Legal Age To Buy A Gun Online

: Some states, such as Minnesota, require a permit to purchase handguns or "military-style assault weapons," which are typically only issued to those 21 or older. Ownership vs. Purchase

: States like California , Colorado , Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont generally require a buyer to be 21 for both handguns and long guns. legal age to buy a gun

: Washington and Massachusetts require buyers to be 21 for semiautomatic rifles, while allowing 18-year-olds to purchase other long guns. : Some states, such as Minnesota, require a

: Federal law permits unlicensed (private) sellers to transfer handguns to individuals at least 18 years old , and there is no federal minimum age for the private transfer of long guns. State-Specific Variations : Washington and Massachusetts require buyers to be

: You must be at least 21 years old to purchase a handgun or handgun ammunition from a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL).

States can raise these minimum ages but cannot lower them below the federal standard. As of 2026, several states have stricter rules: