Gun laws in Wyoming regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of Wyoming in the United States. [1] [2] Gun laws in Wyoming rank as some of the most permissive in the country.
Gun laws in Wyoming regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of Wyoming in the United States. [1] [2] Gun laws in Wyoming rank as some of the most permissive in the country.
| Subject / law | Long guns | Handguns | Relevant statutes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State permit required to purchase? | No | No | ||
| Firearm registration? | No | No | ||
| Assault weapon law? | No | No | ||
| Magazine capacity restriction? | No | No | ||
| Owner license required? | No | No | ||
| Permit required for concealed carry? | N/A | No | W.S. § 6-8-104 | Wyoming is a "shall issue" state for citizens and permanent lawful residents who are 21 years or older. Residents of states that have reciprocity with Wyoming and who possess a permit can also apply for a Wyoming permit. Permitless carry took effect on July 1, 2011. |
| Permit required for open carry? | No | No | May carry openly without permit. | |
| Castle Doctrine/Stand Your Ground law? | Yes | Yes | W.S. § 6-2-602 | "A person who is attacked in any place where the person is lawfully present shall not have a duty to retreat before using reasonable defensive force pursuant to subsection (a) of this section provided that he is not the initial aggressor and is not engaged in illegal activity." |
| State preemption of local restrictions? | Yes | Yes | W.S. § 6-8-401 | "Except as authorized by W.S. 15-1-103(a)(xviii) and 21-3-132, no city, town, county, political subdivision or any other entity shall authorize, regulate or prohibit the sale, transfer, purchase, delivery, taxation, manufacture, ownership, transportation, storage, use, carrying or possession of firearms, weapons, accessories, components or ammunition except as specifically provided by this chapter. This section shall not affect zoning or other ordinances which encompass firearms businesses along with other businesses. Zoning and other ordinances which are designed for the purpose of restricting or prohibiting the sale, purchase, transfer or manufacture of firearms or ammunition as a method of regulating firearms or ammunition are in conflict with this section and are prohibited." |
| NFA weapons restricted? | No | No | W.S. §§ 6-8-402 to 6-8-406 | Wyoming Firearms Freedom Act, passed in 2010, prohibits any government servant from enforcing the NFA if a personal firearm, a firearm accessory, or ammunition is owned or manufactured commercially or privately in Wyoming and remains within the borders of Wyoming. A firearm manufactured in Wyoming must have the words "made in Wyoming" clearly stamped on a central metallic part, such as the receiver or frame. While federal enforcement is still possible, the law penalizes federal agents from enforcing such laws. [3] |
| Background checks required for private sales? | No | No |
According to the Office of the Attorney General of Wyoming, Wyoming state law (W.S. § 6-8-104) provides for the issuance of concealed firearm permits. As a "shall issue" state, the local sheriff's office is required to issue a permit upon request, unless there is a valid reason to deny (such as violent felony conviction). A Wyoming permit is valid for 5 years.
Wyoming also recognizes concealed firearms permits from states with similar licensing requirements (subject to frequent review and revision), which, as of March 2016, includes: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. [4] Many of these states reciprocate and accept a Wyoming permit as valid, however this is a frequently changing and often unspecified distinction. Independent confirmation by directly contacting the attorney general of the state in question is recommended.
Effective July 2011, Wyoming became an unrestricted concealed carry state (for residents only), following the example of Vermont, Alaska and Arizona. [5] Concealed carry permits will still be issued to be used as reciprocal permits in certain states. On April 6, 2021, Governor Mark Gordon signed a bill extending permitless concealed carry to non-residents as well. Open carry is allowed without a permit for residents and non-residents.
Some counties in Wyoming have adopted Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions. [6]
Concealed carry, or carrying a concealed weapon (CCW), is the practice of carrying a weapon in public in a concealed manner, either on one's person or in close proximity. CCW is often practiced as a means of self-defense. Following the Supreme Court's NYSRPA v. Bruen (2022) decision, all states in the United States were required to allow for concealed carry of a handgun either permitlessly or with a permit, although the difficulty in obtaining a permit varies per jurisdiction.
The Uniform Firearms Act (UFA) is a set of statutes in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that defines the limits of Section 21 of the Pennsylvania Constitution, the right to bear arms, which predates the United States Constitution and reads: "The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned." The laws range in scope from use of force in self-defense situations, to specific categories citizens that are ineligible to purchase or possess firearms.
Gun laws in Florida regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of Florida in the United States.
In the United States, the term constitutional carry, also called permitless carry, unrestricted carry, or Vermont carry, refers to the legal public carrying of a handgun, either openly or concealed, without a license or permit. The phrase does not typically refer to the unrestricted carrying of a long gun, a knife, or other weapons. The scope and applicability of constitutional carry may vary by state.
Gun laws in Utah regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of Utah in the United States.
Gun laws in Colorado regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of Colorado in the United States.
Gun laws in Indiana regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the U.S. state of Indiana. Laws and regulations are subject to change.
Gun laws in Kentucky regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the United States.
Gun laws in Michigan regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the U.S. state of Michigan.
Gun laws in Minnesota regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of Minnesota in the United States.
Gun laws in Nevada regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of Nevada in the United States.
Gun laws in New Mexico regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of New Mexico in the United States.
Gun laws in North Carolina regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the U.S. state of North Carolina.
Gun laws in North Dakota regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of North Dakota in the United States.
Gun laws in South Carolina regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of South Carolina in the United States.
Gun laws in South Dakota regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of South Dakota in the United States.
Gun laws in Tennessee regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of Tennessee in the United States.
Gun laws in Virginia regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States.
Several US States have introduced various resolutions and legislation in protest to federal actions. Despite this, the Supreme Court has explicitly rejected the idea that the states can nullify federal law. In Cooper v. Aaron (1958), the Supreme Court of the United States held that federal law prevails over state law due to the operation of the Supremacy Clause, and that federal law "can neither be nullified openly and directly by state legislators or state executive or judicial officers nor nullified indirectly by them through evasive schemes ..." Thus, state laws purporting to nullify federal statutes or to exempt states and their citizens from federal statutes have only symbolic impact.
The history of concealed carry in the United States is the history of public opinion, policy, and law regarding the practice of carrying concealed firearms, especially handguns.