Buying a gun in Pennsylvania: the short answer
Pennsylvania doesn’t require a permit to buy a gun, has no gun registration requirement, and has no waiting period. When you buy from a licensed dealer, you show photo ID, fill out a federal form, and the dealer runs a Pennsylvania State Police background check that usually takes minutes.
This guide walks through who can buy, what to bring, what happens at the counter, private sales, buying online, and what to do if a check is delayed or denied. It’s written by 717 Armory, a licensed firearms dealer at 7601 Rear Derry Street in Harrisburg, and reflects the law as of the date at the bottom of the page.
This is general information, not legal advice. If your situation is unusual, talk to a Pennsylvania firearms attorney.
Who can buy a gun in Pennsylvania
You need to be at least 18 to buy a rifle or shotgun and, under federal law, 21 to buy a handgun from a dealer. You also can’t fall into any of the prohibited categories below.
Minimum age at a dealer
| What you’re buying | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| Rifle or shotgun | 18 |
| Handgun | 21 (see note) |
The ages come from federal law, which binds every licensed dealer regardless of state law (ATF).
Note for 18 to 20-year-olds: on September 18, 2026, the U.S. Justice Department announced it would no longer prosecute dealers for selling handguns to otherwise eligible adults ages 18 to 20 (DOJ). The law itself hasn’t been repealed, so each dealer decides whether to make those sales. Call the shop before you come in.
Who can’t buy a gun
Pennsylvania and federal law each list people who can’t buy or own a gun. You can’t buy one if you:
- Have been convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison, or of an offense on Pennsylvania’s list, such as aggravated assault, burglary, robbery, or stalking, in any state
- Have a drug conviction punishable by more than two years under Pennsylvania’s drug law
- Have three DUI convictions within five years (this bars new purchases after the third conviction)
- Are under indictment for a crime punishable by more than a year in prison
- Are a fugitive from justice
- Have been found legally incompetent or involuntarily committed for mental health treatment
- Are an unlawful user of, or addicted to, a controlled substance
- Are in the United States illegally
- Are subject to an active protection from abuse order that requires you to give up your guns, or a similar federal restraining order
- Have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence
- Were dishonorably discharged from the military
- Have renounced your U.S. citizenship
- Were adjudicated delinquent as a juvenile for certain serious offenses (some of these expire at age 30)
The full lists are in 18 Pa.C.S. § 6105 (Pennsylvania State Police summary) and on the ATF’s prohibited persons page.
A note on marijuana
Marijuana is still a federally controlled substance, and the Pennsylvania State Police warn that holding a medical marijuana card and using medical marijuana can result in a federal firearms prohibition (PSP).
Two 2026 changes narrowed that rule. In January, the ATF redefined an “unlawful user” as someone who uses a controlled substance regularly over an extended period continuing into the present, and said isolated or sporadic use doesn’t count (Federal Register). In June, the Supreme Court ruled in United States v. Hemani that prosecuting someone for owning a securely stored gun based on marijuana use alone violated the Second Amendment, while calling the ruling narrow (Congress.gov).
The federal form still asks about drug use. Answer it truthfully, and if this applies to you, talk to a firearms attorney before you buy.
What to bring
Bring a valid government-issued photo ID that shows your name, date of birth, and current home address. A Pennsylvania driver’s license or Pennsylvania photo ID card is the simplest choice (18 Pa.C.S. § 6111(b)(2)).
If your ID shows an old address, bring a second government-issued document with your current address, such as a PennDOT change-of-address card, vehicle registration, tax bill, or voter registration card. Leases, utility bills, phone bills, and bank statements don’t count, because they aren’t issued by a government (ATF).
A P.O. box doesn’t count as a home address.
Buying from a gun store, step by step
If your background check is approved, you leave with your gun the same day. Here’s what happens at the counter.
- Choose your firearm. Tell the staff what you’ll use it for. They’ll help you compare fit, caliber, and price.
- Fill out the federal form. Every buyer completes ATF Form 4473, which asks for your name, address, date of birth, and a series of yes-or-no eligibility questions.
- Fill out the Pennsylvania form, for handguns only. Handguns and other short-barreled guns also need the Pennsylvania Application/Record of Sale, which the dealer mails to the State Police. Rifles and shotguns don’t (18 Pa.C.S. § 6111).
- The dealer runs your background check. The dealer contacts the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS), run by the State Police, which completes most checks in a few minutes (PSP).
- You pay and take it home. Once the check is approved, there’s no waiting period. The gun is handed over unloaded and securely wrapped.
Fees
The State Police charge $2 per background check plus a $3 surcharge for each gun bought from a dealer. Buying three guns at once costs $2 + $9 = $11 in state fees. Dealers may add their own fee on top (PSP).
Buy for yourself, or as a gift to close family
Both forms ask whether you’re the actual buyer. You can’t buy a gun for someone else to pay you back for, or for someone who can’t pass the check. Pennsylvania allows a gift to an eligible spouse, parent, child, grandparent, or grandchild. Lying on either form is a felony (18 Pa.C.S. § 6111).
Buying from a private seller
In Pennsylvania, a private sale of a handgun has to go through a licensed dealer or a county sheriff’s office. A private sale of a standard rifle or shotgun does not (18 Pa.C.S. § 6111(c) and (f)).
| Private sale of | What’s required |
|---|---|
| Handgun (or any short-barreled gun) | Both people go to a dealer or sheriff’s office, and the buyer completes the same forms and background check as a store purchase |
| Rifle or shotgun | No dealer or background check required by state law |
| Any gun between spouses, parent and child, or grandparent and grandchild | No dealer required |
The same rules apply at gun shows. A licensed dealer at a show follows the store process, and a private seller at a show follows the private-sale rules above.
Even where a check isn’t required, the buyer still has to be legally allowed to own a gun. Running a private long-gun sale through a dealer is an easy way for both sides to know it’s clean.
Person-to-person transfers at 717 Armory
We handle private transfers at the shop for $40 per firearm, including the background check fee. Both the buyer and seller need to be present with a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license or ID (and a change-of-address card if the address is out of date), and the firearm must be present and unloaded.
Buying a gun online or from out of state
A gun you buy online can’t be shipped to your house. It ships to a licensed dealer in your state, and you pick it up there after the same forms and background check as a store purchase.
Having a gun shipped to 717 Armory
We accept transfers from other licensed dealers for $40 per firearm. The short version of our transfer policy:
- Email purchasing@717armory.com before you order, and we’ll send our license to the seller.
- We only accept guns shipped from licensed dealers, not from individuals.
- The package must include a copy of the seller’s license and your name and phone number.
- Processing takes up to 72 hours after the package arrives. We’ll call you when it’s ready.
- Pick it up within 15 days. After that there’s a $10 per day storage fee, and after 30 days the gun is considered abandoned.
Buying in Pennsylvania if you live in another state
Under federal law, a dealer can sell a rifle or shotgun to a non-resident over the counter if the sale is legal in both states. A handgun has to be shipped to a dealer in your home state, and you pick it up there (18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(3)).
Moving to Pennsylvania
You can buy as a Pennsylvania resident once your ID shows your Pennsylvania address, or you can bring a government-issued document that proves it (see What to bring).
If your background check is delayed or denied
Most checks are approved in minutes. If yours isn’t, it doesn’t automatically mean you’re prohibited. Records are sometimes incomplete, and a common name can match someone else’s record.
Delayed. The State Police can put a sale on temporary hold while they look into a record, for example to confirm whether an old misdemeanor involved domestic violence. The dealer can’t hand over the gun until the State Police either approve or deny the sale (18 Pa.C.S. § 6111(b)(7)).
Denied. If you believe the denial is a mistake, you can challenge it:
- The dealer tells you about your right to challenge.
- Fill out the State Police PICS challenge form and return it within 30 days of the denial. Include court records or other documents that support your case.
- The State Police respond in writing within 5 business days of receiving a valid challenge, and make a final decision within 60 days (PSP).
If you want to see what’s on your record first, you can request your own Pennsylvania criminal history through the State Police PATCH system.
After you buy: carrying and transporting your gun
Buying a gun and carrying it are separate questions. To carry a gun concealed or in a vehicle in Pennsylvania, you need a License to Carry Firearms, with a few exceptions.
The License to Carry Firearms
- You must be 21 or older.
- Apply to the sheriff of the county where you live, or to the police chief if you live in Philadelphia. In Dauphin County, that’s the Dauphin County Sheriff.
- The fee is $19. The sheriff has 45 days to decide, and the license is good for five years.
- It lets you carry concealed on your body or in a vehicle.
- It is not a license to buy. You still go through a background check every time you buy from a dealer.
Source: Pennsylvania State Police and PSP fees.
Carrying without a license
Carrying a gun in a vehicle or concealed on your body without a license, outside your home or business, is a crime in Pennsylvania (PSP). Philadelphia also requires a license to carry openly on public streets (18 Pa.C.S. § 6108).
The law lists exceptions, such as taking an unloaded gun to and from a range for target shooting or to and from where you bought it (18 Pa.C.S. § 6106(b)). If you’ll be driving with your gun regularly, the License to Carry is the simplest way to stay legal.
Carrying in other states
Pennsylvania has carry agreements with some states. The Pennsylvania Attorney General keeps the current list under Concealed Carry Reciprocity. Check it before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
These come from questions readers left on the original version of this article.
Do I need a permit to buy a gun in Pennsylvania? No. You need valid ID and an approved background check. A License to Carry is only needed to carry concealed or in a vehicle.
Is there a waiting period? No. Once the State Police approve your check, you can take the gun home that day.
How long does the background check take? Most checks finish in a few minutes. Some are delayed while the State Police review a record. See If your background check is delayed or denied.
Do I have to register my gun? No. Pennsylvania has no gun registration. For handguns, the dealer sends a record of sale to the State Police.
Can I buy a gun online? Yes, but it has to ship to a licensed dealer in your state, and you pick it up there after the background check. We accept transfers for $40 per firearm. See Buying a gun online or from out of state.
I just moved to Pennsylvania. How long do I have to live here before I can buy? There’s no waiting period for new residents. What matters is proving your Pennsylvania address with a government-issued ID or document. See What to bring.
Can I buy a gun for my spouse or my son? Pennsylvania allows a gift to an eligible spouse, parent, child, grandparent, or grandchild. You can’t buy for anyone who can’t legally own one, or for someone who’s paying you to buy it for them.
I’m not a U.S. citizen. Can I buy a gun? People in the United States unlawfully can’t. Other immigration statuses have their own federal rules, so talk to an immigration or firearms attorney before you try to buy.
Can I carry in New Jersey (or another state) with my Pennsylvania license? Only if that state honors it. Check the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s reciprocity list and the other state’s laws before you travel.
I’m 18. Can I buy a handgun? At a dealer, federal law has set the minimum at 21. A September 2026 Justice Department policy changed how that rule is enforced. See Minimum age at a dealer.
Questions? Ask us
If you’re not sure about your situation, call us at (717) 216-8835 or stop by 7601 Rear Derry Street in Harrisburg, Monday through Saturday, 10am to 6pm. We’ll walk you through it before you buy.
Sources
Last reviewed October 3, 2026. Gun laws change. This guide is general information, not legal advice. If your situation is unusual, talk to a Pennsylvania firearms attorney.
- 18 Pa.C.S. § 6111, Sale or transfer of firearms (Pennsylvania General Assembly)
- 18 Pa.C.S. § 6105 prohibitors summary (Pennsylvania State Police)
- Firearms Information: PICS fees, prohibitors, challenges, medical marijuana (Pennsylvania State Police)
- Carrying Firearms in Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania State Police)
- Minimum age to buy from a licensee (ATF)
- Identify Prohibited Persons (ATF)
- Supplemental ID documents (ATF)
- Revising Definition of “Unlawful User of or Addicted to Controlled Substance” (Federal Register, January 22, 2026)
- Justice Department announcement on handgun sales to 18 to 20-year-olds (U.S. Department of Justice, September 18, 2026)
- United States v. Hemani (Constitution Annotated, Congress.gov)
- 717 Armory firearms transfer policy
