Gun Laws in Mississippi
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
Mississippi's outstanding score of 94 reflects the state's constitutional carry laws, minimal restrictions on firearm types, strong preemption laws, and robust self-defense protections.
Mississippi Gun Laws Summary
Mississippi has established itself as one of the most gun-friendly states in the nation, ranking second overall for gun friendliness. The state has minimal restrictions on firearms and ammunition, often avoiding duplication of federal regulations and not imposing additional burdens beyond what federal law requires.
Mississippi is a shall-issue state for concealed weapons permits, though permits are entirely optional. The Department of Public Safety 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, 2013, Mississippi has been a constitutional carry state when Governor Phil Bryant signed HB 2 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. Mississippi was among the earlier states 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 Mississippi. 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. Mississippi law explicitly prohibits any state or local governmental unit from maintaining a registry of firearm transfers or firearm ownership.
Firearms in Public and in the Home
Mississippi 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. Mississippi honors concealed carry permits from all states that issue them.
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, polling places, establishments that serve alcohol for on-premises consumption, and school grounds. For those who choose to obtain a permit, Mississippi requires completion of a Department of Public Safety-approved firearms training course. Active duty military members and veterans may qualify for training exemptions.
Firearm, Feature and Accessory Bans
Mississippi 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. Mississippi law specifically prevents local governments from enacting any regulations more restrictive than state law.
Local Laws
Mississippi has strong statewide preemption of firearms laws. State law explicitly prohibits counties, cities, towns, and other political subdivisions from enacting any ordinance, regulation, tax, or rule relating to firearms. This ensures uniform gun laws throughout the state and prevents local governments from creating a patchwork of regulations that could confuse gun owners and potentially criminalize otherwise lawful behavior.
2025 Gun Law Checklist
Mississippi 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 discusses the firearm and ammunition laws in the state of Mississippi. To do so, the piece begins with the ammunition laws, with a focus on the legal processes to have ammunition shipped to a residential address in MS. From there, the piece covers the gun laws of the state, first looking at the processes to buy firearms in Mississippi, and then the laws that govern the carriage of firearms in the state.
Nothing in this piece should be taken as legal advice. Instead, we hope that the knowledge here can be useful for you so that you can make your own, informed decisions.
Mississippi is one of the many states that have preemption. This means that the state has forbidden localities such as cities and counties from making their own firearms laws that are more strict than those in place at the state level. Preemption makes life simpler for gun owners, as it means that once you understand the gun laws at the state level, that understanding can be applied to the entire state of MS.
Mississippi is among the most permissive firearm states in the country. There are no major ammunition, magazine, or firearms bans in the state. The state also has permitless carry for those who want to either openly or concealed-carry a firearm. Thus, most of the firearms rules that apply in Mississippi come from the Federal level.
Ammo Laws/Buying Ammo in Mississippi
First, we will cover the ammo laws of MS.
The state of Mississippi does not have any blanket bans on types of ammunition. Thus, buying ammunition in the state follows the guidelines set out by the Federal government rather than state-level laws.
The ATF regulates the purchase of ammunition in the entire country, thus, its regulations apply even in the more permissive states such as Mississippi. To meet ATF requirements to purchase ammunition, buyers have to meet two criteria:
The first is an age requirement: buyers have to be eighteen years of age or older to buy ammunition for long guns such as rifles and shotguns, and twenty-one or older to buy ammunition for handguns. Secondly, buyers cannot be prohibited persons. The ATF defines a prohibited person, generally, as convicted felons or those who have been convicted of domestic violence, people who have been declared mentally unfit in a court of law, and people who have been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility.
Assuming that the buyer meets those ATF requirements, then the state of Mississippi has no problem with ammunition being shipped to a residential address. Keep in mind that carriers might impose their own additional rules. For instance, a carrier might ask for an adult with a valid ID to be present to sign for a package that contains ammunition.
Since the main laws governing ammunition in Mississippi are federal, the state’s laws on ammo are as permissive as they can be.
Gun Laws/Buying Guns in Mississippi
Next, we will do the same exercise for Mississippi’s gun laws.
Mississippi’s firearms laws are similarly permissive when compared to its ammunition laws. The state does not have any blanket bans on so-called assault weapons either by name or by making a list of features. There is no magazine ban, either, and the state is fine with residents owning NFA items, provided that all of the Federal paperwork is in order.
Since the state’s firearms laws are permissive, the firearm-buying process follows federal guidelines. To buy a gun in Mississippi at a gun store, the buyer should go to the store with a valid ID and a form of payment. The FFL will have the buyer fill out Form 4473 to conduct a background check. As soon as the background check and form of payment are both clear, the buyer is welcome to go home with the gun: Mississippi does not impose additional waiting periods on firearms sales.
The state does not require that private sellers conduct background checks when selling guns, but it is always advisable to be reasonably sure that the buyer is neither too young nor a prohibited person.
Mississippi does not require a permit for the open or concealed carriage of a firearm within the state. The only small caveat for this is that the state does require that anyone carrying a pistol has to do so in a holster. While this might be seen as a restriction, the vast majority of people who carry pistols already do so in a holster, so this is not a major ding against the firearms permissiveness of the state.
Like many states that have adopted permitless carry, Mississippi does still issue concealed carry permits. The main benefit of such a permitting arrangement is that it allows permit holders to carry out of state. Indeed, Mississippi’s permit is fairly widely recognized, especially in neighboring states.
States typically have a list of places where it is forbidden to carry firearms with or without a permit. Mississippi is no exception, and bans the carriage of firearms in:
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Legislative meetings
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Non-firearms sporting events
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Churches
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Airport terminals
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Bars
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Police facilities
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“Places of Nuisance” (For example, while rioting)
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Correctional facilities
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Rehabs
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Convention centers
This list is a common one in nearly every state. One thing to keep in mind is that even in the most permissive states, it is illegal to carry a gun onto Federal property. Commonly, this includes your local Post Office, even if the relevant signage is hidden on the back wall.
Of note, Mississippi is home to ATAC Defense, which makes high-end and custom AR-style rifles and pistols.
Overall, the firearms laws in Mississippi are among the most permissive in the country. While requiring all pistol carriers to do so in a holster is a slight restriction, it also probably cuts down on the number of negligent discharges in public places. Considering that this is one of the only requirements to carry a firearm in the state, it is not a massive restriction. Buying, owning, and carrying firearms in Mississippi is simple at the state level, and the vast majority of regulations come from the Federal government.
Sales Tax on Guns/Ammo in Mississippi
The general sales tax rate in Mississippi is 7%, and some localities have taxes up to 1% greater, leading to an 8% tax rate. Mississippi does not impose additional taxes on the sale of firearms or ammunition, which is good considering that the 7% base tax rate is one of the higher sales tax rates in the country.
More Resources:
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The ATF maintains a list of every FFL in the country, including in Mississippi. This list is kept up to date and can be used to locate local gun stores. Typically, gun stores are Type One or Type Two FFLs.
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Wheretoshoot.org is an excellent tool for finding places to shoot. Using the city, zip code, and mileage tools, you can find Mississippi ranges that are convenient for you. Users can add new ranges, too, and the information is regularly verified.
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There are a number of well-rated gun stores in the state.
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Mississippi Gun Owners is an active forum that’s a good resource for local events, sales at local gun stores, and news to keep you up to date on gun ownership and laws in the state.