Are firearms legal in Connecticut?

Q: Are firearms legal in Connecticut?

Firearms in Connecticut are restricted. A Connecticut permit is required to carry a handgun in public. You must be 21 or older. The permit is issued only after the authority finds you a "suitable person." Out-of-state residents who hold a permit from their own state may apply to the Connecticut State Police for a nonresident Connecticut permit.

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CONNECTICUT · FIREARMS

Firearms

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Restricted: A Connecticut permit is required to carry a handgun in public.

Restricted

Summary

A Connecticut permit is required to carry a handgun in public. You must be 21 or older. The permit is issued only after the authority finds you a "suitable person." Out-of-state residents who hold a permit from their own state may apply to the Connecticut State Police for a nonresident Connecticut permit.

Source: portal.ct.gov → · Updated October 12, 2026

Connecticut Firearms topics

Concealed Carry in Connecticut →Restricted
A Connecticut permit is required to carry a handgun in public.
Open Carry in Connecticut →Restricted
Open carry is illegal. Since October 1, 2023, it is a crime to knowingly carry any firearm with intent to display it, and a permit does not exempt you.
Magazine Capacity in Connecticut →Restricted
Connecticut limits magazines to 10 rounds — magazines that hold more than 10 rounds are banned, except for pre-ban magazines that were registered.
Gun Possession in Connecticut →Restricted
Connecticut has a red-flag law in effect, known as a risk warrant (CGS 29-38c), an assault-weapons ban from a 2013 law, and a 10-round magazine limit.
Transporting Firearms in Connecticut →Conditional
A Connecticut permit is required for a handgun in a vehicle; out-of-state permits are not honored.
Duty to Inform Police in Connecticut →Conditional
Connecticut has no proactive duty to inform, but a permit holder must carry the permit and present it on the request of an officer who has reasonable suspicion of a crime and has observed the pistol (C.G.S. § 29-35(b)).
Suppressors & Silencers in Connecticut →Conditional
You may own a suppressor in Connecticut, which has no possession ban, by going through the federal National Firearms Act (NFA) process.
Reciprocity — where is my Connecticut permit honored? →
State-by-state map of which states honor a Connecticut concealed-carry permit.

Other Connecticut laws

Firearms in nearby states

Browse all state laws →

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