Are firearms legal in District of Columbia?

Q: Are firearms legal in District of Columbia?

Firearms in District of Columbia are restricted. The District of Columbia requires a permit to carry concealed, and the minimum age is 21. DC is very restrictive: a DC Concealed Carry Pistol License from MPD is mandatory, you must own a DC-registered pistol and complete 18 hours of training, and the District recognizes no other state's permit.

Back

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA · FIREARMS

Firearms

Carrying across state lines?The free LawLert iPhone app alerts you at each state line with whether that state lists your permit as recognized. No account.Get the app

Restricted: The District of Columbia requires a permit to carry concealed, and the minimum age is 21.

Restricted

Summary

The District of Columbia requires a permit to carry concealed, and the minimum age is 21. DC is very restrictive: a DC Concealed Carry Pistol License from MPD is mandatory, you must own a DC-registered pistol and complete 18 hours of training, and the District recognizes no other state's permit.

Source: mpdc.dc.gov → · Updated July 2, 2026

District of Columbia Firearms topics

Concealed Carry in District of Columbia →Restricted
The District of Columbia requires a permit to carry concealed, and the minimum age is 21.
Open Carry in District of Columbia →Restricted
Open carry of a handgun is illegal in DC.
Magazine Capacity in District of Columbia →Restricted
In the District of Columbia it is illegal to possess any magazine that holds more than 10 rounds.
Gun Possession in District of Columbia →Restricted
The District of Columbia has a red-flag law (Extreme Risk Protection Orders, or ERPOs), bans "assault weapons" and magazines holding more than 10 rounds, and requires all firearms to be registered.
Transporting Firearms in District of Columbia →Restricted
Without a DC license, you may transport a firearm in DC only for a lawful purpose, from a place where you may lawfully possess and carry it to another such place.
Duty to Inform Police in District of Columbia →Conditional
The District of Columbia has a proactive duty to inform: if an officer initiates an investigative stop, a concealed-pistol licensee must disclose that they are carrying, present the license and registration certificate, identify where the pistol is, and comply with orders — including the officer taking possession of it (D.C. Code § 7-2509.04(d)).
Suppressors & Silencers in District of Columbia →Restricted
Firearm silencers are banned in the District of Columbia: D.C. Code 22-4514 prohibits any person in the District from possessing one, regardless of registration under the federal National Firearms Act (NFA).
Reciprocity — where is my District of Columbia permit honored? →
State-by-state map of which states honor a District of Columbia concealed-carry permit.

Other District of Columbia laws

Browse all state laws →

Don't get caught off guardCross into a state where this law is different and the free iPhone app tells you what changed, even with the app closed. It also alerts you when a law you track changes where you live. No account.Get the free app