Firearms
State-level firearms preemption rules that limit what cities can regulate, plus statewide concealed and open carry baselines.
In most of the country, a city that wants to regulate guns legally cannot. State preemption statutes reserve the subject to the legislature and void local ordinances beyond a narrow band, and courts enforce the reservation.
The band that survives is worth knowing precisely because it is all there is: discharge ordinances covering firearms and often air rifles and bows, conduct rules in city buildings and parks, and, in the handful of non-preemption states, real local licensing and storage law.
All 50 States: Firearms at the State Level
Each tile shows the strongest state-level rule for that state. Click a state to see its full statewide rules and how local cities are constrained.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
What's Covered
Local Firearms Preemption
Whether your state expressly bars cities from passing their own firearms ordinances, and what (if anything) cities can still regulate.
Concealed Carry
State concealed carry licensing, reciprocity with other states, and where concealed carry is prohibited statewide regardless of local rules.
Open Carry
State rules on visibly carrying a firearm in public, including who may open carry and where open carry is prohibited statewide.
Firearms in Vehicles
State rules on transporting firearms in private vehicles, locked-case requirements, loaded vs unloaded, and whether locals can add restrictions.