Oregon gun laws let adults 18 and older own firearms and openly carry them without a license in most of the state, but concealed carry requires a county-issued permit, every sale runs through a state background check, and certain people and places are off-limits. A voter-approved measure that would add a permit-to-purchase step and ban large-capacity magazines has been tied up in court since 2022 and is not currently in force.
Who Can Legally Own a Firearm
The minimum age to possess any firearm in Oregon is 18. Minors may handle firearms for hunting or target practice, and a parent or guardian can transfer a rifle or shotgun to their child. Buying a handgun from a licensed dealer requires you to be 21 under federal rules, and the concealed handgun license also has a 21-year-old minimum. Adults 18 and older can keep a handgun at home or at their place of business without any permit.
Some people are barred entirely. A felony conviction, in Oregon or any other state, is a permanent bar.1Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 166.270 – Possession of Weapons by Certain Felons Oregon also prohibits possession by anyone convicted of a qualifying misdemeanor involving physical force or a deadly weapon against a family or household member.2Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 166.255 – Possession of Firearm or Ammunition by Certain Persons Prohibited Federal law separately bars anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, so both layers apply. People currently under a restraining order are prohibited under state and federal law.
Mental health adjudications add another category. A person committed to the Oregon Health Authority or found dangerous due to mental illness loses firearm rights and must petition the Psychiatric Security Review Board for relief.3Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 166.273 – Relief From Firearm Prohibitions Related to Mental Health A felon caught with a firearm faces a Class C felony carrying up to five years in prison and a fine up to $125,000.4Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 161.605 – Maximum Terms of Imprisonment for Felonies
Marijuana Users Face a Federal Bar
Oregon has legalized recreational marijuana, but federal law still classifies it as a Schedule I controlled substance, and federal statute prohibits any unlawful user of a controlled substance from possessing a firearm or ammunition.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts The ATF Form 4473 you fill out at any licensed dealer specifically asks whether you are an unlawful user of marijuana, and answering falsely is a federal felony. As of early 2026 the U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether the historical record supports disarming people solely for cannabis use.
Buying and Transferring a Firearm
Every firearm purchase in Oregon runs through a background check administered by the Oregon State Police Firearms Instant Check System, known as FICS. Licensed dealers must contact FICS before releasing any firearm.6Oregon State Police. Firearms Instant Check System The state charges $10 per transaction.
Private sales work the same way. Both buyer and seller have to appear in person at a licensed dealer with the firearm, and the dealer runs the FICS check before the transfer can be completed.7Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 166.435 – Firearm Transfers by Unlicensed Persons Dealers typically add an administrative fee of roughly $25 to $60 on top of the $10 state fee. Narrow exceptions cover transfers between immediate family members and temporary transfers for hunting or target shooting.
Under current law, if the background check is not completed within three business days, the federal default-proceed rule allows the dealer to release the firearm. Measure 114 would eliminate that fallback, but the measure is not currently enforceable.
Open Carry Rules
Oregon allows open carry of a firearm without a license as a statewide default. State law does, however, authorize cities and counties to restrict open carry of loaded firearms in public places by people who do not hold a concealed handgun license. Jurisdictions that have adopted that restriction include Portland, Salem, Beaverton, Tigard, Oregon City, Independence, and all of Multnomah County.
Outside those areas, open carry of a loaded firearm is legal without any license. Inside them, you either need to unload the firearm or hold a CHL, which serves as your open-carry credential as well.
Concealed Handgun License
Who Qualifies
Concealed carry in Oregon requires a concealed handgun license issued by the sheriff of the county where you live. You must be at least 21 and a resident of that county.8Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 166.291 – Issuance of Concealed Handgun License You also need to document handgun safety training. Oregon accepts a wide range: NRA courses, law enforcement agency courses, community college classes, private instructors certified by the NRA or a law enforcement agency, and documented experience through organized shooting competition or military service. Most courses run between $50 and $200.
Applying
You apply in person at your county sheriff’s office with the completed application, proof of residency (a valid Oregon driver license works), and your training certificate. The office takes your fingerprints via live scan and a digital photograph for the card. The total initial fee is $115: $100 to the sheriff and $15 for the Oregon State Police fingerprint check.8Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 166.291 – Issuance of Concealed Handgun License
The sheriff must approve or deny within 45 days, and the license is mailed to you once approved.9Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 166.292 – Procedure for Issuing; Form of License; Duration An Oregon CHL is valid for four years and recognized in every Oregon county. Reciprocity with other states is limited, so check before traveling armed across state lines.
Renewal
Renewal costs $75 and does not require repeating the safety course. Apply before your license expires and the old license stays valid for up to 45 days while renewal processes. Let it lapse and you have to reapply as a new applicant at the full $115 fee.
Where You Cannot Carry
State Restrictions
Carrying a firearm into an Oregon public building is a Class C felony by default.10Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 166.370 – Possession of Firearm or Dangerous Weapon in Public Building or Court Facility CHL holders have an affirmative defense for most public buildings, but the legislature carved out three locations where even a CHL will not protect you:
- The State Capitol building.
- Passenger terminals at commercial airports with over one million annual boardings, which includes Portland International.
- School grounds with a posted firearms policy.
A CHL holder caught in one of those locations faces a Class A misdemeanor rather than a felony, with penalties of up to 364 days in jail and a $6,250 fine.11Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 161.635 – Fines for Misdemeanors A person without a CHL faces the full felony charge. SB 554, passed in 2021, also allows public university, community college, and K-12 school boards to remove the CHL affirmative defense on their property; boards that opt in must post signs at all entry points and list affected properties online.
Federal Restrictions
Federal law prohibits firearms in any federal facility, defined as a building owned or leased by the federal government where federal employees regularly work.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 930 – Possession of Firearms and Dangerous Weapons in Federal Facilities Post offices and federal courthouses are the common examples. Federal buildings inside national parks are restricted, though firearms are generally permitted on park grounds themselves as long as you follow state law.
Storage and Reporting a Lost or Stolen Firearm
Oregon requires you to secure any firearm not under your direct control. Acceptable methods include an engaged trigger lock, a cable lock, a locked container, or a gun room.13Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Code 166.395 – Securing Firearms; Penalties; Civil Liability If a prohibited person or minor gains access to an unsecured firearm and causes harm, you face civil liability.
A lost or stolen firearm must be reported to local law enforcement within 72 hours of when you discover the loss. Include the make, model, and serial number.14Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Code 166.397 – Reporting Loss or Theft of Firearm; Penalties; Civil Liability Prompt reporting helps protect you if the firearm is later used in a crime.
Traveling With a Firearm
By Vehicle Across State Lines
Federal law protects your right to transport a firearm through any state as long as you can legally possess it at both origin and destination. During transport the firearm must be unloaded, and neither the firearm nor the ammunition can be readily accessible from the passenger compartment.15Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 926A – Interstate Transportation of Firearms In a vehicle without a separate trunk, such as an SUV, hatchback, or pickup, the firearm and ammunition go in a locked container other than the glove compartment or center console. This safe-passage protection covers transit only; extended stops in a restrictive state bring that state’s laws into play.
By Air
Firearms fly only in checked baggage. The firearm must be unloaded and inside a locked hard-sided container, and you have to declare it to the airline at the ticket counter before checking the bag.16Transportation Security Administration. Transporting Firearms and Ammunition TSA considers a firearm loaded if a live round is anywhere in the chamber, cylinder, or an inserted magazine. Airlines may impose extra restrictions or fees, so check with your carrier before heading to the airport.
Suppressors and Other NFA Items
Oregon does not add state-level restrictions on items regulated by the National Firearms Act. Suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns are legal to own if you follow the federal NFA registration process. As of January 2026 the federal tax on NFA transfers dropped from $200 to $0, but ATF approval is still required before you can take possession. Current ATF processing times for Form 4 transfers average around 10 to 26 days when filed electronically, depending on whether the applicant is an individual or a trust.17ATF. Current Processing Times Machine guns manufactured after 1986 remain banned for civilian ownership under federal law.
Measure 114 and What Could Change
Oregon voters approved Measure 114 in November 2022, but it has never taken effect. A Harney County circuit court declared it unconstitutional and permanently blocked its enforcement, and in March 2025 the Oregon Court of Appeals reversed that decision and found all provisions facially constitutional.18Oregon Department of Justice. Appeals Court Lifts Hold on Measure 114, Ruling That Oregon Gun Law Is Constitutional Challengers had 35 days to seek further appellate review, and a separate federal challenge is pending in the Ninth Circuit. Whether the law becomes enforceable in 2026 depends on those proceedings.
If Measure 114 takes effect, three changes matter for buyers:
- A permit to purchase would be required before buying any firearm, obtained by passing a background check, completing a firearms safety course, and demonstrating you are not a danger to yourself or others.
- Dealers would have to wait for a definitive FICS approval before transferring a firearm, with no three-business-day fallback.
- Magazines holding more than 10 rounds would be illegal to manufacture, import, purchase, sell, or possess, with exceptions for permanently modified magazines, .22 rimfire tubular magazines, and lever-action tubular feeding devices.
Anyone planning a purchase should check the current status of the litigation before assuming which rules apply. Until Measure 114 is enforceable, Oregon’s existing statutes govern.