Gun Laws in Arkansas
Gun Friendliness Score
How We Calculate Gun Friendliness Scores
The Gun Friendliness Score ranges from 0 to 100 and represents how favorable a state's laws are toward gun ownership and use. We evaluate each state across 50 key gun policies, assigning points based on how these policies affect gun owners:
- Policies that support gun rights, reduce restrictions, or expand legal protections for gun owners receive positive points
- Policies that restrict firearm ownership, limit purchase options, or add regulatory burdens receive negative points
Arkansas's high score of 90 reflects the state's constitutional carry laws, minimal restrictions on firearm types, strong state preemption, and robust self-defense protections.
Arkansas Gun Laws Summary
Arkansas ranks among the most gun-friendly states in the nation with minimal restrictions on firearms and ammunition. The state largely avoids duplicating federal regulations and does not impose significant burdens beyond what federal law requires.
Arkansas is a shall-issue state for concealed weapons permits, though permits are optional. The Arkansas State Police handles permit issuance, and qualifying applicants receive their permits without discretionary denial. While not required for carry within the state, obtaining a permit provides advantages including reciprocity with other states and streamlined firearm purchases.
Since August 16, 2013, Arkansas has been a constitutional carry state when Act 746 took effect, though this status was initially disputed until the Arkansas Attorney General clarified the law's interpretation in 2018. Any law-abiding citizen or legal resident who is at least 18 years old and legally permitted to possess a firearm can carry a concealed weapon without a permit. Arkansas was among the early adopters of constitutional carry, further strengthening its reputation as a state that strongly protects Second Amendment rights.
Permitting, Sales and Transfers
No permits are required to purchase firearms or ammunition in Arkansas. Background checks are conducted for sales through federally licensed dealers (FFLs) as required by federal law, using the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
Private sales between individuals require no background check, permit, or registration. Arkansas law prohibits state government agencies from maintaining any registry of firearm ownership or transfers except for limited purposes specifically authorized by statute.
Firearms in Public and in the Home
Arkansas is a constitutional carry state where no permit is required for open or concealed carry. Residents aged 18 and older who can legally possess firearms may carry without a permit. Arkansas honors concealed carry permits from all states with which it has established reciprocity agreements.
Open carry is legal without a permit for anyone 18 years or older who can legally possess a firearm. Certain locations prohibit carry, including federal buildings, courthouses, meeting places of the governing bodies of political subdivisions, and athletic events (unless permission is granted). For those who choose to obtain a permit, Arkansas requires a firearms safety training course administered by a certified instructor. Active duty military members stationed in Arkansas and honorably discharged veterans may qualify for reduced permit fees.
Firearm, Feature and Accessory Bans
Arkansas has no bans on semi-automatic firearms, detachable magazines, or firearms with specific features. There are no magazine capacity restrictions. All NFA items (suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, machine guns, etc.) are legal to own provided federal requirements are met. Arkansas has strong state preemption of firearms laws, preventing local governments from enacting regulations more restrictive than state law.
Local Laws
Arkansas has comprehensive statewide preemption of firearms laws. State law explicitly prohibits counties, municipalities, and local governments from enacting any ordinance, rule, or regulation pertaining to firearms, ammunition, or their components. This ensures uniform gun laws throughout the state and prevents confusing local regulations that could potentially criminalize otherwise lawful behavior.
2025 Gun Law Checklist
Arkansas Gun Policy Profile: 50 Key Legislative Points
Purchasing and Sales Regulations
Background Check for Any Firearm Sale
State requires any firearm sale to go through a licensed dealer (FFL) and be subject to a background check. (Federal law requires those "engaged in the business" of buying/selling firearms to perform a background check during a sale). A private sale or transfer of any firearm between individuals (non-family members) must be also conducted through an FFL.
Background Check for Any Handgun Sale (Including Private Sales)
All handgun sales and most transfers are subject to a background check. Private sales of handguns between individuals (non-family members) must be conducted through an FFL.
Background Check Extensions
State will halt the transfer of a firearm if a background check is delayed. Some states will halt the process indefinitely, some for a set amount of time.
Failed Background Check Reported to Law Enforcement
The firearm dealer (or state agency conducting the background check) has a responsibility to notify local law enforcement of a failed background check.
Must be 21 or Older to Purchase
Most firearms–including rifles, shotguns, and handguns–cannot be sold to anyone under the age of 21. (Federal laws permit long guns to be sold to those over the age of 18.)
Permit to Purchase
State requires a permit (single-use or renewable) for all firearms or specifically for handguns. States typically charge a fee for the permit and a background check is performed during the application.
Mandatory Waiting Periods
Prior to purchasing a firearm, an individual must wait a specified period (typically between 3-14 days) between initiating the purchase and taking possession of the firearm.
State Licenses All Gun Dealers
State has a licensing system for firearms merchants above and beyond the federal (FFL) system.
Purchase Rejected for Public Safety Reasons
State officials able to block sales of firearms if the purchaser is deemed to be a threat to themselves or to public safety (according to the judgment of the official)
Approved Handgun Roster
State controls what make and model handguns are sold; according to their own criteria. Often, this involves a "roster" of approved handguns with the right "safety" features, such as a loaded chamber indicator, or even the amount of metal in the firearm (Maryland). Often, LE are exempt from these requirements.
Strict Unfinished Frames and Receivers Laws
State sets a lower threshold for unfinished frames and receivers (beyond ATF rule 2021R-05F). Includes ban on 3D-printing of these parts in some states.
Ownership and Registration Requirements
Permit to Possess
Several states require a permit just to possess: a handgun (New York); any firearms or ammunition (Illinois).
State Firearm or Handgun Registry
State keeps a record of every firearm or handgun sold. Includes states with a permit to purchase and states that keep records of purchases.
Mandatory Firearms Training
Prior to purchasing a firearm, an individual must prove they completed the state ordered training. Often, this is part of the application process for a Permit to Purchase.
Secure Storage Requirement
Gun owners must lock up firearms in the home (or anywhere else a minor or prohibited person may have access).
Magazine Capacity Limits
State limits magazine capacity for some or all firearms.
"Assault Weapons" Ban
Magazine fed, semi-automatic, centerfire rifles cannot have other "features" (pistol grip, flash hider, etc.) or they are considered "assault weapons." New guns cannot be registered as "assault weapons." Possession is prohibited with limited exceptions.
Microstamping Law
State has a law banning the sale of a new pistol unless its firing can imprint its serial number somewhere on the cartridge case during firing. This technology is make-believe at present, but these laws will effectively ban the sale of new handguns in the state if/when they become effective
Penalties for Not Reporting a Lost or Stolen Firearm
Gun owners must report the loss or theft of firearms–usually within several days of the incident or first discovering the loss–or potentially face a criminal penalty.
Carry and Location Restrictions
Mandatory Permit for Concealed Carry
State requires a permit to carry a concealed pistol. This includes all states that "may issue" a permit (where officials may deny a permit for subjective reasons).
Officials Can Deny Carry Permit
State allows the carry permit officials to deny an application based on the state's own criteria.
Open Carry Limited or Banned
State restricts open carry to rifles and shotguns or bans open carry completely unless you are LE or special permit holder.
No Carry Mandate for College Campuses
State has not passed a blanket law permitting concealed carry on college campuses.
Gun Ban on Most Public Property
State limits or bans any type of carry in and around government facilities (state, county, municipal) and/or limits carry of firearms in parades and demonstrations
Guns Banned in Bars
State prohibits carry inside bars or consumption of alcohol while carrying.
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Only LE (and in some states, specially licensed school officials) may carry on school property.
Does Not Recognize Other States' Carry Permits
State doesn't consider concealed carry permits from other states valid
Prohibited Persons and Possession Restrictions
Felons are Also Prohibited Persons at State Level
State has a law prohibiting felons from owning guns and ammo, even though federal law already does this.
Fugitives are Also Prohibited Persons at State Level
State has a law prohibiting fugitives from justice from owning guns and ammo, even though federal law already does this.
Involuntarily Committed are Also Prohibited Persons at State Level
State has a law prohibiting those who have been involuntarily committed (to a psychiatric hospital or mental institution), or those found to be a danger to themselves or others from owning guns and ammo. Federal law already prohibits anyone found to be mentally defective or committed to a mental institution at 16 years or older.
Violent Offenders Cannot Possess
State will take away firearms, deny future possession, or at minimum deny future purchase of firearms for certain misdemeanor crimes of violence (besides domestic violence violence).
Domestic Violence Offenders Also Prohibited Persons at State Level
State has a law prohibiting those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence from owning guns and ammo, even though federal law already does this
Stalkers are Prohibited Persons at the State Level
State has either made stalking a felony (instant prohibitor) or makes an individual convicted of misdemeanor stalking a prohibited person.
Intervention and Seizure Provisions
Red Flag Law
Law enforcement (and others, depending on the state) is allowed to request that firearms be taken away from others with limited due process.
Emergency Gun Seizure Before Restraining Orders
Similar to a red flag law, state will take away guns before an actual conviction. This is often during domestic disputes, before a restraining order takes effect, and in similar situations.
Guns Seized for Hate Crimes
State will take away all firearms from an individual in response to a misdemeanor hate crime conviction.
Guns Seized After Becoming Prohibited
State will quickly respond when an individual's status changes to prohibited and take away all firearms belonging to that person.
Guns Seized After Domestic Violence Conviction
State will quickly respond to take away firearms from an individual if they are convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence.
Guns Seized Amid Restraining Orders
State will take away all firearms from anyone who is subject to a restraining order, even though federal law already does this.
No Stand Your Ground Law
State imposes a "duty to retreat" before using force or requires "proportional force" when responding to an attack or dangerous situation with force.
Monitoring and Threat Assessment
Mental Health Database
State maintains records of anyone that has been committed or involuntarily committed to psychiatric hospitals. They send this information to the FBI for use by the NICS (or when conducting a state background check, if applicable).
School Officials Conduct Threat Assessments
Teams of mostly school officials are empowered by law to refer children for mental health assessments or take more drastic action if they believe the child poses a threat to themselves or others.
Mandatory Tracing of "Crime Guns"
Law enforcement must use either a state system or the federal firearm tracing system to research any firearm recovered from a crime scene or used in a crime.
Law Enforcement Oversight and Accountability
No LE Officers Bill of Rights
Some states never passed (or passed and later repealed) a set of basic protections for public safety officers. These protections vary by state. They often include the right to engage in political activity and run for public office, and the right to refuse a lie detector test, among other things.
Heavy Restrictions on LE Use of Deadly Force
State laws severely limit the discharge of firearms to apprehend criminals, including against individuals suspected of murder or fleeing a felony in many cases.
Reports for LE Deadly Force Incidents
Law enforcement agencies are required to report any officer-involved shootings that result in serious injury or death. Monthly or annual reports are compiled using this data and made available to the public.
No Qualified Immunity Defense Laws
In civil court, LE officials may not use a defense of qualified immunity if they are accused of certain civil rights violations. This includes situations in which a firearm was used.
Prevention and Support Programs
Dedicated Office of Gun Violence Prevention
Some states have passed legislation creating gun violence prevention offices that target "community gun violence." Taxpayer funds are used to support these programs, which may have little to no effect on violent crime.
Funding for Services of Victims of Gun Violence
Some states maximize the use of federal money intended for victims of violent crime by increasing pool of eligible claimants. Money is paid out to families of convicted felons in many cases.
Local Control
Counties / Cities / Towns Can Pass Stricter Gun Laws
Local governments are free to pass their own gun control laws in addition to any existing laws at the federal and state levels. Some states prohibit local governments from passing laws about specific things-including guns. This is known as preemption.
Conclusion
This piece aims to explain the basics of ammunition and firearms laws in the state of Arkansas. We start off with the rules for buying ammunition in the state and the general process for having ammo shipped to a residential address in Arkansas. After that, we give the same treatment to firearms laws in terms of overall rules for purchasing, before discussing the carrying of firearms in the state and leaving off with some resources that we hope you find helpful.
This piece is not intended to be legal advice. We do hope, however, that you find it useful to get an understanding of the foundational laws and rules for buying, owning, and carrying firearms and ammunition in Arkansas.
Arkansas is one of the states that have state-wide preemption. This means that localities such as cities and counties are forbidden from making firearms laws that are more strict than those at the state level. For the average gun buyer, this is handy because once you understand one set of gun laws, those laws apply uniformly across the entire state.
The ammunition and firearms laws in Arkansas are generally on the more permissive side, though there are some instances where the state’s laws err on the more restrictive side.
Ammo Laws/Buying Ammo in Arkansas
First, we will cover the ammo laws of the state.
Arkansas has among the most permissive ammunition laws in the country. Aside from federal regulations on the buying and selling of ammo, the state does not impose additional rules. Thus, focusing on the federal end of the process will give the best understanding of how to get ammunition shipped to a residential address in Arkansas.
The ATF has two sets of restrictions for buying ammunition.The first is age: people have to be eighteen years old to purchase rifle ammo or shotgun shells, and twenty-one to purchase pistol ammo. Additionally, prohibited persons are forbidden from buying either firearms or ammunition. Generally, prohibited persons include those convicted of felonies or domestic violence, those found mentally unfit by a court, or people who have been involuntarily committed to a mental institution.
Aside from those federal restrictions, Arkansas does not place additional rules at the state level. Thus, as long as the buyer is old enough and not a prohibited person, it is legal to shop for ammunition online and have it shipped to a residential address in the state. With that in mind, some carriers will institute their own rules, such as asking for an adult with a valid ID to be present to sign for the package that contains ammunition.
Arkansas does not impose restrictions on magazines, so once the buyer receives the ammo, the state does not take issue with that ammunition being loaded into high-capacity magazines.
Arkansas’ ammunition laws are among the most lax in the nation, considering that the state does not impose additional rules beyond those at the Federal level. This makes buying and shipping ammunition in the state fairly straightforward.
Gun Laws/Buying Guns in Arkansas
Next, we will do the same analysis for gun laws.
Generally, Arkansas is fairly permissive in terms of its firearms laws. There are no magazine bans, nor assault weapons bans at the state level. There is, however, one thing that makes the state a little more restrictive: Arkansas requires the owners of machine guns to register them with the state. While this applies to relatively few people given the rarity and immense cost of machine guns in the United States, the requirement for registration at the state level in addition to the federal registry does make Arkansas a little more restrictive in terms of firearms rights.
Aside from the machine gun registration requirement, the firearm buying process in Arkansas is straightforward, following mostly federal guidelines. A buyer should bring their ID and form of payment to gun stores in Arkansas, as a Form 4473 must be filled out with every firearm purchase in the state. Assuming the background check that accompanies that form goes well, the state does not impose any additional waiting periods on gun purchases, and buyers can go home with the firearm the same day. The state does not require private sellers of firearms to do a background check on potential buyers, but it is always prudent to be reasonably certain that the buyer is not a prohibited person.
In terms of carrying firearms, Arkansas is one of, if not the, most permissive in the country. The state allows for permitless open and concealed carry. In addition to this, the state has recently established a legal process to get folks who have undergone non-consensual commitment for mental health treatment to have their firearms rights restored. This makes Arkansas’ current carry statutes extremely permissive, with a focus on individual rights.
Following the lead of most other states that allow for permitless carry, Arkansas still issues concealed permits on a shall-issue basis. The main benefit of doing so, considering permitless carry within the state, is carrying out of state: the Arkansas concealed carry permit has fairly wide reciprocity with other states. Basically, Arkansas does not require a permit, but for Arkansas residents, the easiest way to be able to carry in neighboring states will be to seek a concealed carry permit from the state of Arkansas.
Every state has a list of places where it is prohibited to carry a firearm. In Arkansas, that list includes:
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Law enforcement facilities
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Correctional facilities
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Public parking lots (if the gun is left in the car)
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Division of Youth services facilities
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Courthouses
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The State Legislature
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Athletic events
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Bars
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K-12 schools
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Colleges
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Churches
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Mental health facilities
This is a fairly common list, and, again, every state has a similar one. These prohibitions alone do not make Arkansas any more or less strict than other states.
Overall, Arkansas is fairly permissive when it comes to firearms laws. When it comes to buying, the process is mostly guided by federal law with the exception of a requirement to register machine guns at the state level. The carry laws are similarly permissive, and the pathway for the restoration of gun rights for folks who have undergone mental health treatment makes Arkansas permissive in terms of its laws. The ammunition laws are similarly permissive, making the state a gun-friendly one.
Arkansas’ permissive environment for firearms is reflected in the increasing presence of SIG in the state: the American offshoot of the European Sig Sauer has opened a large ammunition manufacturing facility in the state.
Sales Tax on Guns/Ammo in Arkansas
The overall sales tax in Arkansas is 6.5%, which is a middle-of-the-pack tax rate. With that in mind, some cities and counties impose additional taxes, making the top tax rate in the state 12.625%, which is one of the highest effective tax rates in the nation.
Arkansas does not add additional taxes for firearms and ammunition on top of the sales taxes already imposed. Because of the fairly large differential in sales taxes between localities, finding out the specific sales taxes for individual gun stores might make a fair bit of difference in the purchase price of a firearm.
More Resources
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The ATF maintains a list of all of the FFLs in the country, including in Arkansas. This list is kept well up to date: gun stores are generally Type 1 or Type 2 FFLs.
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The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission maintains a number of shooting ranges that are accessible to the public.
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There are a number of well-reputed gun stores in Arkansas for all of your firearm needs.
Although it is not a specific firearms forum, ArkansasHunting.net has both state-specific hunting information, as well as an active firearms section that will be useful to gun enthusiasts in the state.