A firearm specially adapted for silent discharge is an offensive weapon; the only defence requires the defendant to prove compliance with the National Firearms Act by a preponderance.
"he complied with the National Firearms Act"
Pennsylvania Gun Laws
Pennsylvania is a shall-issue License to Carry Firearms (LTCF) state administered by county sheriffs — or by the Philadelphia Police Commissioner for residents of that city. Open carry is generally lawful for adults 18 and older without a permit throughout most of Pennsylvania, but the LTCF is required to carry concealed, to carry in a vehicle, and to carry openly or concealed anywhere in Philadelphia (the only 'city of the first class'). Pennsylvania has strong state preemption of local firearm regulation, no state assault-weapon ban, no magazine-capacity limit, no firearm registry, and no red-flag law.
Sourced from official state legislature, AG, and ATF documents. Last verified October 16, 2026.
At a Glance
In a Vehicle
Common Questions
Do I need a permit to carry concealed in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Pennsylvania is a shall-issue state and is not permitless. You need a License to Carry Firearms (LTCF) to carry concealed on your person or in any vehicle. Carrying concealed without an LTCF — outside your home or fixed place of business — is a felony of the third degree under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6106(a)(1).
Can I open carry without a permit in Pennsylvania?
Yes, in most of Pennsylvania. Section 6106 only requires a license for concealed carry and vehicle carry, so adults who are not federally prohibited may openly carry a holstered handgun statewide without an LTCF. The major exception is Philadelphia, where § 6108 requires an LTCF for any carry in public — though a 2025 Superior Court ruling held that requirement unconstitutional as applied to unlicensed open carriers.
Why are the rules different in Philadelphia?
18 Pa.C.S. § 6108 singles out 'cities of the first class' — and Philadelphia is the only one — by requiring a License to Carry Firearms for any carry of a firearm, rifle, or shotgun on Philadelphia public streets or public property. The carve-out is built into the state Uniform Firearms Act itself; it is not a Philadelphia ordinance and is therefore not vulnerable to the state preemption statute. In June 2025, in Commonwealth v. Sumpter, the Pennsylvania Superior Court held § 6108 unconstitutional as applied to unlicensed open carry by a Philadelphia resident — but the ruling is narrow (as-applied, open carry only), so § 6108 remains the operating rule for concealed carry in Philadelphia.
Can I keep a loaded handgun in my glove box or center console without a permit?
No. Pennsylvania does not have a glove box, console, or trunk exception. Carrying a firearm in any vehicle without an LTCF (or a recognized out-of-state permit, or one of the narrow exceptions in § 6106(b)) is a felony of the third degree. The only no-permit vehicle option is to transport the firearm unloaded, in a secure wrapper, between specific statutory locations under § 6106(b)(8).
How do I get a Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms?
Apply with your county sheriff (or, if you live in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Police Commissioner). You must be at least 21 years of age, statutorily eligible under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6109(e)(1), and pay a $19 fee. Pennsylvania does not require a training course. The sheriff has up to 45 days to investigate and issue or deny. The license is valid for five years.
Can I carry on school grounds in Pennsylvania?
No. 18 Pa.C.S. § 912 makes it a misdemeanor of the first degree to possess a weapon — including a firearm — on the grounds, in the buildings of, or in any conveyance to or from any elementary or secondary school (public, private, or parochial). The statute provides an affirmative 'other lawful purpose' defense, but its scope is uncertain and PA defense attorneys advise LTCF-holders not to rely on it.
Is Pennsylvania a stand-your-ground state?
Yes, with conditions. Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 505(b)(2.3), a non-criminal actor in lawful possession of a firearm has no duty to retreat when attacked in a place he has a right to be, if the assailant displays or uses a firearm, replica, or other weapon readily or apparently capable of lethal use. Pennsylvania also has a castle-doctrine presumption for unlawful forceful entry into a dwelling, residence, or occupied vehicle. Outside those scenarios, the general duty to retreat with complete safety still applies.
Can my employer ban guns in their parking lot?
Yes. Pennsylvania has not enacted a 'guns in trunks' employer-parking-lot statute. Private employers may bar firearms inside the workplace and in the company parking area as a condition of employment, and there is no state-law cause of action for an employee disciplined for violating that policy.
Do I have to tell police I'm armed during a traffic stop?
No. Pennsylvania has no statutory duty to volunteer that you are armed. LTCF-holders must carry the license, but the Uniform Firearms Act does not require proactive disclosure during a police encounter.
Are silencers, SBRs, and machine guns legal in Pennsylvania?
Yes, with NFA compliance. 18 Pa.C.S. § 908 lists machine guns, sawed-off shotguns under 18 inches, and firearms specially adapted for silent discharge as prohibited 'offensive weapons,' but full compliance with the federal National Firearms Act is an affirmative defense under § 908(b)(1). NFA-registered suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and machine guns are lawful to possess in Pennsylvania.
Do I need to register my gun in Pennsylvania?
No. 18 Pa.C.S. § 6111.4 expressly prohibits any government or law enforcement agency from creating, maintaining, or operating any firearm-ownership registry in the Commonwealth.
Does Pennsylvania have a red flag law?
No. Pennsylvania has not enacted an extreme risk protection order statute. ERPO bills have repeatedly passed the Pennsylvania House but have not cleared the Senate, and none has been signed into law. The most recent firearm-policy enactment in Pennsylvania is Act 79 of 2018 (PFA firearm-relinquishment).
How old do I have to be to buy a handgun in Pennsylvania?
Twenty-one to buy a handgun from a federally licensed dealer (federal rule under 18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(1)) and eighteen to buy a long gun from a federally licensed dealer. Pennsylvania imposes no additional minimum purchase age beyond federal law for FFL sales; private long-gun transfers between two non-prohibited PA residents are not bound by these federal FFL minimums.
Does Pennsylvania honor my out-of-state permit, and which states honor a Pennsylvania LTCF?
Pennsylvania has formal reciprocity agreements with about 16 states (Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho-Enhanced, Kentucky, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota-Class 1, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia-Regular, and Wyoming) and is unilaterally honored by an additional 15 (Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin). Pennsylvania requires that the visiting permit-holder be both a resident of the issuing state and at least 21 years of age. Always check the PA Attorney General's reciprocity page before traveling.
Do I need a background check for a private firearm sale in Pennsylvania?
Handgun private sales: Yes — they must go through a federally licensed dealer or the county sheriff with a PICS background check. Long-gun private sales: No — two PA residents who are not prohibited persons may complete a private long-gun transfer directly without involving a dealer or running PICS. The PICS fee at a dealer is $2 (plus a $3 surcharge on a firearm 'subject to tax').
Suppressors and Short-Barreled Rifles
Since October 9, 2026, ATF does not require federal registration or a tax stamp for suppressors or short-barreled rifles (what changed and what didn't). Pennsylvania's own law still applies, and it is set out below.
Owning a Suppressor
Legal under state law
Title 18 § 908(c) of the Consolidated Statutes defines 'offensive weapons' to include any firearm specially made or specially adapted for silent discharge, and possession is a first-degree misdemeanor. Section 908(b)(1) gives the defendant a defence if he proves by a preponderance that he complied with the National Firearms Act, so the burden is on the owner and the defence is keyed to requirements ATF has stopped enforcing. There is no state permit or registry.
Hunting With a Suppressor
Allowed
No Pennsylvania hunting rule restricts suppressors. Title 34 § 2308(a), the unlawful devices and methods section, has no silencer clause, and a full-text read of the Game Commission's current Hunting and Trapping Digest found no occurrence of suppressor or silencer while expressly banning automatic firearms and certain semi-autos for big game. Lawful hunting still rides on the § 908 compliance defence.
Short-Barreled Rifles
Legal
Short-barreled rifles are simply not listed. Section 908(c) reaches a sawed-off shotgun with a barrel under 18 inches and says nothing about rifles, so short-barreled shotguns carry the same National Firearms Act compliance defence while short-barreled rifles are unregulated. Pennsylvania has no assault weapon definition and no overall-length rule.
The section lists prohibited devices and methods and contains no silencer or muffling clause beyond a catch-all for devices prohibited elsewhere in the title or by Commission regulation.
34 Pa.C.S. § 2308(a) (unlawful devices and methods — no silencer clause)
ATF stopped requiring NFA approval and registration for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and AOWs on October 9, 2026, but says the policy does not affect state or local law and that it cannot say whether an unregistered item counts as lawfully held under federal law for state-law purposes. FPC wrote to the Pennsylvania attorney general on October 9, 2026. Rep. Rob Kauffman is circulating a co-sponsorship memorandum for a bill to strike suppressors and short-barreled long guns from § 908; no bill has been introduced.
"ATF cannot opine on whether holding an unregistered firearm or silencer pursuant to ATF's enforcement discretion will qualify for state-law purposes as lawfully held (or registered) under federal law."
Checked against the statutes on October 11, 2026. Compare suppressor prices.
Permitless / Constitutional Carry
Pennsylvania does not have permitless concealed carry. Carrying concealed on the person or in a vehicle requires either an LTCF under § 6109 or a recognized out-of-state permit under § 6106(b)(15). Carrying without one of those, except in one's place of abode or fixed place of business, is a felony of the third degree under § 6106(a)(1).
"A license to carry a firearm shall be for the purpose of carrying a firearm concealed on or about one's person or in a vehicle throughout this Commonwealth."
Concealed Carry Permit
Pennsylvania issues a License to Carry Firearms (LTCF) to applicants who are 21 years of age or older. Resident applicants apply to the sheriff of their county of residence; residents of a city of the first class (Philadelphia) apply to the chief of police. The license authorizes carrying a firearm concealed on or about the person or in a vehicle throughout the Commonwealth.
"An individual who is 21 years of age or older may apply to a sheriff for a license to carry a firearm concealed on or about his person or in a vehicle within this Commonwealth."
18 Pa.C.S. § 6109(b) statute
An LTCF is valid throughout the Commonwealth for a period of five years unless revoked or extended due to overseas military deployment.
"A license to carry a firearm issued under subsection (e) shall be valid throughout this Commonwealth for a period of five years unless extended under paragraph (3) or sooner revoked."
18 Pa.C.S. § 6109(f)(1) statute
The fee for the License to Carry Firearms is $19, which includes a $1.50 renewal notice processing fee and a $5 administrative fee under the Sheriff Fee Act. No training course is required by statute.
"the fee for a license to carry a firearm is $19. This includes all of the following: (i) A renewal notice processing fee of $1.50. (ii) An administrative fee of $5 under section 14(2) of the act of July 6, 1984 (P.L.614, No.127), known as the Sheriff Fee Act."
18 Pa.C.S. § 6109(h)(1) statute
The Pennsylvania State Police confirms that a License to Carry Firearms is required to carry a firearm concealed on the body or in a vehicle, and that residents of Philadelphia apply with the chief of police rather than the county sheriff.
"A License to Carry Firearms allows you to carry a firearm concealed on your body or in a vehicle."
Pennsylvania State Police — Carrying Firearms in Pennsylvania ag
Open Carry
Section 6106 prohibits carrying a firearm concealed on the person, or in a vehicle, without a license. Because the statute does not reach open carry outside a vehicle, open carry of a firearm by adults who are not federally prohibited is generally lawful throughout Pennsylvania without an LTCF — except in Philadelphia (city of the first class), which is separately governed by § 6108.
"any person who carries a firearm in any vehicle or any person who carries a firearm concealed on or about his person, except in his place of abode or fixed place of business, without a valid and lawfully issued license under this chapter commits a felony of the third degree."
18 Pa.C.S. § 6106(a) (negative inference — only concealed and vehicle carry require a license) statute
In a city of the first class — Philadelphia is the only one — no person may carry a firearm, rifle, or shotgun upon the public streets or any public property unless the person is licensed under § 6109 or is exempt from licensing under § 6106(b). This rule has applied to both open and concealed carry within Philadelphia.
"No person shall carry a firearm, rifle or shotgun at any time upon the public streets or upon any public property in a city of the first class unless: (1) such person is licensed to carry a firearm; or (2) such person is exempt from licensing under section 6106(b) of this title."
18 Pa.C.S. § 6108 statute
The Pennsylvania Superior Court held § 6108 unconstitutional as applied on equal protection grounds to a defendant prosecuted for unlicensed open carry in Philadelphia. The ruling is an as-applied — not facial — invalidation, and addresses only open carry; § 6108 remains in force as to concealed carry within Philadelphia.
"Sumpter's arguments concern only the application of Section 6108 to 'particular circumstances,' namely, the unlicensed open carry of a firearm within Philadelphia."
Commonwealth v. Sumpter, 2025 PA Super 124 (Pa. Super. June 23, 2025) court
Vehicle Carry
Carrying a firearm in any vehicle without an LTCF is a felony of the third degree. There is no glove box, console, trunk, or unloaded-and-cased exception for the vehicle-carry offense in § 6106(a); the LTCF (or a recognized out-of-state permit, or another statutory exception in § 6106(b)) is required for any vehicle carry.
"any person who carries a firearm in any vehicle or any person who carries a firearm concealed on or about his person, except in his place of abode or fixed place of business, without a valid and lawfully issued license under this chapter commits a felony of the third degree."
18 Pa.C.S. § 6106(a)(1) statute
A person without an LTCF may transport a firearm in a vehicle only when the firearm is not loaded and is in a secure wrapper and is being moved between a list of statutorily approved locations (home, business, place of repair, sale, appraisal, instruction, vacation/recreation home, or court-ordered relinquishment location).
"Any person while carrying a firearm which is not loaded and is in a secure wrapper from the place of purchase to his home or place of business, or to a place of repair, sale or appraisal or back to his home or place of business, or in moving from one place of abode or business to another or from his home to a vacation or recreational home or dwelling or back..."
18 Pa.C.S. § 6106(b)(8) statute
Persons holding a valid out-of-state license or permit to carry are exempted from § 6106 only if the Attorney General has determined that the other state's firearm laws are similar to Pennsylvania's and that state provides a reciprocal privilege. The Attorney General publishes the list of recognized states.
"Any person who possesses a valid and lawfully issued license or permit to carry a firearm which has been issued under the laws of another state... provided: (i) The state provides a reciprocal privilege... (ii) The Attorney General has determined that the firearm laws of the state are similar to the firearm laws of this Commonwealth."
18 Pa.C.S. § 6106(b)(15) statute
Employer Parking-Lot Protection
Pennsylvania has not enacted a 'guns in trunks' or employer parking-lot statute. Private employers may prohibit firearms in their parking lots and inside the workplace, and the Uniform Firearms Act contains no statutory protection for an employee storing a firearm in a personal vehicle on employer property. Left secondary: an absence cannot be quoted from a primary text. On 2026-10-16 the previously quoted Giffords sentence ('Pennsylvania does not have a parking lot storage law') could not be found on Giffords' current Pennsylvania or guns-in-vehicles pages, so the quote was removed.
Reciprocity
The Pennsylvania Attorney General is empowered to negotiate reciprocity agreements with other states for mutual recognition of carry licenses. Recognition under § 6109(k) requires that the other state's firearm laws are similar to Pennsylvania's and that the state provides a reciprocal privilege.
"The Attorney General shall have the power and duty to enter into reciprocity agreements with other states providing for the mutual recognition of a license to carry a firearm issued by the Commonwealth and a license or permit to carry a firearm issued by the other state."
18 Pa.C.S. § 6109(k) statute
Pennsylvania has written reciprocity agreements with Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho (Enhanced only), Kentucky, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota (Class 1 only), South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia (Regular only), and Wyoming. Additional states unilaterally recognize PA licenses without a written agreement: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. PA's recognition condition is that the carrier must be both a resident of the issuing state and 21 years of age or older.
"Only individuals who are both residents of the state and 21 years of age or older may carry a concealed firearm in Pennsylvania."
Pennsylvania Attorney General — Concealed Carry Reciprocity Page ag
Castle Doctrine
Pennsylvania codifies a castle doctrine presumption: an actor is presumed to have a reasonable belief that deadly force is immediately necessary if the person against whom the force is used is unlawfully and forcefully entering, or has unlawfully and forcefully entered and is present within, a dwelling, residence, or occupied vehicle, or is attempting to unlawfully and forcefully remove another against that person's will from the dwelling, residence, or occupied vehicle.
"an actor is presumed to have a reasonable belief that deadly force is immediately necessary to protect himself against death, serious bodily injury, kidnapping or sexual intercourse compelled by force or threat if... The person against whom the force is used is in the process of unlawfully and forcefully entering, or has unlawfully and forcefully entered and is present within, a dwelling, residence or occupied vehicle."
18 Pa.C.S. § 505(b)(2.1) statute
Stand Your Ground
Pennsylvania has a stand-your-ground rule (added by Act 10 of 2011): an actor who is not engaged in criminal activity, not in illegal possession of a firearm, attacked in a place he has a right to be, and facing a person who displays or uses a firearm, replica firearm, or other weapon readily or apparently capable of lethal use has no duty to retreat and may use force including deadly force.
"An actor who is not engaged in a criminal activity, who is not in illegal possession of a firearm and who is attacked in any place where the actor would have a duty to retreat under paragraph (2)(ii) has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his ground and use force, including deadly force, if: (i) the actor has a right to be in the place where he was attacked; (ii) the actor believes it is immediately necessary..."
18 Pa.C.S. § 505(b)(2.3) statute
Outside of a dwelling, place of work, or the lethal-weapon scenario in subsection (b)(2.3), Pennsylvania retains a duty to retreat where it can be done with complete safety. The actor is not obliged to retreat from his dwelling or place of work unless he was the initial aggressor or is assailed in his place of work by another person whose place of work the actor knows it to be.
"the actor knows that he can avoid the necessity of using such force with complete safety by retreating, except the actor is not obliged to retreat from his dwelling or place of work, unless he was the initial aggressor or is assailed in his place of work by another person whose place of work the actor knows it to be."
18 Pa.C.S. § 505(b)(2)(ii) statute
Duty to Disclose
Pennsylvania imposes no statutory duty for a license-holder or permitless open carrier to proactively inform a law enforcement officer of an armed status during an encounter. LTCF-holders must carry the license while carrying and are subject to revocation procedures, but the Uniform Firearms Act contains no general 'duty to inform.'
"The original license shall be issued to the applicant... The license shall bear the following: The name, address, date of birth, race, sex, citizenship, height, weight, color of hair, color of eyes and signature of the licensee."
Prohibited Places
Possessing a weapon (including a firearm) in the buildings of, on the grounds of, or in any conveyance providing transportation to or from any elementary or secondary public, private, or parochial school is a misdemeanor of the first degree. The statute provides an affirmative defense for lawful supervised school activity or 'other lawful purpose.'
"A person commits a misdemeanor of the first degree if he possesses a weapon in the buildings of, on the grounds of, or in any conveyance providing transportation to or from any elementary or secondary publicly-funded educational institution, any elementary or secondary private school licensed by the Department of Education or any elementary or secondary parochial school."
18 Pa.C.S. § 912 statute
Knowingly possessing a firearm or other dangerous weapon in a court facility is a misdemeanor of the third degree (first degree if intent to commit a crime). An LTCF or § 6106(b) exemption does not authorize carry into the court facility, but a permit-holder who fails to check the firearm with a court locker before entering commits only a summary offense. Each county must provide lockers at court facility entrances.
"A person commits an offense if he... knowingly possesses a firearm or other dangerous weapon in a court facility or knowingly causes a firearm or other dangerous weapon to be present in a court facility."
18 Pa.C.S. § 913 statute
During a state or municipal emergency proclamation, no person may carry a firearm on public streets or public property unless actively defending life or property, holding an LTCF under § 6109, or qualifying for a § 6106(b) exemption. The 1995 amendment also bars confiscation of firearms during an emergency.
"No person shall carry a firearm upon the public streets or upon any public property during an emergency proclaimed by a State or municipal governmental executive unless that person is: (1) Actively engaged in a defense of that person's life or property from peril or threat. (2) Licensed to carry firearms under section 6109 or is exempt from licensing under section 6106(b)."
18 Pa.C.S. § 6107 statute
Background Checks
Pennsylvania is a point-of-contact state that operates the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS) through the State Police. Sales by licensed dealers require a PICS background check. Sales of handguns by private individuals must go through a licensed dealer or county sheriff and complete a background check; private sales of long guns between two PA residents who are not prohibited persons may be completed without involving a dealer or PICS.
"no licensed importer, licensed manufacturer or licensed dealer shall sell or deliver any firearm to another person... until the conditions of subsection (a) have been satisfied and until he has [completed the application/record of sale and obtained PICS approval]."
18 Pa.C.S. § 6111 statute
The Pennsylvania State Police operates the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS). The PICS fee is $2 per check; an additional $3 surcharge applies to sales of firearms subject to the state firearm tax by licensed dealers. PICS verifies eligibility against state and federal records and completes most checks in minutes.
"The fee for a PICS check for a firearm purchase or transfer is $2.00."
Minimum Purchase Age
Federal law requires that handguns be sold by a federally licensed dealer (FFL) only to buyers 21 or older, while long guns may be sold by an FFL to buyers 18 and older. Pennsylvania imposes no additional minimum purchase age beyond federal law at the FFL level; private long-gun transfers between two non-prohibited PA residents are not bound by these FFL minimums.
"A licensee may not sell a handgun to anyone under the age of 21. A licensee may not sell a long gun to anyone under the age of 18."
Pennsylvania separately prohibits any person under 18 from possessing or transporting a firearm, with narrow exceptions for supervised hunting/target shooting and for handgun possession that is part of a parent-to-child transfer for limited purposes. There is no general state ban on possession of a firearm by persons 18-20.
"18 Pa.C.S. § 6110.1 — Possession of firearm by minor."
18 Pa.C.S. § 6110.1 statute
Firearm Registration
Pennsylvania prohibits any registry of firearm ownership. No government or law enforcement agency, or any agent thereof, may create, maintain, or operate a registry of firearm ownership in the Commonwealth.
"nothing in this chapter shall be construed to allow any government or law enforcement agency or any agent thereof to create, maintain or operate any registry of firearm ownership within this Commonwealth."
18 Pa.C.S. § 6111.4 statute
Red Flag / ERPO
Pennsylvania has not enacted an extreme risk protection order (red flag) statute. The official bill histories show HB 1018 passed the House 102-99 on May 22, 2023 and was referred to Senate Judiciary on June 2, 2023, where it stayed (a discharge resolution was presented Oct. 8, 2024); its successor HB 1859 was defeated on final passage in the House 101-102 on Sept. 30, 2025, with a motion to reconsider pending. Corrected 2026-10-16: the earlier summary said the House passed an ERPO bill in 2024; the House vote was in May 2023. Read on palegis.us 2026-10-16.
"HB 1859: Third consideration and defeated on final passage, Sept. 30, 2025 (101-102). HB 1018: Third consideration and final passage, May 22, 2023 (102-99) ... In the Senate: Referred to JUDICIARY, June 2, 2023"
Assault Weapon Ban
Pennsylvania has no state-level assault weapons ban, and § 6120 preempts counties, municipalities, and townships from regulating the lawful possession, transfer, or transportation of firearms.
"No county, municipality or township may in any manner regulate the lawful ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of firearms, ammunition or ammunition components when carried or transported for purposes not prohibited by the laws of this Commonwealth."
Pennsylvania — no state AWB; § 6120 preempts local AWBs statute
Magazine Capacity
Pennsylvania imposes no magazine-capacity limit. The state preemption clause bars counties, municipalities, and townships from adopting any restriction on lawful ammunition or ammunition components, including magazine capacity.
"No county, municipality or township may in any manner regulate the lawful ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of firearms, ammunition or ammunition components when carried or transported for purposes not prohibited by the laws of this Commonwealth."
Pennsylvania — no magazine capacity limit; § 6120 preempts local limits statute
NFA Items
Pennsylvania's prohibited 'offensive weapons' statute lists machine guns, sawed-off shotguns with barrels under 18 inches, and firearms specially adapted for silent discharge. However, compliance with the federal National Firearms Act is an affirmative defense, so suppressors, short-barreled rifles/shotguns, and machine guns lawfully registered under the NFA may be possessed in Pennsylvania.
"It is a defense under this section for the defendant to prove by a preponderance of evidence that he... with the exception of a bomb, grenade or incendiary device, he complied with the National Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. § 5801 et seq.)."
18 Pa.C.S. § 908(b)(1) statute
Suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and machine guns are regulated under the federal National Firearms Act and require ATF registration to possess lawfully.
"The National Firearms Act (NFA) imposes a statutory excise tax on the manufacture and transfer of certain firearms and mandates the registration of those firearms."
State Preemption
Pennsylvania preempts local firearm regulation: no county, municipality, or township may regulate the lawful ownership, possession, transfer, or transportation of firearms, ammunition, or ammunition components when carried or transported for purposes not prohibited by Commonwealth law. The preemption clause was unanimously upheld by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2024.
"No county, municipality or township may in any manner regulate the lawful ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of firearms, ammunition or ammunition components when carried or transported for purposes not prohibited by the laws of this Commonwealth."
18 Pa.C.S. § 6120(a) statute
On November 20, 2024, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court unanimously rejected Philadelphia's substantive-due-process, state-created-danger, and delegated-duties challenges to the firearm preemption statute (§ 6120) and 53 Pa.C.S. § 2962(g), affirming the Commonwealth Court's dismissal. Pennsylvania remains a strong-preemption state. Read from the full text of the Supreme Court's opinion (as reproduced by Justia; the pacourts.us PDF could not be located by search) on 2026-10-16; Chief Justice Todd and Justices Donohue, Dougherty, Wecht and Mundy joined the opinion.
"Appellants have failed to state a legally cognizable claim that the FPLs are unconstitutional or otherwise infirm on the asserted grounds that: (1) the FPLs violate substantive due process; (2) the FPLs violate the state-created danger doctrine; and (3) the FPLs interfere with Philadelphia’s delegated duties under the LHAL and DPCL. Accordingly, we affirm"
Crawford v. Commonwealth, No. 19 EAP 2022, [J-44-2023] (Pa. Nov. 20, 2024) (opinion by Brobson, J.) court
Pennsylvania's Home Rule Charter and Optional Plans Law independently bars home-rule municipalities from regulating firearms. Section 2962(g) reinforces 18 Pa.C.S. § 6120 by removing firearm regulation from the powers any home-rule municipality may exercise, and was one of the two preemption provisions upheld in Crawford v. Commonwealth (Pa. 2024).
"Regulation of firearms.--A municipality shall not enact any ordinance or take any other action dealing with the regulation of the transfer, ownership, transportation or possession of firearms."
53 Pa.C.S. § 2962(g) statute
Recent Changes
Act 79 of 2018, effective April 10, 2019, amended the Uniform Firearms Act and the Protection from Abuse Act to require firearm relinquishment within 24 hours of (a) a misdemeanor conviction for a crime of domestic violence under federal law and (b) the entry of a final Protection from Abuse order. The Act remains the most recent firearm-policy statute enacted in Pennsylvania.
"Act 79 went into effect on April 10, 2019."
On November 20, 2024, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court unanimously upheld § 6120 firearm preemption against constitutional challenge brought by the City of Philadelphia, individual plaintiffs, and CeaseFirePA. The decision reaffirms that Pennsylvania municipalities cannot adopt local firearm regulations on lawful firearm conduct. Read from the full text of the Supreme Court's opinion (as reproduced by Justia; the pacourts.us PDF could not be located by search) on 2026-10-16; Chief Justice Todd and Justices Donohue, Dougherty, Wecht and Mundy joined the opinion.
"Appellants have failed to state a legally cognizable claim that the FPLs are unconstitutional or otherwise infirm on the asserted grounds that: (1) the FPLs violate substantive due process; (2) the FPLs violate the state-created danger doctrine; and (3) the FPLs interfere with Philadelphia’s delegated duties under the LHAL and DPCL. Accordingly, we affirm"
Crawford v. Commonwealth, No. 19 EAP 2022, [J-44-2023] (Pa. Nov. 20, 2024) (opinion by Brobson, J.) court
On June 23, 2025, a divided Pennsylvania Superior Court panel held § 6108 (the Philadelphia carry licensure requirement) unconstitutional as applied to a defendant prosecuted for unlicensed open carry on a Philadelphia public street, on equal-protection grounds. The ruling is an as-applied — not facial — invalidation and concerns only open carry; § 6108 remains in force for concealed carry within Philadelphia.
"Sumpter's arguments concern only the application of Section 6108 to 'particular circumstances,' namely, the unlicensed open carry of a firearm within Philadelphia."
Commonwealth v. Sumpter, 2025 PA Super 124 (Pa. Super. June 23, 2025) court
On January 18, 2024, the Third Circuit held that 18-to-20-year-olds are among 'the people' protected by the Second Amendment and reversed the District Court's dismissal of a challenge to Pennsylvania's combined statutory scheme (§§ 6106, 6107, 6109) that prevents that age group from carrying outside the home during a state of emergency. The U.S. Supreme Court later granted the Commissioner's certiorari petition, vacated the Third Circuit judgment, and remanded for reconsideration in light of United States v. Rahimi. The case remains in active litigation; the 21+ LTCF age remains the operating rule for new applicants except where enjoined.
"Lara v. Comm'r Pa. State Police, 91 F.4th 122 (3d Cir. 2024)"
Lara v. Commissioner Pennsylvania State Police, 91 F.4th 122 (3d Cir. 2024) court
Recent Law Changes
Commonwealth v. Sumpter — § 6108 unconstitutional as applied to unlicensed open carry in Philadelphia (Pa. Superior Court)
effective June 23, 2025A divided Pennsylvania Superior Court panel held 18 Pa.C.S. § 6108 — the statute requiring an LTCF to carry on Philadelphia public streets — unconstitutional as applied to a defendant convicted of unlicensed open carry in Philadelphia, on federal equal protection grounds. The decision is narrow: it is an as-applied invalidation only, reaches only open carry, and § 6108 remains in force for concealed carry in Philadelphia and is binding statewide as written until further appellate review.
Crawford v. Commonwealth — preemption upheld (Pa. Supreme Court)
effective November 20, 2024The Pennsylvania Supreme Court unanimously rejected Philadelphia's challenge to the firearm preemption statute (§ 6120) and 53 Pa.C.S. § 2962(g), holding that the City, individual residents, and CeaseFirePA failed to state a cognizable substantive-due-process, state-created-danger, or delegated-duties claim. The decision reaffirms that Pennsylvania municipalities cannot adopt local firearm regulation on lawful conduct.
Lara v. Commissioner PA State Police — 18-to-20-year-old carry ruling (Third Circuit)
effective January 18, 2024The Third Circuit Court of Appeals held that 18-to-20-year-olds are among 'the people' protected by the Second Amendment and reversed the District Court's dismissal of a challenge to Pennsylvania's combined statutory scheme (§§ 6106, 6107, 6109) preventing that age group from carrying outside the home during a state of emergency. The U.S. Supreme Court subsequently vacated the judgment and remanded for reconsideration in light of United States v. Rahimi. The 21+ LTCF age remains the operating rule for new applicants except where injunctions are in force; the litigation remains active.
Act 119 of 2022 — Offensive Weapons amendment
effective January 2, 2023Act 119 of 2022 (HB 1929) amended the definition of 'offensive weapons' in 18 Pa.C.S. § 908(c) to clarify treatment of stun guns, stun batons, tasers, and other electric weapons. The act was approved November 3, 2022, and took effect 60 days later. It did not alter the NFA-compliance defense applicable to suppressors, SBRs, and machine guns.
Act 79 of 2018 — Firearm Relinquishment in Domestic Violence and PFA cases
effective April 10, 2019Act 79 of 2018 (HB 2060) amended the Uniform Firearms Act and the Protection from Abuse Act to require relinquishment of firearms, ammunition, and a current LTCF within 24 hours of (a) a final Protection from Abuse order entered with a relinquishment requirement and (b) a misdemeanor crime-of-domestic-violence conviction. Relinquishment is to law enforcement, a licensed dealer, or a qualifying third party. Act 79 is the most recent firearm-policy statute enacted in Pennsylvania.
Where Carry Is Prohibited
School
Possession of a firearm or other weapon on the grounds of, in the buildings of, or in any conveyance to or from any elementary or secondary public, private, or parochial school is a misdemeanor of the first degree, subject to an affirmative defense for lawful supervised school activity or 'other lawful purpose.'
Courthouse
Knowingly possessing a firearm or other dangerous weapon in a court facility is a misdemeanor of the third degree; possession with intent to commit a crime is a misdemeanor of the first degree. Each county must provide free lockers at court facility entrances for LTCF-holders to check firearms before entering; a permit-holder who fails to check before entering commits only a summary offense.
Philadelphia Public Streets
In Philadelphia (the only Pennsylvania city of the first class), no person may carry a firearm, rifle, or shotgun on public streets or public property without an LTCF or a § 6106(b) exemption. The Pennsylvania Superior Court held this requirement unconstitutional as applied to unlicensed open carry in Commonwealth v. Sumpter (2025), but the rule remains in force for concealed carry and the statute is not facially struck.
Vehicle Without Ltcf
Carrying a firearm — loaded or unloaded — in any motor vehicle without an LTCF is a felony of the third degree (or a misdemeanor of the first degree for an otherwise-eligible person with no other criminal violation), unless the firearm is unloaded, in a secure wrapper, and being transported between statutorily approved locations under § 6106(b)(8).
State Emergency Public Property
During a state or municipal emergency proclamation, no person may carry a firearm on public streets or public property unless actively defending life or property, holding an LTCF under § 6109, or qualifying under a § 6106(b) exemption. The same statute also bars firearm or ammunition confiscation during an emergency unless the seizure would be authorized absent the emergency.
Reciprocity
Pennsylvania Honors Permits From
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CO
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States That Honor Pennsylvania's Permit
AK
AL
AR
AZ
CO
FL
GA
ID
IN
IA
KS
KY
LA
MI
MS
MO
MT
NC
ND
NE
NH
OH
OK
SD
TN
TX
UT
VA
WI
WV
WY
Sources & Methodology
Every fact on this page is paired with a citation to the underlying statute, attorney general guidance, court opinion, or ATF document. We do not rely on summaries from advocacy organizations as primary sources. Last verified October 16, 2026 against the official sources.
Legal Disclaimer — Please Read
This page is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. We are not attorneys and nothing here creates an attorney-client relationship. Gun laws are complex, change frequently, and are interpreted differently across jurisdictions and individual fact patterns.
Before relying on any information on this page — to carry a firearm, purchase a firearm, travel across state lines, or respond to a self-defense situation — you should:
- Verify the current text of any cited statute directly with the official state legislature, attorney general, or state police website.
- Check for amendments, pending litigation, or recent court rulings that may have changed the law since this page was last verified.
- Consult a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania for advice on your specific situation.
The controlling document is the statute or court ruling, not this page. We make no warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of this information, and we disclaim all liability for any reliance placed upon it.