Connecticut’s new gun laws come primarily from Public Act 23-53, signed by Governor Lamont on June 6, 2023, with provisions phasing in through January 2024 and a follow-up act signed in June 2025.1State of Connecticut. Governor Lamont Signs Legislation Strengthening Gun Violence Prevention Laws The changes touch nearly every part of owning, buying, carrying, and storing a firearm in the state: open carry is now banned, the assault weapon definition is wider, safe storage applies at all times regardless of who lives with you, handgun purchases are capped, the age to buy most semiautomatic rifles is now 21, and the permit process has new training and new disqualifiers. Several registration and declaration deadlines for existing owners have already passed.
The Assault Weapon Definition Got Wider
Connecticut already banned assault weapons before 2023, but PA 23-53 pulled two previously legal categories into the ban as of June 6, 2023: firearms commonly called “CT others” (builds that didn’t fit the prior handgun or rifle definitions), and pre-1994 semiautomatic firearms that had escaped the original ban because they predated the 1994 federal law and weren’t named individually.2Connecticut General Assembly. An Act Addressing Gun Violence Summary
These “2023 assault weapons” cannot be sold or transferred to anyone in Connecticut, with narrow exceptions for licensed dealers, law enforcement, and inheritance. Anyone who owned one before June 6, 2023, had until May 1, 2024, to register it with DESPP and obtain an Assault Weapon Certificate of Possession.3Connecticut General Assembly. Summary of State Gun Laws That deadline is closed. Possessing an unregistered assault weapon is a Class D felony carrying a mandatory minimum year that cannot be suspended, though a first-time violation may be reduced to a Class A misdemeanor if you can prove you owned it lawfully before the relevant ban date.4Justia. Connecticut General Statutes 53-202c – Possession of Assault Weapon Prohibited If you missed the window, talk to a firearms attorney before you talk to anyone else.
Open Carry Is Banned
Since October 1, 2023, openly carrying a handgun or long gun in public is prohibited regardless of your permit.1State of Connecticut. Governor Lamont Signs Legislation Strengthening Gun Violence Prevention Laws Concealed carry with a valid permit remains legal. Exceptions cover your own property, shooting ranges, and lawful hunting.
New Rules for Buying Firearms
Three Handguns Every 30 Days
As of October 1, 2023, you can buy no more than three handguns in any 30-day period.3Connecticut General Assembly. Summary of State Gun Laws The cap applies to retail purchases and did not exist before PA 23-53.
Age 21 for Most Semiautomatic Rifles
The minimum age to purchase a semiautomatic centerfire rifle that accepts a magazine holding more than five rounds is now 21, raised from 18. Military members and law enforcement acting officially are exempt.5FindLaw. Connecticut General Statutes 29-37a
Body Armor Must Be Bought in Person
Buying body armor now requires an in-person transaction and a valid pistol permit, eligibility certificate, long gun permit, or ammunition certificate.6Justia. Connecticut General Statutes 53-341b – Sale or Delivery of Body Armor Restricted Law enforcement and military personnel are exempt.
Safe Storage Now Applies All the Time
The old safe storage rule only kicked in when minors could access a firearm. As of October 1, 2023, you must securely store every firearm on your premises at all times, whether or not anyone else lives with you. The only exception is a firearm you are carrying on your person or keeping within immediate reach to use.
A first violation is a Class A misdemeanor. A second or subsequent violation is a Class D felony. If someone accesses an improperly stored firearm and causes injury or death, additional criminal liability applies. This change catches longtime owners off guard more than any other because it changes daily habits, not just paperwork.
Loaded Long Guns in Vehicles
Since July 1, 2023, carrying a loaded long gun or “other” firearm in a motor vehicle has been prohibited. Long guns being transported must be unloaded. A violation is a Class D misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail, a fine of up to $250, or both. On-duty military personnel and law enforcement are exempt.
Large Capacity Magazines and Unserialized Firearms
A large capacity magazine in Connecticut is any feeding device that holds more than ten rounds, with exclusions for permanently altered devices, .22 caliber tube feeders, lever-action tubular magazines, and permanently inoperable magazines. Penalties for undeclared possession scale with your eligibility status: Class D felony for prohibited persons, Class A misdemeanor for people who could otherwise legally own firearms.7Justia. Connecticut General Statutes 53-202w – Definitions Owners who lawfully possessed a large capacity magazine before January 1, 2014, and had not already declared it by July 1, 2023, had until January 1, 2024, to do so.8Justia. Connecticut General Statutes 53-202x That deadline has closed.
Since January 1, 2024, possessing a firearm without a serial number is illegal unless you declared it to DESPP or applied for a serial number and are waiting for it. The rule applies to firearms manufactured on or after December 16, 1968; antiques and anything older are exempt.9Justia. Connecticut General Statutes 29-36a – Manufacture of a Firearm An otherwise eligible person who failed to comply faces a Class C misdemeanor (up to three months in jail and a $500 fine); a prohibited person faces a Class C felony. Military members on duty outside the state get 90 days after returning to declare or apply.
Pistol Permits: New Training and Same Two-Step Process
Since July 1, 2024, new pistol permit applicants must complete a training course covering safe storage, lawful use, and carrying in public. Your training certificate expires two years after issue, so if you don’t apply within that window you’ll need to retake the course.10Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. State Pistol Permit and Eligibility Certificate Course costs vary by provider and commonly run several hundred dollars.
The application itself is still two steps. First, you apply for a temporary permit through the police department in the town where you live. Local application fees commonly run around $70, plus a separate fingerprinting fee. Second, within 60 days of receiving your temporary permit, you apply for the state permit through the Special Licensing and Firearms Unit (SLFU). The state permit fee is $140 plus the cost of a federal FBI background check.11Justia. Connecticut General Statutes 29-30 – Fees for Permits The temporary permit cannot be renewed, so if it expires before you finish the state application, you start over.
State pistol permits are valid for five years, and renewals are also five years and do not require a new local permit. The SLFU runs an online portal for renewals, registering pre-ban assault weapons and CT others, and address changes.12Connecticut State Police. CT State Police Firearms Unit Offers Online Services for Efficiency, Convenience
More People Are Now Disqualified
PA 23-53 added disqualifying categories on top of the existing felony and mental health bars:
- Anyone convicted on or after October 1, 2023, of certain violent or intimidating misdemeanors.10Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. State Pistol Permit and Eligibility Certificate
- Anyone convicted of a misdemeanor family violence crime committed on or after October 1, 2023, or convicted in any court of a “misdemeanor crime of domestic violence” as defined under federal law.
- Anyone with an active fugitive status as of October 1, 2023.
Mental health history also disqualifies applicants in several situations: found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect and discharged from custody within the past 20 years, court-ordered confinement to a psychiatric hospital within the past 60 months, or voluntary admission to a psychiatric hospital within the past six months for treatment of a psychiatric condition. At each renewal, DESPP verifies your psychiatric admission status with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
Where You Still Cannot Carry
Even with a valid permit, firearms are prohibited in any building associated with the General Assembly, including offices and committee hearing rooms. Firearms are also prohibited on school grounds and at school-sponsored activities, with narrow exceptions for school-approved programs, on-duty law enforcement, and crossing school property to reach hunting land with an unloaded firearm and school board approval.13Connecticut General Assembly. Carrying Guns on School Grounds Any property owner or business can also ban firearms from their premises, and your permit does not override that.3Connecticut General Assembly. Summary of State Gun Laws Connecticut has no specific statute prohibiting carry in hospitals, places of worship, bars, sports arenas, or polling places, though administrative regulations or property policies may still apply.
Visiting From Out of State
Connecticut does not honor firearm permits from any other state.14Connecticut General Assembly. Reciprocity Agreements for Gun Permits Your home state’s carry permit does not authorize you to carry in Connecticut. You may transport unloaded firearms through the state without a Connecticut permit if you’re traveling between two states where possession is legal, the firearms and ammunition are stored in a separate compartment away from passengers, and you don’t use or transfer them while here.
Non-residents who want to carry in Connecticut can apply for an out-of-state resident permit, but only if they already hold a valid carry permit from another state. Applications go directly to the State Police. You request one by emailing SLFU.OOS@ct.gov with your full name and mailing address.15Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. Pistol Permit FAQ
Risk Protection Orders and Reporting Missing Firearms
Connecticut’s red flag law lets a court order the seizure of firearms from someone who poses a risk of imminent harm. The process can start with two or more police officers (or a prosecutor) seeking an order and warrant from a judge based on probable cause, or with a family member, household member, or medical professional applying to the court in good faith, which then directs police to investigate.16Justia. Connecticut General Statutes 29-38c – Adult Posing Risk of Imminent Personal Injury After seizure, the court holds a hearing within 14 days to decide whether the firearms stay in state custody, and the person named has the right to counsel.
If a firearm is lost or stolen, you must report it to local law enforcement within 72 hours of discovering (or reasonably should have discovered) that it’s missing. PA 23-53 strengthened these reporting rules, and failing to report can bring criminal penalties on top of the paper trail problem if the gun turns up in a crime.
Where to Go With Questions
The Special Licensing and Firearms Unit inside DESPP handles permits, registrations, and compliance questions. General inquiries: (860) 685-8290 or DESPP.SLFU@ct.gov. Lost or stolen permit reports: (860) 685-8494. Non-resident permit applications: SLFU.OOS@ct.gov.17Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. State Pistol Permit Renewals, registrations, and address updates run through the SLFU’s online portal on the DESPP website. If you’re sitting on an unregistered assault weapon, an undeclared large capacity magazine, or an unserialized firearm past its deadline, get legal advice before contacting the state.