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Secure Gun Storage

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    Secure Gun Storage

    What does it solve?

    Gun owners can make their homes and communities safer by storing their guns securely. This means storing them unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition.

    Guide to Secure Gun Storage Devices Report

    Research shows secure storage practices play a vital role in reducing the risk of gun violence. Storing firearms securely protects children and adults by preventing unintentional shootings, gun suicides, and gun theft.

      Which states have child-access and/or secure storage laws?

      AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

      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

      When does the law apply?
      Any time not in owner's immediate control
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      Yes

      Colorado has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      When child may or is likely to access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      Yes

      Connecticut has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      Any time not in owner's immediate control
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      Yes

      Delaware has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      After child gains access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      Yes

      Florida has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      After child gains access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 16
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      Georgia has not adopted this policy

      Hawaii has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      Any time not in owner's immediate control
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      Yes

      Idaho has not adopted this policy

      Illinois has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      When child may or is likely to access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      Yes

      Indiana has not adopted this policy

      Iowa has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      After child gains access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 14
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      Kansas has not adopted this policy

      Kentucky has not adopted this policy

      Louisiana has not adopted this policy

      Maine has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      After child gains access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 16
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      Maryland has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      When child may or is likely to access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      Massachusetts has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      Any time not in owner's immediate control
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      Michigan has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      After child gains access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      Minnesota has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      When child may or is likely to access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      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 adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      When child may or is likely to access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      New Hampshire has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      After child gains access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 16
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      New Jersey has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      After child gains access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 16
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      New Mexico has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      After child gains access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      New York has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      When child may or is likely to access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 16
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      Yes

      North Carolina has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      After child gains access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      North Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Ohio has not adopted this policy

      Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

      Oregon has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      Any time not in owner's immediate control
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      Pennsylvania has not adopted this policy

      Rhode Island has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      Any time not in owner's immediate control
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      Yes

      South Carolina has not adopted this policy

      South Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Tennessee has not adopted this policy

      Texas has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      After child gains access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 17
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      Utah has not adopted this policy

      Vermont has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      After child gains access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      Yes

      Virginia has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      When child may or is likely to access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 14
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      Washington has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      After child gains access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 18
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      Yes

      West Virginia has not adopted this policy

      Wisconsin has adopted this policy

      When does the law apply?
      After child gains access
      How does the state define child?
      Under 14
      Does the state law require storage to prevent access by other prohibited people?
      No

      Wyoming has not adopted this policy

      Myth

      Storage devices defeat the purpose of owning a gun by putting barriers between the gun owner and their means of defense.

      Fact

      There are many affordable options for firearm storage that provide owners with quick access to their guns while still preventing access by children and people at increased risk of harming themselves or others.

      Further, it is possible that unsecured guns may actually increase the likelihood of crime and violence through an increased risk of gun theft. Each year, an estimated 200,000 to 500,000 guns are stolen, and many are funneled into the underground market, where once-legally-owned firearms can be transferred to people with dangerous histories.

      How it works

      Secure storage prevents shootings by disrupting unauthorized access to firearms.

      Many states and Washington, DC, as well as several cities including New York and San Francisco, have enacted gun storage laws that hold gun owners accountable when children can or do access an unsecured gun. The strongest systems have consequences for any failure to secure a gun. Less-strong policies, sometimes called “Child-Access Prevention (CAP) laws,” penalize gun owners only if a child actually gains access to a firearm. While some state laws are concerned only with the threat of child access, others also include consequences if an un-secure gun is likely to be obtained by an adult who is legally prohibited from possession.

      Public awareness is also critical to ensuring that guns are stored securely. Everytown’s Be SMART campaign is one of many models that can be used by public officials and members of the community to build awareness of the importance of secure firearm storage.

      School districts across the country have also taken action by passing resolutions to require that information be sent home with students to educate parents about the importance of securely storing any firearms they own.1Students Demand Action, “Urge Your School Board to Act on School Safety,” January 26, 2022, https://studentsdemandaction.org/report/urge-your-school-board-to-act-on-school-safety/.  And in 2022, California became the first state in the country to enact a statewide secure storage notification policy.2Everytown for Gun Safety, ”Following Tireless Advocacy by California Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action, California Legislature Passes Groundbreaking Gun Violence Prevention Bills,” press release, August 9, 2022, https://www.everytown.org/press/following-tireless-advocacy-by-california-moms-demand-action-students-demand-action-california-legislature-passes-groundbreaking-gun-violence-prevention-bills/.

      We are all safer when guns are stored unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition. One study found that households that locked both firearms and ammunition were associated with a 78 percent lower risk of self-inflicted firearm injuries and an 85 percent lower risk of unintentional firearm injuries among children and teens, compared to those that locked neither.3David C. Grossman et al., “Gun Storage Practices and Risk of Youth Suicide and Unintentional Firearm Injuries,” JAMA 293, no. 6 (2005): 707–14, https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.293.6.707.

      Another estimated that if half of households with children that have at least one unlocked gun switched to locking all their guns, one-third of youth gun suicides and unintentional deaths could be prevented, saving an estimated 251 lives in a single year.4Michael C. Monuteaux et al., “Association of Increased Safe Household Firearm Storage with Firearm Suicide and Unintentional Death Among US Youths,” JAMA Pediatrics 173, no. 7 (2019): 657–62, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2019.1078. 

      By the numbers

      Victories

      You might be wondering…

      1. 1 How can I help make sure my child doesn’t gain access to an unsecured gun?
      3. 2 Is a gun that is hidden from view considered securely stored since children cannot readily access it?
      5. 3 My child received training telling them not to approach or play with a gun. Is that enough to keep them safe?

      Learn More

      Guide to Secure Gun Storage Devices Resource
      Ten Years of Preventable Tragedies: Unintentional Shootings by Children Resource
      Unload, Lock, and Separate: Secure Storage Practices to Reduce Gun Violence Resource
      Be SMART Resource
      The Rise of Firearm Suicide among Young Americans Resource
      Not An Accident: Unintentional Shootings by Children Resource
      Firearm Suicide in the United States Resource
      The Rise of Firearm Suicide Among Young Americans Resource
      Gun Theft from Cars: The Largest Source of Stolen Guns Resource
      Stolen Guns Pose a Tremendous Risk to Public Safety Resource
      Urge Your School Board to Act on School Safety Resource
      11%

      Did you know?

      States with laws that hold gun owners accountable when children access unsecured guns saw an 8 percent decrease in overall suicide rates, and an 11 percent decrease in firearm suicide rates, among adolescents aged 14 to 17.

      Webster D.W., Vernick J.S., Zeoli A.M., & Manganello J. A. “Association between youth-focused firearm laws and youth suicides”. JAMA. (2004). https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.292.5.594