New Jersey
StatusDepends on the specific item
NotesCORRECTED: the cited provision bans DISTRIBUTING 3D-printable firearm/component code to anyone other than a state-licensed manufacturer – it does not, on the sources checked, criminalize merely possessing such instructions. It is also unclear whether an ordinary individual has any lawful path to possess/complete an unfinished frame (the licensing exception may run only to manufacturers/dealers).
CitationN.J.S.A. §§ 2C:39-9(k), 2C:39-9(l)(2), 2C:39-3(n), 2C:39-9(n)
Confirm whether an individual actually has a usable possession pathway here.
Not in effect
Minnesota
StatusNot currently in effect
NotesCORRECTED 8/24/2026: Minnesota currently has no effective ghost-gun restriction. Minn. Stat. Sec. 609.667(3) criminalizes possessing a firearm without a serial number, but the Minnesota Supreme Court in State v. Vagle, 999 N.W.2d 909 (Minn. 8/6/2025), held it only applies when federal law independently requires that firearm to bear a serial number – which doesn't cover ordinary privately-made/homemade firearms. A 2026 bill (HF3407/SF3661) would have closed this gap but failed 10-10 in House committee on 3/24/2026 and did not advance.
CitationMinn. Stat. Sec. 609.667(3) (on the books but judicially narrowed); HF3407/SF3661 (2026) failed in committee
Assault weapon / feature bans
Active
California
StatusRestricted
NotesBans by name (e.g. AR-15/AK-47 variants) and by feature (detachable magazine + pistol grip, folding/telescoping stock, etc.). Subject to ongoing federal litigation (Rupp v. Bonta) but remains in force.
CitationCal. Penal Code §§ 30510, 30515 (see also §§ 30600-30675 for named-model bans)
Active
Connecticut
StatusRestricted
NotesFeature-based ban (detachable magazine + pistol grip, etc.)
CitationConn. Gen. Stat. §§ 53-202a et seq. (as amended by P.A. 23-53)
Active
Delaware
StatusRestricted
NotesBans manufacture, sale, transfer, purchase, receipt, possession, and transport into Delaware of defined "assault weapons," with a grandfather exception for lawful possessors before 6/30/2022. Ban upheld through litigation: 3rd Circuit affirmed denial of preliminary injunction (Gray v. Jennings), SCOTUS denied cert 1/13/2025, case currently stayed – ban remains in effect. Note: Sec. 1466's section title references a "class E or F felony" while the penalty subsection Sec. 1466(d) states "class D felony" – a drafting discrepancy worth flagging if citing the specific penalty class.
Citation11 Del. C. Secs. 1464-1467 (created by HB 450, 2022); Sec. 1466 is the operative prohibition
Active
Hawaii
StatusRestricted
NotesCORRECTED SCOPE: bans "assault pistols" ONLY – does not reach rifles/shotguns by feature the way CA/NY/etc. do. Do not describe as a comprehensive platform ban.
CitationHRS §§ 134-8(a), 134-4(e)
Active
Maryland
StatusRestricted
NotesEnumerated-model list plus a feature-based "copycat weapon" category
CitationMd. Code, Public Safety § 5-101(r); Criminal Law §§ 4-301(e), 4-303
Active
Massachusetts
StatusRestricted
NotesGrandfathering/registration applies to weapons owned before 8/1/2024
CitationMass. Gen. Laws c. 140, § 131M
Active
New Jersey
StatusRestricted
NotesHIGH VOLATILITY: en banc 3rd Circuit struck down NJ's assault-firearm/large-capacity-magazine ban as unconstitutional (~7/17/2026), then stayed its own ruling (~8/4/2026) pending a cert petition to SCOTUS. Ban remains in effect FOR NOW but status could change on short notice – recommend a "current as of [date]" note on the published page and re-checking this row frequently.
CitationN.J.S.A. 2C:39-5(f) (exact possession subsection pending confirmation); 2C:58-12
Active
New York
StatusRestricted
NotesSAFE Act (2013)
CitationN.Y. Penal Law § 265.00(22) (definition), § 265.02(7) (possession, Class D felony), § 265.10 (manufacture/transport)
Active
Rhode Island
StatusRestricted
Notes"Rhode Island Assault Weapons Ban Act" (P.L. 2025, ch. 281), effective 7/1/2026 (already in force). Bans manufacture, sale, offer to sell, transfer, and purchase of a defined "prohibited firearm": semi-auto rifle with a detachable magazine plus any one of folding/telescoping stock, bayonet mount, grenade launcher, barrel shroud, pistol grip/thumbhole stock, or flash suppressor/threaded barrel (covers most AR/AK-pattern rifles); semi-auto shotgun with fixed magazine over 6 rounds or any revolving-cylinder shotgun; semi-auto rifle with fixed magazine over 10 rounds; semi-auto pistol with fixed magazine over 10 rounds; semi-auto firearm accepting a belt ammunition feed. .22 rimfire tubular-fed semi-auto rifles excepted. Verified 2026-08-29 against the statute's own text: this chapter does not use the word "possession" and contains no certificate-of-possession or grandfathering provision – if such a mechanism exists it is not in this chapter.
CitationR.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47.2-2 (Restrictions on manufacture, sale, and purchase of prohibited firearms)
Very recently effective law (2026) – confirm it is still in force and unchallenged before relying. No possession ban or grandfather/certificate process found in this chapter as of 2026-08-29 verification.
Active
Washington State
StatusRestricted
NotesCORRECTED SCOPE: this is a sale/manufacture/import ban only, not a possession ban – existing owners keep their weapons. Framed here as "established" because it blocks a RETAILER's ability to sell into the state, which is the relevant question for this page.
CitationRCW 9.41.390
Active
Washington D.C.
StatusRestricted
NotesRegistration required for all firearms; assault weapons categorically excluded from registration – functionally a possession ban
CitationD.C. Code § 7-2502.02(a)(6)
Watch
Illinois
StatusRecently changed – verify
NotesMandatory registration of previously-owned assault weapons; registration deadline was 1/1/2024 (the Act itself passed in Jan. 2023 – not a registration-in-2023 claim). Upheld by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2023; federal challenges unsuccessful to date, though a related case is before SCOTUS.
CitationProtect Illinois Communities Act (2023); commonly cited as 720 ILCS 5/24-1.9 (not independently confirmed via primary source this pass)
Active
Colorado
StatusRestricted
NotesCORRECTED 8/24/2026: prior citation to "SB24-003" was wrong – that bill is an unrelated CBI firearms-investigation authorization. The actual law is SB25-003, which requires a sheriff-issued firearms safety course eligibility card (after background check) before purchasing a defined "semiautomatic firearm," reclassifies rapid-fire devices as dangerous weapons, and reclassifies large-capacity magazine violations. Eligibility-card/purchase provisions took effect 8/1/2026.
CitationC.R.S. Sec. 18-12-116 et seq. (SB25-003, "Semiautomatic Firearms & Rapid-Fire Devices," signed 4/10/2025)
Under active federal litigation (Mountain States Legal Foundation v. Colorado, filed 9/2/2025, Second Amendment challenge) – no injunction or ruling reported as of 8/24/2026. Monitor for developments.
Watch
Minnesota
StatusRecently changed – verify
NotesCORRECTED MECHANISM: this is a permit-to-purchase-plus-waiting-period scheme for statutorily defined "semiautomatic military-style assault weapons," not an ownership registry like Illinois's.
CitationMinn. Stat. §§ 624.712, 624.7132, 624.7134
Body armor purchase restrictions
Active
New York
StatusRestricted
NotesUnlawful in most cases to purchase, possess, sell, or exchange body vests or similar items outside law enforcement/military and other DOS-designated professions. First offense Class A misdemeanor, subsequent Class E felony. Do NOT add an "in-person purchase required" claim for New York – that appears to be a conflation with Connecticut's law by some secondary sources and is not in the codified text.
CitationN.Y. Penal Law §§ 270.20(2), 270.21, 270.22 (enacted 2022 N.Y. Laws ch. 46)
Active
Connecticut
StatusRestricted
NotesIn-person purchase required AND the buyer must hold a valid CT firearms credential (pistol permit, eligibility certificate, ammunition certificate, or long-gun eligibility certificate) at the time of transfer – not simply "in-person." Violation is a class B misdemeanor. Exempts law enforcement, corrections, judicial marshals, probation officers, National Guard, FFLs, and EMS employees.
CitationConn. Gen. Stat. § 53-341b (enacted 2023 Conn. Pub. Acts No. 23-53, § 35, eff. 10/1/2023)
Automatic knife / switchblade restrictions
Active
New Jersey
StatusRestricted
NotesSale/transfer/manufacture: flat 4th-degree felony regardless of purpose. Possession: presumptively unlawful outside the home, though courts have recognized in-home possession for self-defense as a lawful purpose (State v. Montalvo, 2017) – so possession is not a 100%-flat ban the way sale is.
CitationN.J.S.A. 2C:39-3(e) (possession), 2C:39-9(d) (manufacture/transport/sale)
Active
New York
StatusRestricted
NotesBroad outright ban on possession, manufacture, transport, and transfer, with a narrow exception for valid hunting/trapping/fishing license holders. Gravity knives were removed from this statute's coverage effective 5/30/2019 – do not conflate gravity knives (now legal) with switchblades (still banned).
CitationN.Y. Penal Law § 265.01(1), § 265.10, exception at § 265.20(a)(6)
Watch
Connecticut
StatusRecently changed – verify
NotesRECLASSIFIED from established: bans carrying an automatic-release knife with a blade over 1.5" – automatics with a blade of 1.5" or under are legal to carry, and the statute does not reach sale/possession generally. Exemptions exist for home/work travel, hunting, fishing, and youth-organization activities.
CitationConn. Gen. Stat. § 53-206
Watch
Illinois
StatusRecently changed – verify
NotesRECLASSIFIED from established: legal to own, carry, and sell to a valid FOID (Firearm Owner's ID) cardholder; illegal only without one. (Ballistic knives, a different category, remain banned outright for everyone – do not conflate the two.)
Citation720 ILCS 5/24-1(a)(1); FOID exception per P.A. 98-0012
Watch
Maryland
StatusRecently changed – verify
NotesRECLASSIFIED from established: sale/barter/display-for-sale is banned statewide, but possession and OPEN carry are legal statewide – only concealed carry is banned. Baltimore City has its own separate, stricter local ordinance (no statewide preemption).
CitationMd. Code, Crim. Law §§ 4-105 (sale), 4-101 (concealed carry)
Watch
Oregon
StatusRecently changed – verify
NotesRECLASSIFIED from established: Oregon's original ban was struck down as unconstitutional (State v. Delgado, 1984); the current statute restricts CONCEALED carry of spring/centrifugal-opening knives only. Ownership, sale, and open carry are all legal statewide.
CitationOr. Rev. Stat. § 166.240
Watch
Massachusetts
StatusRecently changed – verify
NotesThe carrying ban was judicially invalidated as unconstitutional in Commonwealth v. Canjura, 494 Mass. 1 (Mass. Aug. 27, 2024) – the legislature has not yet formally repealed the statutory text, but ordinary carrying is no longer prosecutable. Location-based restrictions (schools/government buildings) and "carrying for offensive purposes" remain separately illegal.
CitationM.G.L. c. 269, § 10 (unenforceable for ordinary carry per Canjura; not repealed)
Watch
California
StatusRecently changed – verify
NotesIllegal to carry (on the person or in a vehicle) a switchblade with a blade 2 inches or longer; blades under 2" or knives not carried are lawful.
CitationCal. Penal Code § 21510
Active
Minnesota
StatusRestricted
NotesESCALATED from watch: outright statewide ban on manufacture, sale, or possession of an automatically-opening (switchblade) knife, with no blade-length or purpose carve-out.
CitationMinn. Stat. § 609.66, subd. 1(a)(4)
Active
New Mexico
StatusRestricted
NotesESCALATED from watch: outright ban on manufacture, possession, sale, or carry of a switchblade.
CitationNMSA 1978 § 30-7-8
Active
Washington State
StatusRestricted
NotesESCALATED from watch: manufacture, sale, or disposal of a spring-blade (automatic) knife is a misdemeanor for the general public statewide – meaning retail sale to the general public is effectively prohibited. A narrow exception reportedly allows concealed-pistol-license holders to carry (not necessarily buy) one; this CPL nuance should get a closer legal read given the retail-sale implications.
CitationRCW 9.41.250
Watch
West Virginia
StatusRecently changed – verify
NotesCORRECTED 2026-08-29: old citation to § 61-7-3 no longer applies – that section (formerly the general carrying-without-license offense) has been repealed. Concealed carry of a deadly weapon (which includes a switchblade/automatic knife under § 61-7-2's definitions) requires no license at all for a nonprohibited U.S. citizen/resident 18 or older, per § 61-7-7(c). Open carry is likewise unrestricted.
CitationW. Va. Code §§ 61-7-2, 61-7-7(c)
Watch
Virginia
StatusRecently changed – verify
NotesCORRECTED CONDITION: the only automatic-knife-specific restriction found is a ban on selling or giving a switchblade to a person under 18 – there is no general state restriction on adult purchase, possession, or open carry specific to automatics.
CitationVa. Code Ann. § 18.2-309(A)
Active
Delaware
StatusRestricted
NotesCORRECTED 8/24/2026: Delaware SB 108 (2025) repealed the redundant Title 11 switchblade prohibition (former 11 Del. C. Sec. 1446), which several knife-industry trackers (Knife Rights, AKTI news post, retail guides) have mistakenly reported as full legalization. A separate, standalone provision – 24 Del. C. Sec. 901 – independently bans possessing, selling, or offering for sale any switchblade knife ("licensed or unlicensed") and was NOT touched by SB 108. Confirmed directly against delcode.delaware.gov. Automatic knives remain illegal in Delaware.
Citation24 Del. C. Sec. 901 (Deadly Weapons Dealers chapter)
Not in effect
Alaska
StatusNot currently in effect
NotesCORRECTED 8/24/2026: independently re-researched from scratch. Alaska has no general ban on automatic knives for adults 21+ – manufacture, sale, and carry are unrestricted. AS 11.61.210 only restricts sale/transfer to a minor without parental consent and concealed carry by a person under 21 (with an outdoor-activity carve-out), plus a school-grounds restriction. The plugin's "conditionally restricted" label reflects these narrow age-based provisions, not a general restriction.
CitationAlaska Statutes Sec. 11.61.210 (age/minor provisions only – no general ban)
Not in effect
New Hampshire
StatusNot currently in effect
NotesCORRECTED 8/24/2026: independently re-researched from scratch. New Hampshire fully repealed its switchblade ban via HB 1665 (2010). The only surviving switchblade-related provision, RSA 159:3, is a felon-in-possession statute (Class B felony for a previously-convicted felon), not a general public restriction. One aggregator site's claim of a 1.5-inch general blade-length ban was checked against the actual statute text and found to be false.
CitationNo general restriction (2010 repeal via HB 1665); RSA 159:3 is felon-only
Not in effect
South Dakota
StatusNot currently in effect
NotesCORRECTED 8/24/2026: independently re-researched from scratch. South Dakota repealed its automatic-knife prohibition in 1976 (SL 1976, ch. 158, Sec. 14). Current SDCL Title 22, Chapter 14 ('Unlawful Use of Weapons') contains no knife-specific provision at all – confirmed against the SD Legislature's own code index.
CitationNo restriction (repealed 1976, SL 1976, ch. 158, Sec. 14)
Not in effect
Tennessee
StatusNot currently in effect
NotesCORRECTED 8/24/2026: independently re-researched from scratch. Tennessee repealed its switchblade ban and related 4-inch carry restriction via SB 1771 (2014), effective 7/1/2014. Current Tenn. Code Ann. Sec. 39-17-1302 (prohibited weapons) lists explosives, machine guns, hoax devices, and knuckles – no knife category. One aggregator site's claim of a surviving 3-inch blade restriction was checked against the primary statute text and found to be false.
CitationNo restriction (repealed 2014, SB 1771, eff. 7/1/2014)
Ammunition still ships to the states below – it is not that we don’t sell there. Federal/state law requires it to be transferred through a licensed FFL dealer rather than shipped directly to a residential address. Select an FFL dealer at checkout and it will ship there.
Ammunition – must ship to an FFL dealer
Active
California
StatusRestricted
NotesBlocked outright (not routed) as of 2026-08-25: GTO does not hold a California Ammunition Vendor License (Penal Code § 30385), and whether an FFL-routed shipment would still require one has not been resolved with counsel. Rather than rely on FFL-routing alone while that's unresolved, ammunition sales to California addresses are refused entirely. Underlying face-to-face/dealer-transfer requirement for any ammo sale into CA: Penal Code § 30312.
CitationPenal Code §§ 30312, 30385
Active
New York
StatusRestricted
NotesSeller registration/background-check requirements for ammunition sales effectively require dealer-mediated transfer for online orders. New York's ammunition background-check system has a documented on/off implementation history (the original 2013 SAFE Act NICS-based check was never implemented; the state's own system went live around September 2022) – the underlying requirement is believed current as of this check but should be re-confirmed given that history.
CitationPenal Law § 400.03
Active
Massachusetts
StatusRestricted
NotesCORRECTED 2026-08-29: citation moved from § 122 to § 128 – § 122 is just the dealer's own business-licensing requirement (age, training, business address), with no purchaser-facing check in it at all. § 128 is the actual provision making it a crime (license revocation, fine, and imprisonment) for a § 122/122B-licensed dealer to sell or furnish ammunition to anyone without a firearm license card or permit – this is the real mechanism forcing dealer-mediated transfer.
CitationM.G.L. c. 140, § 128
Active
Illinois
StatusRestricted
NotesFOID card required to purchase or possess ammunition; practical effect for online sale is dealer-mediated transfer.
Citation430 ILCS 65/2 (FOID Card Act)
Active
New Jersey
StatusRestricted
NotesAmmunition purchase requires a Firearms Purchaser ID Card and retail-dealer involvement; practical effect for online sale is dealer-mediated transfer.
CitationN.J.S.A. 2C:58-3.3
Active
Washington D.C.
StatusRestricted
NotesAmmunition may only be sold to or by a licensed dealer, and any licensed-dealer sale must be made in person with the purchaser exhibiting a valid registration certificate.
CitationD.C. Code §§ 7-2505.01, 7-2505.02
Active
Connecticut
StatusRestricted
NotesBuyer must present a valid ammunition certificate (issued only after a state criminal-history background check) plus photo ID to the seller in person – effectively requires dealer-mediated transfer for an online order.
CitationConn. Gen. Stat. §§ 29-38m, 29-38n
Confirmed via a secondary (Justia) mirror of the official Connecticut General Statutes; the official cga.ct.gov page was not independently re-fetched this pass.
GTO Armory is not liable or responsible for your compliance with your own state’s law – this page is a courtesy reference only, and reading it does not shift that responsibility away from you. Cold Bore Compliance, the vendor of the software that produced this page, separately disclaims any responsibility to you for the accuracy of its content.
Not sure whether an item can ship to your state, or think this page is out of date? Contact us at [email protected] before placing your order and we will assist to the best of our ability.