State Preemption Index (2026)
Which states most aggressively preempt local ordinances? This index ranks all 50 states by the number of state-level rules that override what cities and counties can regulate — covering firearms, tobacco, plastic bags, minimum wage, immigration, and right-to-farm.
Scored from 2,872 state-tier ordinances across 50 states. Each “preempting rule” is a state law that explicitly bars or limits local regulation on a specific topic.
Drill down by topic
See the full ranking for one preemption topic at a time.
| Rank | State | Preempting | Total Rules | Top Categories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia(VA) | 32 | 73 | Accessory Structures·4Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3 |
| 2 | Florida(FL) | 32 | 57 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Fire Regulations·3 |
| 3 | Michigan(MI) | 30 | 56 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 4 | Oklahoma(OK) | 29 | 55 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Fire Regulations·3 |
| 5 | South Dakota(SD) | 28 | 120 | Accessory Structures·4Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3 |
| 6 | North Carolina(NC) | 27 | 70 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 7 | Montana(MT) | 27 | 58 | Firearms·4Animal Ordinances·3Employment Preemption·3 |
| 8 | Louisiana(LA) | 27 | 52 | Accessory Structures·4Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3 |
| 9 | South Carolina(SC) | 27 | 52 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 10 | Iowa(IA) | 27 | 49 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Rental Property Rules·3 |
| 11 | Oregon(OR) | 26 | 58 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 12 | Georgia(GA) | 26 | 57 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 13 | North Dakota(ND) | 26 | 50 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 14 | New Jersey(NJ) | 25 | 61 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 15 | Arizona(AZ) | 25 | 58 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 16 | Colorado(CO) | 25 | 58 | Firearms·4Animal Ordinances·3Employment Preemption·3 |
| 17 | Connecticut(CT) | 25 | 58 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 18 | New Hampshire(NH) | 25 | 58 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 19 | Alabama(AL) | 25 | 56 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 20 | Wisconsin(WI) | 25 | 55 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 21 | Arkansas(AR) | 25 | 52 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 22 | Washington(WA) | 24 | 67 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 23 | Illinois(IL) | 24 | 59 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 24 | Indiana(IN) | 24 | 58 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 25 | Rhode Island(RI) | 23 | 66 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 26 | Vermont(VT) | 23 | 60 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 27 | California(CA) | 23 | 59 | Firearms·4Single-Use Items·3Tobacco & Vaping·3 |
| 28 | Hawaii(HI) | 23 | 55 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 29 | Utah(UT) | 23 | 55 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 30 | Idaho(ID) | 23 | 54 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 31 | Minnesota(MN) | 23 | 54 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 32 | Mississippi(MS) | 23 | 49 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 33 | Nebraska(NE) | 23 | 46 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 34 | Missouri(MO) | 23 | 45 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 35 | Maine(ME) | 22 | 106 | Firearms·4Single-Use Items·4Employment Preemption·3 |
| 36 | West Virginia(WV) | 22 | 55 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 37 | New Mexico(NM) | 22 | 54 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 38 | Delaware(DE) | 22 | 48 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 39 | Kansas(KS) | 22 | 43 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 40 | Kentucky(KY) | 21 | 55 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 41 | Nevada(NV) | 21 | 52 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 42 | Wyoming(WY) | 21 | 40 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 43 | Tennessee(TN) | 20 | 61 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 44 | Pennsylvania(PA) | 20 | 60 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 45 | New York(NY) | 20 | 53 | Firearms·4Tobacco & Vaping·3Employment Preemption·2 |
| 46 | Massachusetts(MA) | 19 | 59 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 47 | Ohio(OH) | 19 | 59 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 48 | Alaska(AK) | 19 | 38 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 49 | Maryland(MD) | 18 | 63 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
| 50 | Texas(TX) | 18 | 36 | Firearms·4Employment Preemption·3Single-Use Items·3 |
Methodology: a rule is counted as “preempting” if it falls within a preemption-heavy category (firearms, tobacco, single-use items, employment, right-to-farm, immigration) or its summary contains an explicit preemption phrase. State-tier data updated weekly. Each rule cites the controlling state statute.