Which States Have the Most Lax Gun Laws? Find Out Where Your State Ranks! – Simple Family Preparedness
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Gun control is a hot topic in America’s political arena, revealing deep divisions between Democratic and Republican voters. According to a Pew Research Center study, 86% of Democratic voters believe it’s too easy to legally buy a gun, a view shared by only 34% of Republicans.
While gridlock in Washington D.C. stalls major national legislation on gun control, states have the freedom to set their own rules. This has resulted in a varied landscape of state-level gun laws. Some states have introduced tougher measures, like better background checks and stricter eligibility requirements, but many stick closely to federal guidelines.
Using data from the Annual Gun Law Scorecard by the Gifford Law Center, a gun violence prevention entity, we’ve pulled together a list of the states with the most lenient gun control laws. According to the Scorecard, which grades states from “A” to “F” based on the rigor of their gun laws, each of the 21 states listed here has earned an “F”. Notably, the majority of these states lie in the South. In several of these regions, gun purchasers can bypass federal background checks by buying from private sellers.
The laws often allow concealed carry without a permit and restrict law enforcement’s ability to seize firearms during crises. These minimalistic approaches generally cover only basic child access prevention and ownership bans for domestic violence perpetrators and certain mentally ill individuals. The goal behind gun control is to prevent firearms from falling into dangerous hands and to minimize gun-related fatalities. Without stringent controls, states often experience heightened rates of gun violence. Interestingly, you’ll see from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s report on firearm mortality, that nine of the ten states with the highest firearm mortality rates are among those with the most lenient laws.
Alabama
Alabama’s approach to gun control is notably lax, meriting it an “F” grade. The state’s laws are particularly lenient, with no requirements for universal background checks, licensing of gun owners, or restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. The lack of concealed carry permits, waiting periods, and robust child access prevention laws underlines Alabama’s minimalistic regulatory framework. The state witnessed a high gun death rate in 2021, with 26.4 fatalities per 100,000 people, ranking it fourth highest in the nation.
Alaska
In Alaska, the freedom to bear arms is taken to another level, reflected in its “F” grading for gun law strength. Like Alabama, Alaska does not impose universal background checks or licensing for gun owners. The state’s absence of significant restrictions on assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and concealed carry permits emphasizes its permissive stance. In 2021, Alaska’s gun death rate stood at 25.2 per 100,000 individuals, positioning it as the sixth highest in the country.
Arizona
Arizona’s gun laws offer a high degree of liberty to its residents, leading to an “F” rating. While it enforces prohibitions on firearms at polling places and mandates mental health record reporting, the state eschews universal background checks, licensing, and extreme risk protection orders. The lack of restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and the absence of waiting periods for gun purchases showcase Arizona’s lenient regulatory environment. The state recorded 18.3 gun deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, ranking it 17th nationally.
Arkansas
Arkansas stands out for its minimal gun control measures, earning an “F” grade. The state’s partial reporting of mental health records is overshadowed by the absence of universal background checks, licensing requirements, and significant domestic violence gun laws. The lack of restrictions on assault weapons high-capacity magazines and the absence of stringent concealed carry laws contribute to its liberal gun policy. In 2021, Arkansas experienced a gun death rate of 23.3 per 100,000 people, placing it eighth in the U.S.
Georgia
Georgia’s gun regulations, or the lack thereof, secure it an “F” rating. While it has enacted strong open carry restrictions and child access prevention laws, the state does not require universal background checks or licensing for gun ownership. The absence of extreme risk protection orders, domestic violence gun laws, and restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines highlight Georgia’s permissive stance towards firearms. In 2021, the state’s gun death rate was 20.3 per 100,000 people, ranking it 14th across the nation.
Idaho
Idaho stands firm on its commitment to gun rights, receiving an “F” grade for gun law strength. Despite requiring mental health record reporting, the state staunchly opposes universal background checks, licensing, and most other gun control measures. Idaho’s approach reflects its dedication to preserving its citizens’ Second Amendment rights. With a gun death rate of 16.3 per 100,000 people in 2021, Idaho’s policies are a testament to the state’s balance between freedom and responsibility.
Iowa
Iowa’s gun laws are notably lenient, earning it an “F” grade. While the state enforces certain domestic violence gun laws and a child access prevention law, it remains free of universal background checks and other restrictions common in more regulated states. This approach underscores Iowa’s belief in individual rights over broad regulatory measures. With a relatively low gun death rate of 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2021, Iowa demonstrates that it’s possible to maintain public safety without stringent gun control.
Kansas
Kansas prioritizes gun owner freedoms, as evidenced by its “F” rating. Apart from mental health record reporting, the state has minimal gun control measures, reflecting a strong commitment to Second Amendment rights. Kansas’s gun laws embody the state’s trust in its residents to use firearms responsibly. Despite this, the state had a gun death rate of 17.3 per 100,000 people in 2021, highlighting the ongoing debate over the impact of gun laws on public safety.
Kentucky
Kentucky’s approach to gun legislation, marked by an “F” grade, emphasizes minimal intervention. With child access prevention laws as its primary control measure, the state otherwise champions extensive gun rights. Kentucky’s stance is rooted in a tradition of respecting individual freedoms and self-defense rights. This philosophy resulted in a gun death rate of 21.1 per 100,000 people in 2021, reflecting the complex relationship between gun laws and gun violence rates.
Louisiana
Louisiana’s gun laws, receiving an “F” grade, focus on preserving gun ownership rights with few restrictions. The state enacts specific domestic violence gun laws but stops short of broader controls. Louisiana’s high gun death rate of 29.1 per 100,000 people in 2021, the second highest in the nation, underscores the challenges it faces in balancing gun rights with public safety concerns.
Mississippi
Mississippi’s gun policy framework, rated “F”, emphasizes a hands-off approach, with limited controls such as partial mental health record reporting and child access prevention laws. The state’s strong support for gun rights is evident in its lack of universal background checks and other common restrictions. With the highest gun death rate in the country at 33.9 per 100,000 people in 2021, Mississippi’s gun laws are a focal point in the national conversation on gun control and public safety.
Missouri
In Missouri, gun laws are characterized by their leniency, garnering an “F” grade for their lack of stringency. The state has implemented partial strong open carry restrictions and child access prevention laws, yet it falls short in areas such as universal background checks, licensing of gun owners, and the enactment of extreme risk protection orders. Additionally, Missouri lacks comprehensive domestic violence gun laws, restrictions on assault weapons, and bans on large-capacity magazines. Despite these minimal regulations, Missouri reported a high gun death rate of 23.2 per 100,000 people in 2021, ranking it 9th highest in the nation.
Montana
Montana’s approach to gun legislation is marked by a high degree of freedom, resulting in an “F” rating. The state provides certain protections against domestic violence but does not mandate universal background checks, owner licensing, or extreme risk protection orders. Additionally, Montana has no significant restrictions on assault weapons or high-capacity magazines and allows for concealed carry without a permit. Its gun death rate in 2021 was 25 per 100,000 people, placing Montana among the states with the highest rates of gun fatalities.
North Dakota
North Dakota’s gun laws are minimally restrictive, earning the state an “F” grade. While it has enacted some measures related to child access prevention, North Dakota lacks comprehensive background checks, licensing requirements for gun owners, and restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. The state also does not have strong domestic violence gun laws or extreme risk protection orders in place. In 2021, North Dakota’s gun death rate was 14.6 per 100,000 people, reflecting the consequences of its lenient gun control policies.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s permissive stance on gun control is reflected in its “F” rating. The state has minimal regulations beyond basic child access prevention laws and does not require universal background checks, gun owner licensing, or have restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Oklahoma’s approach to gun legislation emphasizes individual rights over regulatory measures, resulting in a gun death rate of 23.7 per 100,000 people in 2021, making it one of the states with the highest rates of gun fatalities.
South Dakota
South Dakota’s gun laws, which have earned the state an “F” grade, are among the least restrictive in the nation. The state’s legislative framework lacks universal background checks, licensing for gun owners, and significant restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Additionally, South Dakota does not have strong measures in place to prevent domestic violence perpetrators from accessing guns or to implement extreme risk protection orders. The gun death rate in South Dakota was 14.9 per 100,000 people in 2021, underscoring the potential impact of lenient gun control laws on public safety.
Tennessee
Tennessee’s gun control measures are notably lenient, resulting in an “F” rating. The state has not implemented universal background checks, licensing for gun owners, or significant restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. While there are some provisions related to domestic violence and child access prevention, Tennessee’s overall approach to gun legislation is permissive. The state’s gun death rate in 2021 was 24.6 per 100,000 people, ranking it among the highest in the nation.
Texas
Texas is known for its strong stance on the Second Amendment, earning an “F” grade for its gun law strength from the Gifford Law Center. The state has some measures in place, such as mental health record reporting and a child access prevention law. However, Texas stands out for what it doesn’t regulate: there are no requirements for universal background checks, licensing of gun owners, or extreme risk protection orders. Additionally, Texas does not restrict assault weapons, large capacity magazines, impose waiting periods, or necessitate permits for concealed or open carry. In 2021, Texas reported a gun death rate of 15.6 per 100,000 people, placing it in the lower half of states for firearm mortality rates, with a total of 4,613 gun-related deaths.
In Utah, the approach to gun control is similarly relaxed, meriting an “F” grade for gun law strength. The state has enacted domestic violence gun laws and child access prevention laws, and it benefits from an extended background check period and a state background check database. Despite these controls, Utah does not enforce universal background checks, licensing for gun ownership, extreme risk protection orders, or restrictions on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines. There are also no waiting periods, concealed carry permit requirements, or robust open carry restrictions in place. Utah’s gun death rate in 2021 was 13.9 per 100,000 people, ranking it as the 16th lowest among the states, with 450 total gun-related fatalities.
West Virginia’s permissive gun laws have earned it an “F” grade, with the state implementing minimal controls such as domestic violence gun laws. However, it lacks universal background checks, licensing for gun owners, extreme risk protection orders, assault weapon restrictions, large-capacity magazine bans, and waiting periods. There are no requirements for concealed carry permits or significant open carry restrictions, nor are there child access prevention laws. In 2021, West Virginia experienced a gun death rate of 17.3 per 100,000 people, positioning it as having the 19th highest rate of firearm mortality among the states, with a total of 319 gun-related deaths.
Wyoming
Wyoming’s stance on gun control is among the most lenient in the United States, reflected by an “F” grade in gun law strength. The state’s notable gun control measure is a ban on concealed carry in bars. Beyond this, Wyoming does not mandate universal background checks, licensing for gun owners, extreme risk protection orders, or domestic violence gun laws. It also lacks restrictions on assault weapons, large capacity magazines, waiting periods, and does not require permits for concealed or open carry, nor does it have child access prevention laws. Wyoming’s approach to gun legislation resulted in a gun death rate of 26.1 per 100,000 people in 2021, marking it as the 5th highest in the country, with a total of 155 gun-related fatalities.
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