Last reviewed November 1, 2026
State Gun Bans: Where They Stand in 2026
Most of the country protects the right to own the most popular rifles, magazines and NFA items. A shrinking but aggressive group of states does not. As of November 2026, ten states plus the District of Columbia ban the sale of commonly owned semiautomatic rifles they label “assault weapons.” Rhode Island is the newest, with a sales ban that took effect July 1, 2026. Virginia passed a similar ban in 2026, but a state court injunction has blocked it statewide while the Supreme Court takes up the issue. Both laws let current owners keep what they already have, but they would cut off law-abiding buyers going forward.
More maps than the glovebox of a lost elk hunter: Gun Law Maps by State
No State Ban (38): Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, 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, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Partial Restrictions (3): Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota
State Ban (11): California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Washington
How this map is researched, from statute to state note: How We Research.
The legal ground under these bans is moving. On June 30, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Viramontes v. Cook County (Illinois) together with Grant v. Higgins (Connecticut) on whether the Second Amendment protects AR-15 platform and similar semiautomatic rifles. Argument is set for December 2, 2026. Weeks later, on July 17, 2026, the full Third Circuit ruled 10-5 that New Jersey’s rifle ban and its ban on magazines over ten rounds are unconstitutional, though the court stayed its own ruling on August 4, 2026, so New Jersey’s bans stay in force while the state seeks Supreme Court review.
Colorado took a different route. Its SB25-003, in effect since August 1, 2026, does not ban semiautomatics outright but requires a sheriff-issued permit, a background check, a multi-day safety course and a waiting period before buying many of them. Gun-rights groups are challenging it in federal court in Del Toro v. Polis. Suppressors, a hearing-safety device, remain banned outright for civilians in eight states plus D.C., even after the federal tax on them dropped to $0.
Key Facts
- Long-standing “assault weapon” bans: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii (pistols), Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington, and D.C.
- Rhode Island (S 0359A, signed June 2025) became the newest ban state; its sales ban took effect July 1, 2026, with existing owners grandfathered.
- Virginia (SB 749 / HB 217, signed May 14, 2026) bans the import, sale, manufacture, purchase or transfer of “assault firearms” and the sale of standard-capacity magazines, effective July 1, 2026. A Washington County Circuit Court injunction now blocks enforcement statewide until the Supreme Court rules on rifle bans.
- June 30, 2026: Supreme Court grants review in Viramontes v. Cook County (No. 25-238), consolidated with Grant v. Higgins (No. 25-566); argument December 2, 2026.
- July 17, 2026: en banc Third Circuit strikes New Jersey’s rifle and magazine bans 10-5 (ANJRPC v. Attorney General of New Jersey); stayed August 4, 2026 pending Supreme Court action.
- Colorado SB25-003 permit-to-purchase for many semiautomatics took effect August 1, 2026; challenged in Del Toro v. Polis.
- Civilian suppressor bans (as of October 2026): California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and D.C.
What Gun Owners Should Know
- Grandfather clauses usually come with conditions (registration, limits on where the item can be taken, or limits on transfers). Read the actual statute before buying, selling or traveling.
- A court win is not the same as a dead law. New Jersey’s ban remains enforceable under a stay; do not act on a headline until the ruling is final and in effect.
- Keep receipts and dated photos showing when a rifle or magazine was acquired; proof of pre-ban ownership can matter.
- Traveling through a ban state? Federal safe-passage (18 U.S.C. 926A) requires the firearm to be unloaded and inaccessible, and some states read it narrowly. Plan the route.
- Federal NFA changes do not override state suppressor or short-barrel bans. See Suppressor Buyers Guide.com and NFA Buyers Guide.com for item-by-item guidance.
- Follow the Supreme Court cases on the Court Cases page and track key dates on Gun Calendars.com. Questions can go to Ask Gun Questions.com.
Sources
- VPM: Virginia Assault Weapons Ban on Hold Until Supreme Court Hears Gun Cases (July 30, 2026)
- Supreme Court Docket No. 25-238, Viramontes v. Cook County
- SCOTUSblog: Viramontes v. Cook County case file
- NRA-ILA: Third Circuit Grants Stay in New Jersey AWB/Magazine Ban Case
- Scripps News: Virginia Governor Signs Assault Weapons Ban Into Law
- NRA-ILA: Legal Fight Against Colorado’s Permit-to-Purchase Law
Background and Resources
The Original Map
The original 2021 map, assembled by hand from standard-capacity human effort. The robots handle the updates now.
States that ban registered NFA firearms
Vintage 2021, made in the dark ages before ATF changed its mind and before the robots learned geography.