District of Columbia Statewide Rule
District of Columbia Firearm Registration Requirement
Key Facts
- Registration
- Mandatory for every firearm
- Minimum age
- 21 years old
- Agency
- Metropolitan Police Department
- Cannot register
- Machine guns, destructive devices
- First-offense jail
- Up to 1 year
Summary
Every firearm possessed in the District of Columbia must have a valid registration certificate. DC Official Code § 7-2502.01 bans possessing or controlling any firearm without one, and destructive devices cannot be registered at all.
no person or organization in the District of Columbia ("District") shall receive, possess, control, transfer, offer for sale, sell, give, or deliver any destructive device, and no person or organization in the District shall possess or control any firearm, unless the person or organization holds a valid registration certificate for the firearm.
Full Breakdown
The Metropolitan Police Department administers firearm registration under DC Official Code § 7-2502.01. No person or organization may possess or control any firearm in the District unless they hold a valid registration certificate for that specific firearm. Applicants must be 21 or older, pass a background check, and complete a firearms training course; each firearm is registered individually. Destructive devices, machine guns, and short-barreled shotguns and rifles cannot be registered under § 7-2502.02. As a federal enclave, DC sets its own comprehensive firearm code with no competing local layer.
Violations & Penalties
A first conviction for possessing an unregistered firearm is punishable under § 7-2507.06 by up to 1 year in jail and a fine set by § 22-3571.01, with steeper penalties for repeat or aggravated offenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to register a firearm in DC?
What firearms cannot be registered in DC?
How old must I be to register?
Sources
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.