State Laws That Address Safe Firearm Storage and Child Access Prevention

Safely storing firearms is an effective strategy for preventing children and teens from gaining access, preventing, or reducing the risk of death, injuries, gun suicides, unintentional shooting, and incidents of gun violence. Therefore, having laws that require the safe storage of firearms and hold gun owners accountable for ensuring that minors do not have access to their guns is another important step towards keeping our youth, schools, and communities safe.

Based on NCSSLE’s 2024 policy scan

US Map with magnifying glass showing 54%

68% of the general U.S. population
live in a state or territory that has a law for safe firearm storage and/or child access prevention.

Of the 31 states and territories that have at least one of those laws:
Shield with Balancing Scales

22	had a safe firearm storage or child access prevention law⁸
9	had both safe firearm storage and child access prevention laws

Within the database, you can

Map of Safe Firearm Storage and Child Access Prevention Laws, by state and territory

Legend

Safe Firearm Storage (SFS) Law

Child Access Prevention (CAP) Law

Both
Laws

Neither
Law

Safe Firearm Storage and Child Access Prevention Laws

State	Is Safe Firearm Storage (SFS) Required by Law?	When Does the SFS Law Apply?	Does the SFS Law Require Firearm(s) to Be Dis- assembled or Have Locking/Safety Device?	Is Child Access Prevention (CAP) Required by Law?	When Does the CAP Law Apply?	How Does the CAP Law Define a Minor?	Does the jurisdiction impose criminal penalties for minor’s access to a firearm?
Alabama	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Alaska	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
American Samoa	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Arizona	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Arkansas	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
California Cal. Penal Code §§ 25000-25225; Cal. Civ. Code § 1714.3	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor may or is likely to gain access	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor causes death or great bodily injury using an improperly stored firearm
Colorado Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-114; C.R.S. 18-12-108.7; C.R.S. 18-12-108.5	Yes	Safe storage only when firearm is not in use	Yes	Yes	When a minor can gain access	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor can gain access
Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-217a; Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-37i; Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-571g	Yes	Safe storage only when certain people (including minors) are likely to be present	Yes	Yes	When an injury or death results from a minor carrying or using an improperly stored firearm	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if an injury or death results from a minor carrying or using an improperly stored firearm
Delaware 11 Del. C. § 1456; 11 Del. C. § 603	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor gains access	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor gains access
District of Columbia D.C. Code § 7-2507.02	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor may or is likely to gain access	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor may or is likely to gain access
Florida Fla. Stat. § 790.174; Fla. Stat. §784.05	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor possesses or exhibits the firearm in a public place or in a rude, careless, angry, or threatening manner	Under 16 years of age	Yes, if a minor possesses or exhibits the firearm in a public place or in a rude, careless, angry, or threatening manner; if the minor obtains the firearm and uses it to inflict injury or death upon himself or herself or any other person.
Georgia	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Guam 10 GCA Section 60128; 18 GCA Section 90110; 18 GCA Section 90114	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor causes the death or injury of a person because of the use of a firearm	Under 18 years of age	No, only civil penalties
Hawaii Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 707-714.5; Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 134-10.5	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor gains access	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor gains access
Idaho	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Illinois 720 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/24-9	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor causes death or great bodily harm with the firearm	Under 14 years of age	Yes, if a minor causes death or great bodily harm with the firearm
Indiana	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Iowa Iowa Code § 724.22	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor exhibits or uses the firearm to cause injury or death	Under 14 years of age	Yes, if a minor exhibits or uses the firearm to cause injury or death
Kansas	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Kentucky	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Louisiana	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Maine Me. Stat., 17-A § 554(1)(B-4)	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor gains access to a firearm and uses it in a reckless or threatening manner, commits a crime, or discharges it	Under 16 years of age	Yes, if a minor gains access to a firearm and uses it in a reckless or threatening manner, commits a crime, or discharges it
Maryland Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 4-104	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor gains access	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor gains access
Massachusetts Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, § 131L	Yes	Safe storage at all times	Yes	Yes	When a minor may or is likely to gain access	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor may or is likely to gain access
Michigan Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 28.429	Yes	Safe storage when a minor is likely to be present on the premises	Yes	Yes	When a minor may or is likely to gain access	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor may or is likely to gain access
Minnesota Minn. Stat. Ann. § 609.666; Minn. Stat. Ann. § 609.378	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor may or is likely to gain access	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor may or is likely to gain access
Mississippi	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Missouri	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Montana	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Nebraska	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Nevada Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 202.300	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor may or is likely to gain access	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor may or is likely to gain access
New Hampshire N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 650-C:1	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor gains access	Under 16 years of age	Yes, if a minor gains access
New Jersey N.J. Stat. § 2C:58-15; N.J. Stat. § 2C:1-4	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor gains access	Under 16 years of age	Yes, if a minor gains access
New Mexico § 30-7-4.1	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor displays or brandishes the firearm in a threatening manner, or causes injury	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor displays or brandishes the firearm in a threatening manner, or causes injury
New York Penal Law Section 265.50*2; N.Y. Penal Law §§ 265.45	Yes	Safe storage only when a minor is likely to be present	Yes	Yes	When minor may or is likely to gain access	Under 16 years of age	Yes, if a minor may or is likely to gain access
North Carolina N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 14-315.1	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor possesses, exhibits, causes death or personal injury, or commits a crime with the improperly secured firearm	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor possesses, exhibits, causes death or personal injury, or commits a crime with the improperly secured firearm
North Dakota	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Northern Mariana Islands 6 N. Mar. I. Code § 10204	Yes	Safe storage is required unless certain exceptions met	No	Yes	When a minor causes injury or death	Under 21 years of age	Yes, if a minor causes injury or death
Ohio	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Oklahoma	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Oregon ORS § 166.395	Yes	Safe storage at all times when the firearm is not carried by or under the control of the owner, possessor, or authorized person	Yes	Yes	When a minor gains access	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor gains access
Pennsylvania	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Puerto Rico 25 L.P.R.A. § 466o	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor obtains access to a firearm and causes serious bodily injury or death	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor obtains access to a firearm and causes serious bodily injury or death
Rhode Island R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-60.1	Yes	Safe storage when a minor may or is likely to gain access	N/A	Yes	When a minor obtains access to a firearm and causes personal injury	Under 16 years of age	Yes, if a minor obtains access to the firearm and causes personal injury
South Carolina	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
South Dakota	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Tennessee	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Texas Tex. Penal Code Ann. § 46.13	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor gains access	Under 17 years of age	Yes, if a minor gains access
Utah	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Vermont Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 13, § 4024	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When minor may or is likely to gain access	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor may or is likely to gain access
U.S. Virgin Islands V.I. Code tit. 23, § 489a	Yes	Every person who owns, possesses, purchases, or acquires a firearm, shall be responsible for the safe storage of the firearm	No	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Virginia Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-56.2	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor may or is likely to gain access	Under 14 years of age	Yes, if a minor may or is likely to gain access
Washington RCW 9.41.360	Yes	Safe storage when a minor may or is likely to gain access	No	Yes	When a minor obtains access and possession of the firearm and causes personal injury or death	Under 18 years of age	Yes, if a minor obtains access and possession of the firearm and causes personal injury or death
West Virginia	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A
Wisconsin Wisc. Stat. Ann. § 948.55	No	N/A	N/A	Yes	When a minor obtains the firearm without lawful permission and causes bodily harm or death	Under 14 years of age	Yes, if a minor obtains the firearm without lawful permission and causes bodily harm or death
Wyoming	No	N/A	N/A	No	N/A	N/A	N/A

State Safe Storage Laws Pertaining to Education

Although most safe firearm storage and child access prevention laws are general, some states have passed laws that are specific to education. Based on NCSSLE's review, the following are a few examples of state firearm storage or child access prevention laws that are specific to education. Email NCSSLE@air.org if you would like to share an example from your state.

State	Education Specific Safe Storage and CAP Laws
California Ca. Educ. Code § 48986	Effective starting in the 2023-2024 school year, California passed new legislation which required LEAs to notify students’ parents or guardians of California’s child access prevention laws and laws relating to safe firearm storage. California is the first state in the country to enact a statewide safe storage parent notification policy.
Indiana IN Code § 20-19-3-30.4	This law requires the Department of Education, in collaboration with the state police department, to identify a set of best practices and develop a set of educational materials regarding recommendations for the safe possession and storage of a firearm in a home with a child. The best practices and educational materials must include information on: 1. firearm access; 2. firearm handling; 3. firearm storage; 4. ammunition access; and 5. ammunition storage. The department is also required to provide these best practices and educational materials to public schools, charter schools, and state accredited nonpublic schools for annual distribution to parents of students.
Maryland Md. Health-General Code Ann. § 13-39A-01	This law requires the Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services to develop a youth suicide prevention and firearm safe storage guide. Among other things, this guide should provide a description of the firearm and ammunition requirements for safely storing firearms under State law, identify the risks associated with unsafe firearm storage for minors, and incorporate best practices for firearm and ammunition safe storage. The department is also required to make an electronic version of the guide available to families, health and social services providers, and any other entities that have an interest in youth suicide prevention or firearms storage (e.g., school systems, The State Department of Education). In addition, the Department shall provide grants to local school systems, local health departments, and nonprofit agencies to support the education of families on the safe storage practices recommended in the guide.
Nevada NRS 388.243	This law requires the board of trustees of each school district to establish an emergency operations plan development committee to develop a plan for responding to a crisis, emergency or suicide, and all other hazards. The plan must include, among other things, a plan to inform, at least twice each academic year, a pupil’s parent or legal guardian of any state requirement related to the storage of firearms, including, without limitation, the crimes and penalties.
Tennessee Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-1016	Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, each LEA and public charter school shall annually provide students with age-appropriate and grade-appropriate instruction on firearm safety. The instruction must begin with the earliest appropriate grade, as determined by the departments of education and safety, in consultation with the Tennessee fish and wildlife commission, and must continue in each subsequent grade through grade twelve (12). The law specifies what students should be taught and this content includes safe storage of firearms.

Definitions

To better understand safe firearm storage and child access prevention laws, please consider the following definitions.

Safe Storage Laws⁹

Child Access Prevention (CAP) Laws¹⁰

Definition of a Minor

⁸ 21 states only have a child access prevention law and 1 territory only has a safe firearm storage law.

⁹ Citations to Safe Firearm Storage laws are included in the first column of the searchable table on this webpage, if available.

¹⁰ Citations to Child Access Prevention laws are included in the first column of the searchable table on this webpage, if available.

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