Many states give authorities more than three business days to complete a background check on a potential gun buyer.
These state laws take a variety of forms, including:
- Laws that explicitly prohibit or delay a gun sale if a background check is incomplete.
- Purchase permit systems that give authorities longer time periods to evaluate applications.
- Statutory waiting periods on gun sales.
Which states have closed or limited the Charleston Loophole?
22 states have adopted this policy
Alabama has not adopted this policy
Alaska has not adopted this policy
Arizona has not adopted this policy
Arkansas has not adopted this policy
California has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- 10-day waiting period for all firearm sales; extends time for background check to 30 days.
Colorado has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Dealer may not transfer firearm until background check is complete.
Connecticut has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Extends time for background check to 60 days
Delaware has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Extends time for background check to 25 days
Florida has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Dealers may not transfer gun until 3 business days have elapsed from purchase, or until background check is complete, whichever occurs later.
Georgia has not adopted this policy
Hawaii has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Permit to purchase not issued earlier than 14 days after application and authorities have up to 20 days to issue or deny permit.
Idaho has not adopted this policy
Illinois has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Authorities have 30 days to issue or deny application for permit, required to purchase any firearm.
Indiana has not adopted this policy
Iowa has not adopted this policy
Kansas has not adopted this policy
Kentucky has not adopted this policy
Louisiana has not adopted this policy
Maine has not adopted this policy
Maryland has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Authorities have 30 days to issue or deny application for permit to purchase a handgun; 7-day waiting period required for sales of certain firearms.
Massachusetts has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Authorities have 40 days to issue or deny permits to purchase firearms.
Michigan has not adopted this policy
Minnesota has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Requires a 30-day waiting period for dealer sales of handguns and semiautomatic military-style assault weapons (can be waived after purchaser determined not to be prohibited); authorities also have 30 days to issue or deny an application for permits to purchase firearms
Mississippi has not adopted this policy
Missouri has not adopted this policy
Montana has not adopted this policy
Nebraska has not adopted this policy
Nevada has not adopted this policy
New Hampshire has not adopted this policy
New Jersey has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Authorities have 30 days to issue or deny an application for permits to purchase firearms
New Mexico has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Requires 7-day waiting period for all firearms; extends time for background check to 20 days
New York has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Extends time for background check to 30 days.
North Carolina has not adopted this policy
North Dakota has not adopted this policy
Ohio has not adopted this policy
Oklahoma has not adopted this policy
Oregon has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Dealer may not transfer firearm until background check is complete.
Pennsylvania has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Extends time to complete background check to 10 days.
Rhode Island has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Requires 7-day waiting period for all firearms
South Carolina has not adopted this policy
South Dakota has not adopted this policy
Tennessee has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Authorities deny sales if prospective purchaser charged with crime that would prohibit them from firearm possession, even if final disposition is not available to background check operator.
Texas has not adopted this policy
Utah has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Dealer may not transfer firearm until background check is complete.
Vermont has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Extends time for background check to 7 business days
Virginia has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Extends time to complete background check to 5 days.
Washington has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Dealer may not transfer firearm until background check is complete.
West Virginia has not adopted this policy
Wisconsin has adopted this policy
- What does the state law require?
- Dealers must wait 5 business days to transfer handgun if authorities have not resolved the background check.
Wyoming has not adopted this policy
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