Invented in 1909. Banned in a wave of states. Taxed by Washington in 1934.Legal to own and hunt in 41 states today.
Play the Suppressor Timeline in 2A Maps125 Years at a Glance
Every bar counts the same 52: all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico.
Key Moments
1909 Hiram Percy Maxim patents the first commercial silencer. Maine, North Dakota and Washington pass the first restrictions the same year.
1909–37 13 jurisdictions ban suppressors outright and 7 more ban hunting with them, mostly over poaching.
1934 The National Firearms Act adds federal registration and a $200 tax stamp.
1950–99 States rewrite criminal and game codes. For 16 of them the year their suppressor law changed is not yet documented.
2006–16 Michigan, Kansas and Missouri open ownership, then hunting returns in 21 states in six years.
2022 Vermont, a ban state since 1912, allows suppressor hunting.
2026 The federal $200 tax drops to $0 on January 1. Kansas removes suppressors from its state weapons law.
State by State
Each pill is the year a state’s law changed, in that new status’s color.Gray pills are years not yet confirmed.
| State | Today | Changes Since 1900 |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Own and Hunt | 1950–9920002014 |
| Alaska | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| Arizona | Own and Hunt | 19292012 |
| Arkansas | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| California | Banned | 1933 |
| Colorado | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| Connecticut | Own, No Hunting | 1917 |
| Delaware | Banned | 19271937 |
| Florida | Own and Hunt | 19572014 |
| Georgia | Own and Hunt | 1950–9920002014 |
| Hawaii | Banned | 1933 |
| Idaho | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| Illinois | Banned | 1950–992000 |
| Indiana | Own and Hunt | 1950–9920002013 |
| Iowa | Own and Hunt | 1950–7819792016 |
| Kansas | Own and Hunt | 1950–99200020082011 |
| Kentucky | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| Louisiana | Own and Hunt | 19182014 |
| Maine | Own and Hunt | 190919912015 |
| Maryland | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| Massachusetts | Banned | 1926 |
| Michigan | Own and Hunt | 192720062016 |
| Minnesota | Own and Hunt | 19132015 |
| Mississippi | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| Missouri | Own and Hunt | 1950–9920002011 |
| Montana | Own and Hunt | 19212015 |
| Nebraska | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| Nevada | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| New Hampshire | Own and Hunt | 1950–9920002016 |
| New Jersey | Banned | 19111927 |
| New Mexico | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| New York | Banned | 1916 |
| North Carolina | Own and Hunt | 1950–9920002013 |
| North Dakota | Own and Hunt | 19091950–8419852013 |
| Ohio | Own and Hunt | 1950–7319742015 |
| Oklahoma | Own and Hunt | 1950–9920002012 |
| Oregon | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| Pennsylvania | Own and Hunt | 19231950–992000 |
| Puerto Rico | Banned | 1950–992000 |
| Rhode Island | Banned | 1927 |
| South Carolina | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| South Dakota | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| Tennessee | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| Texas | Own and Hunt | 1950–7319741976–9920002012 |
| Utah | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| Vermont | Own and Hunt | 191220152022 |
| Virginia | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| Washington | Own and Hunt | 19092011 |
| Washington, DC | Banned | 1932 |
| West Virginia | Own and Hunt | No state restriction since 1900 |
| Wisconsin | Own and Hunt | 1950–901991 |
| Wyoming | Own and Hunt | 19212013 |
See Every State on the Suppressor Map
Sources
Duke Center for Firearms Law: Repository of Historical Gun Laws American Suppressor Association: Legislative History Incomparable Burden: The Unconstitutionality of State Silencer Restrictions Maine Legislature: LD 106 (1991) Michigan Compiled Laws 750.224 Texas Attorney General Opinion H-577 (1975) Lawrence Journal-World: Kansas 2008 law Missouri HB 294 (2011) Iowa Acts 2016, Chapter 1044 Washington Laws 1959, Chapter 143 Delaware Session Laws 1937 Montana Code 87-3-123