This piece covers the firearms and ammunition laws in the state of Kansas. To do so, the piece begins with a summary of the ammo laws in the state with an eye on the process necessary to have ammunition shipped to a residential address in the state. From there, the piece covers the firearms laws in terms of both purchasing and carrying guns in KS. Generally, Kansas’ firearms and ammunition laws are fairly permissive, but the state does have some policies that make it slightly more restrictive than other states.
This piece is not intended as legal advice. Instead, we hope that it can serve as a useful summary of the relevant laws in Kansas so that you can make your own, informed decisions about buying, carrying, and using firearms and ammo in the state.
Like most states, Kansas has preemption. This means that the state mandates that localities such as cities and counties cannot make their own firearms and ammo laws that are more restrictive than those at the state level. Preemption simplifies things for the average gun owner, as it means that they only have to learn one set of laws which apply to the entire state.
Ammo Laws/Buying Ammo in Kansas
Now, we will cover the ammo laws in Kansas.
Kansas’ ammunition laws are generally permissive, and the process for buying ammunition in the state follows federal guidelines. There is one small exception to this general permissiveness, however: Kansas bans the possession, sale, manufacturing, and transfer of armor-piercing handgun ammunition that has plastic-coated bullets.
Aside from that specific ban, Kansas does not otherwise restrict ammo types on the state level. To purchase ammunition, federal requirements still apply in Kansas. This means that there are two sets of rules to keep in mind:
The first is age: the ATF mandates that buyers have to be eighteen years of age or older to purchase rifle or shotgun ammunition, and at least twenty-one to purchase handgun ammunition. Secondly, buyers of ammo cannot be prohibited persons. Generally, prohibited persons are people who have been convicted of felonies or domestic violence, have been found mentally unfit in a court, or have been involuntarily committed to an inpatient mental health facility.
Assuming the buyer is old enough, and not a prohibited person, Kansas state law is fine with having ammunition shipped to a residence in the state. Do keep in mind that some carriers impose their own rules, for example, requiring an adult with a valid form of identification to be present to sign for a package containing ammunition.
Aside from the ban on some armor-piercing handgun ammunition, Kansas has permissive ammunition laws, and thus the major guidelines for buying ammo in the state come from the Federal level.
Once a buyer has ammunition in hand, Kansas does not have a magazine ban and thus users can use standard capacity magazines for their firearms of choice.
Gun Laws/Buying Guns in Kansas
Next, we will do the same exercise for gun laws.
Kansas’ gun laws are among the most permissive in the country. The state does not have an assault weapons ban, nor blanket prohibitions on any specific kinds of firearms either by name or through a list of features. Kansas also does not require its residents to have a permit to buy firearms or to register those firearms after purchase.
Thus, buying a firearm in Kansas follows the federal guidelines set by the ATF. Assuming the person is of age (again, eighteen for long guns, twenty-one for handguns) and not a prohibited person, the buyer should bring both a valid form of ID and a form of payment to the gun store. The FFL will have the buyer fill out ATF Form 4473 to do a background check. Once the background check and payment clear, the buyer can take firearms home the same day in Kansas.
The state does not require private sellers to do background checks, but it is always advisable to make sure that the buyer is old enough and not a prohibited person.
Kansas is one of the more permissive states in the country in terms of carrying guns as well. Open carry is perfectly legal in the state without a permit, as is concealed carry. Be warned, though, that Kansas has criminal legislation to add gun charges to those who commit crimes while carrying a firearm.
Even though Kansas does not require a permit to carry firearms either openly or concealed, the state still offers concealed carry permits to its residents on a shall-issue basis. The major reason for this is that having the Kansas permit allows Kansas residents to carry a firearm legally in several other states. The Kansas concealed carry permit is somewhat widely recognized as valid by other states.
Like every other state in the county, Kansas maintains a list of places where people cannot carry firearms at all. In Kansas, this list includes:
-
The state capitol complex
-
The governor’s residence
-
Courthouses
-
Public buildings with posted signs
-
State or municipal buildings that have metal detectors
-
Privately held medical facilities that have signs posted
This list is not at all unusual, and is, in fact, a good bit shorter than the lists in most states. One thing that Kansas law does exceptionally well here is regulate the signs that must be posted: the signs have to be visible from all exterior entrances and be placed in a conspicuous manner. This makes it much easier for people to know whether or not they can legally carry a firearm in a given location.
All-in-all, Kansas’ gun laws are some of the most permissive in the country. The banning of some handgun ammunition is a slight ding against that permissiveness, but not so much to make Kansas a restrictive state. Overall, Kansas makes things fairly simple for folks who want to buy, carry, and use firearms and ammunition legally.
Kansas is home to the American headquarters of the Czech company CZ: they make a wide variety of firearms, from classically styled .22 bolt action rifles to the downright futuristic Bren series of rifles.
Sales Tax on Guns/Ammo in Kansas
Kansas has a general sales tax rate of 6.5%. But, localities can and do impose their own taxes, meaning that the effective sales tax rate in the state can be as high as 10.5%. Because this is such a wide range, shopping around for an FFL in a lower-taxed area can save some money on a gun purchase.
The state does not impose specific, additional taxes on the sales of firearms or ammunition.
More Resources:
-
The ATF maintains a list of all FFLs in the country, including in Kansas. This list is kept well up to date and can be used to find active gun stores. Most gun stores are either Type One or Type Two FFLs.
-
Wheretoshoot.org is an awesome tool that catalogs a ton of shooting ranges all around the country, including in Kansas. Their list is continually updated by users and the information gets periodically fact-checked. Using the mileage and zip code filters can help you find a range that is convenient for you.
-
There are a number of well-rated gun stores in the state to help you get the firearms that you need.
-
The Kansas section of AR15.com is fairly active and is a good source of local knowledge for shooting events, sales at local gun stores, and the political goings on in the state that might affect gun and ammo laws.