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Buying Ammo & Guns in Kansas - KS Gun Laws | Black Basin Outdoors
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Buying Ammo and Guns in Kansas

Gun Laws in Kansas

#5 in the country for gun friendliness

Gun Friendliness Score

Kansas: 89/100
89%
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25
50
75
100

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

Kansas's strong score of 89 reflects the state's constitutional carry laws, minimal restrictions on firearm types, preemption laws, and robust self-defense protections. Kansas consistently maintains policies that respect Second Amendment rights.

Kansas Gun Laws Summary

$32.50 - $100
PERMIT COST RANGE
8 hrs
TRAINING HOURS REQUIRED
2.2M
ELIGIBLE ADULT POPULATION
38
STATES COVERED BY PERMIT
1 : 53K
INSTRUCTOR-TO-POPULATION RATIO
18
MINIMUM AGE TO CC
38
RECIPROCATING STATES
17
ATTORNEYS IN USCCA NETWORK
4 years
YEARS PERMIT VALID
10.4%
PERMIT PERCENTAGE
228K
PERMITS ISSUED

Kansas ranks as one of the most gun-friendly states in the nation. The state has minimal restrictions on firearms and ammunition, generally avoiding duplication of federal regulations and not imposing additional burdens beyond what federal law requires.

Kansas is a shall-issue state for concealed weapons permits, though permits are entirely optional. The Kansas Attorney General's office handles permit issuance, and qualifying applicants will receive their permits without discretionary denial. While not required, obtaining a permit provides advantages including reciprocity with other states and streamlined firearm purchases.

Since July 1, 2015, Kansas has been a constitutional carry state when Governor Sam Brownback signed SB 45 into law. 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. Kansas was the fifth state in modern times to adopt constitutional carry, further cementing 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 Kansas. 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. Kansas law prohibits any state or local governmental unit from maintaining a registry of firearm transfers or firearm ownership, and the state has enacted the Second Amendment Protection Act to further shield firearms manufactured and owned in Kansas from federal regulation.

Firearms in Public and in the Home

Kansas 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, while non-residents must be at least 21 years old. Kansas honors concealed carry permits from all states.

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, state or municipal courthouses, K-12 schools, and posted private businesses. For those who choose to obtain a permit, Kansas requires an approved handgun safety and training course. Active duty military members stationed in Kansas and honorably discharged veterans can receive expedited processing of their applications.

Firearm, Feature and Accessory Bans

Kansas 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. The Kansas Second Amendment Protection Act specifically declares that firearms, accessories, and ammunition manufactured and remaining in Kansas are exempt from federal regulation, though this has been challenged in federal court.

Local Laws

Kansas has strong statewide preemption of firearms laws. State law explicitly prohibits counties, cities, and towns from regulating the ownership, transfer, or possession of firearms. Local governments are also prevented from enacting ordinances, resolutions, or regulations relating to the purchase, transfer, ownership, storage, carrying, or transporting of firearms or ammunition. This ensures uniform gun laws throughout the state and prevents local governments from creating a patchwork of regulations that could confuse gun owners.

2025 Gun Law Checklist

Kansas 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

DISCLAIMER: It is your full responsibility to make sure the firearm, ammunition, or accessories you are purchasing is legal for you to own in your state or jurisdiction. The information contained throughout this web site, including the firearm and ammunition state guide provided below, is not legal advice and should not be construed as legal advice.

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.