Gun Laws in Utah
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
Utah's excellent score of 88 reflects the state's constitutional carry laws, minimal restrictions on firearm types, strong preemption laws, and robust self-defense protections.
Utah Gun Laws Summary
Utah has established itself as one of the most gun-friendly states in the nation. 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.
Utah 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 May 5, 2021, Utah has been a constitutional carry state when Governor Spencer Cox signed HB 60 into law. Any law-abiding citizen or legal resident who is at least 21 years old and legally permitted to possess a firearm can carry a concealed weapon without a permit. Utah became the 17th state 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 Utah. 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. Utah 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
Utah is a constitutional carry state where no permit is required for open or concealed carry. Residents aged 21 and older who can legally possess firearms may carry without a permit. Non-residents must also be at least 21 years old. Utah 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. However, to open carry a loaded firearm, one must be at least 21 years old or have a concealed carry permit. Certain locations prohibit carry, including federal buildings, courthouses, secure areas of airports, and mental health facilities. Schools have specific rules allowing concealed carry permit holders to possess firearms on premises but not inside buildings. For those who choose to obtain a permit, Utah requires a firearms safety training course that includes instruction on Utah weapons laws, firearms safety, and a demonstration of safe handling and proficiency.
Firearm, Feature and Accessory Bans
Utah 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. Utah law specifically prevents local governments from enacting any regulations more restrictive than state law.
Local Laws
Utah has strong statewide preemption of firearms laws. State law explicitly prohibits counties, cities, towns, and other political subdivisions from enacting any ordinance, regulation, or rule relating to firearms that is more restrictive than state law. 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
Utah 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 laws regulating ammunition and firearms in the state of Utah. To do so, we start off by covering the ammunition laws in the state, aiming to explain the legal requirements and processes to have ammunition shipped to a residential address in the state. From there, we dive into the gun laws, first looking at the legal processes for buying guns in the state, and then the laws that govern the carriage of firearms in Utah. To wrap things up, we leave you with some resources that we think you’ll find useful if you want to stay up to date on the firearms community in the state.
We do not intend this piece as legal advice. Instead, we hope that you find the information here useful in making your own decisions.
Like many states, Utah has preemption. This means that the state’s laws stipulate that smaller political subunits, such as counties, cities, and towns cannot make or enforce gun laws that are stricter than those at the state level. Preemption makes things simpler for law-abiding gun owners because your understanding of state laws applies to the state as a whole.
Utah has some of the most permissive firearms laws in the nation: the state does little to regulate ammo and guns, which leaves Utah permissive since the enforced federal laws serve as something of a baseline for how permissive a state can be in terms of its laws.
Ammo Laws/Buying Ammo in Utah
Next, we will cover the ammo laws in Utah.
Utah does not ban any specific categories of ammunition, nor does the state impose additional restrictions on who can purchase ammunition. Because federal law applies in the entirety of the United States, this means that the processes for buying and shipping ammo to Utah are governed by federal regulations, enforced by the ATF.
The ATF has two sets of regulations that govern ammunition purchasing. The first is an age requirement: buyers have to be at least eighteen years old to buy ammo for long guns (rifles and shotguns) and at least twenty-one to buy handgun ammo. Secondly, buyers cannot be prohibited persons. The ATF defines prohibited persons as those who have been convicted of felonies or domestic violence, people who have been found mentally unfit in a court of law, and people who have been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility for inpatient treatment.
Assuming that the buyer meets those two sets of requirements, the state government in Utah is totally fine with having ammunition shipped to a residence. Some carriers might impose additional rules: for example, they might ask for a person with a valid ID to be present to sign for a package containing ammunition.
Because Utah does not impose many restrictions on ammo buying, most people can simply shop online for good deals and have the ammo shipped to their door. This makes Utah permissive in terms of its ammunition laws.
Gun Laws/Buying Guns in Utah
Next, we will do the same for gun laws.
Utah is similarly permissive in its gun laws. There is no magazine ban in the state, nor is there an assault weapons ban in the state. Utah’s state government is fine with its residents owning NFA items, too, including machine guns, suppressors, and short-barreled rifles and shotguns. Of course, with NFA items, there are quite a few federal-level regulations and paperwork hurdles to jump through, though those are not implemented at the state level.
Utah’s gun-buying process follows federal guidelines. Those who wish to buy a gun from a store in the state should bring a valid form of identification and payment to the store. Once there, the FFL will have the buyer fill out ATF’s Form 4473, which serves two purposes: form 4473 is both a background check and creates a legally mandated record of the firearms purchase. Once the background check clears and the payment has been accepted, the buyer is free to leave the same day with their new firearm. Utah does not impose additional waiting periods on firearms purchases.
This state does not require people who sell firearms as private citizens to conduct a background check. With that said, it is always wise to ensure that the person buying the gun is not a prohibited person, and is old enough to buy the gun. Most attorneys recommend a written bill of sale with both parties’ signatures to keep buyers and sellers well in the clear of any issues that may arise.
The carriage of firearms in Utah is also fairly permissive. The state is fine with the open carriage of both long guns and handguns, though long guns have to be unloaded when carried in a public place. Utah defines unloaded somewhat specifically, asking that there cannot be a round in the chamber of either revolvers or auto-loaders. Interestingly, the law also includes provisions for the open carriage of muzzleloaders in public.
Utah allows residents to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. Like most states that offer permitless carry, Utah still allows residents to get concealed carry permits within the state. There are two major benefits to doing so in Utah. First, the concealed carry permit serves as proof of a background check, which can speed up the buying process at an FFL. Second, Utah’s permit is widely recognized in a number of states, allowing permit holders to legally carry a concealed firearm in those states as well.
Like nearly all states, Utah has a list of places where it is forbidden to carry a firearm. In Utah, this list includes:
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In a vehicle (if openly carrying and the firearm is loaded)
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On public streets (again, this applies to loaded open carry)
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In places where signs are posted
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Airport Terminals
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Correctional Facilities
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Court Facilities
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Mental Health Facilities
This list is not an unusual one, as even the most permissive states have nearly identical lists. Also of note is that you cannot carry guns into federal buildings, which includes your local post office.
Overall, Utah’s ammo and gun laws are among the most permissive in the nation. With few state-level restrictions and no major bans, most of the firearms laws that are enforced in the state come from the federal government. Some of the laws around the open carriage of firearms are highly specific, but a quick read of the laws, which are written in simple, clear language (a refreshing change of pace in the law) will clear up the details for most people. Utah is a state that stays out of the way of those who value their Second Amendment rights.
Sales Tax on Guns/Ammo in Utah
The general sales tax in Utah is 4.85%: with state and local taxes, the effective tax rate, the sales tax varies based on locality between 6.1% and 9.050%. Because of this variance, it might be worthwhile to shop around for an FFL in a lower-taxed area.
Utah does not impose special or additional taxes on the sale of firearms or ammunition.
More Resources:
Here are some resources that we think you’ll find useful in Utah:
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The ATF keeps a listing of all FFLs within a given state, and this list is updated somewhat regularly. It can be used to find local gun stores, which are usually Type One or Type Two FFLs.
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Wheretoshoot.org is an excellent tool for finding ranges that are convenient to you. Use the zip code, city, and mileage filters to find spots to shoot. Users can add more ranges, and the information is regularly checked for accuracy.
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There are a number of well-reputed gun stores in the state for your firearms needs.
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Utahguns.net is an active forum that has a lot of quality, local knowledge on gun stores, spots to shoot, and relevant events within the state.