NORTH CAROLINA FIREARMS LAWS
as taken from the
North Carolina Justice Academy
Revised January, 2010
This publication is only represented to be current as of the revision date on this
cover page. Material in this publication may have been altered, added, or deleted since
the revision date. Information contained in this publication should not be relied upon as
legal advice in a particular scenario. This information is designed as a reference guide
only.
NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
LAW ENFORCEMENT LIAISON SECTION
REVISED JANUARY 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION
.................................................. 1
II. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PURCHASE
OF FIREARMS ................. 1
A. Federal
Requirements........................................... 1
B. North Carolina Requirements ..................................... 3
C. Eligible Persons ............................................... 5
D. Temporary Transfers of Firearms .................................. 9
III. POSSESSING AND
CARRYING FIREARMS ........................... 10
A. Carrying Concealed Weapons
.................................... 10
B. Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 ........................ 11
C. Concealed Handgun Permits..................................... 12
D. Transporting Weapons ......................................... 19
E. Areas Where Weapons Are Prohibited.............................. 20
1. Schools
................................................ 20
2. Assemblies And Establishments ................................ 22
3. State Buildings ............................................ 23
4. Events Occurring In Public Places .............................. 23
5. Areas Of Emergencies And Riots ............................... 24
6. Going Armed To The Terror Of The People....................... 24
7. Storage of Firearms ......................................... 24
F. Persons Acquitted of a Crime
by Reason of Insanity ................... 25
IV. RESTRICTED AND PROHIBITED
WEAPONS.......................... 25
A. Ballistic or Projectile
Knives ..................................... 25
B. Weapons of Mass Destruction .................................... 25
C. Nuclear, Biological, or Chemical Weapons of Mass Destruction .......... 27
D. Machine Guns ............................................... 29
E. Teflon-Coated Bullets.......................................... 31
V. FELONY FIREARMS ACT
.......................................... 31
VI. AGE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
PURCHASE AND POSSESSION OF WEAPONS
................................................... 32
VII. FIREARMS DEALERS
............................................. 34
VIII. COMMONLY ASKED FIREARMS
QUESTIONS ......................... 34
IX. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
...................................... 38
Appendix
Disqualifying Criminal Offenses for Concealed Handgun Permits
................... 40
Do's and Don'ts of Carrying A Concealed Handgun (applicable to concealed
handgun permittees only) ................................. 42
