What states are felons friendly with guns?

Asked by: Reynold O'Conner  |  Last update: April 18, 2026
Score: 4.2/5 (17 votes)

Under federal law, convicted felons are generally prohibited from owning guns across the U.S., but some states offer pathways to restore gun rights, such as through pardons, expungements, or specific court applications, with Vermont historically being unique in its lack of state-level restrictions, though federal law still applies, making it complex for any felon to legally own firearms nationwide without specific restoration processes. Rights restoration varies significantly by state, often requiring a pardon or expungement, with pathways differing for violent versus non-violent felonies, making it crucial to check individual state laws and federal regulations.

What states allow felons to have guns?

Generally, federal law bans felons from owning guns, but some states like Vermont have fewer restrictions, while others offer paths to restoration through pardons, expungements, or specific state processes, though federal prohibition often remains unless rights are restored at both state and federal levels. States like North Carolina, Oregon, Florida, and Mississippi have mechanisms for restoring rights, often tied to specific conditions or pardons, while Texas law allows it if state rights are restored, but federal law still applies. 

What is the most felon-friendly state?

The most friendly state for felons is Vermont, where no felons are disenfranchised and no voting restrictions.

What is the most gun-friendly state?

There isn't one single "most" gun-friendly state, as rankings vary, but New Hampshire, West Virginia, Montana, Arkansas, and South Dakota consistently appear at the top for having permissive gun laws, permitless carry, no sales tax on firearms, and strong "stand your ground" protections, with New Hampshire often leading due to its "Live Free or Die" stance and Constitutional Carry. States like Mississippi and Missouri also have very lenient laws, while California and New Jersey have the strictest.
 

Which state has the loosest gun laws?

Mississippi, Wyoming, and Arizona are frequently cited as having the loosest gun laws, with Mississippi often ranked as the most lenient due to minimal regulations, lacking permit requirements for concealed carry, and few restrictions on public carry, while Wyoming and Arizona also stand out for permitless carry and strong self-defense laws. New Hampshire and West Virginia are also noted for their relaxed approaches, with some sources placing New Hampshire at the top due to low crime and lax rules. 

What states can felons own guns?

38 related questions found

What is the hardest state to own a gun in?

Report Highlights:

  • Hawaii is the #1 worst state for gun owners due to strict purchasing and carry laws, as well as defying the Supreme Court on the individual's right to carry.
  • Massachusetts is the #2 worst state for gun owners due to its permit-to-purchase and reciprocity laws.

What is the least armed state in the US?

Rates of Gun Ownership by State

Wyoming has the highest rate of gun ownership, with an estimated 66 firearms per 100 residents. Massachusetts and New Jersey share the lowest rate at 14.7 firearms for every 100 residents. The state-level ownership may be lower due to data restraints.

What is the easiest state to get a firearm?

Montana, West Virginia, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Idaho, Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kentucky are the easiest states in which to buy a gun. Montana, New Hampshire, and West Virginia do not apply sales tax to firearms.

What is the most armed state in the US?

Texas consistently has the most guns by total number, often exceeding a million registered firearms, followed by Florida, Virginia, and California, largely due to their large populations; however, states like Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska lead in gun ownership rates (percentage of households owning guns). Data varies slightly by year and source (e.g., registered firearms vs. sales vs. household ownership), but Texas remains the top state for total gun numbers.
 

Which US state has the most strict laws?

Top Five Most Regulated States by Number of Restrictions (2022)

  • California – 403,774.
  • New York – 298,804.
  • New Jersey – 286,933.
  • Illinois – 279,147.
  • Texas – 273,106.

What states do not extradite felons?

South Carolina, Mississippi, and Louisiana have not adopted the Uniform Criminal Extradition Act, but have adopted other extradition laws.

Where can I live if I have a felony?

Renting from Smaller, Private Landlords.

People with criminal backgrounds often have more luck renting from small landlords, who might only own a few properties and thus have a more personal relationship to their tenants.

What state is #1 in crime in the USA?

Alaska often ranks #1 for violent crime rates per capita, followed closely by New Mexico, while some analyses also point to Louisiana for high murder rates or overall danger, though rankings vary slightly depending on whether violent crime, property crime, or general safety metrics are used, with data from 2024 and 2025 consistently showing Alaska and New Mexico leading in violent offenses. 

How far back does a background check go for guns?

A gun background check, run through the FBI's NICS system, generally looks back about five years for recent drug use or addiction, but for serious crimes like felonies, the prohibition is often permanent, while other disqualifiers (like domestic violence restraining orders) can be temporary. The check pulls from various databases (including FBI's IAFIS), so while recent activity is key, a criminal history, even older, can still trigger a denial if it makes you federally prohibited.
 

What is considered a firearm for a felon?

A firearm, as defined by 26 U.S.C. 5845(a)(4), is made when a handgun or other weapon with an overall length of less than 26 inches, or a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in length, is assembled or produced from a weapon originally assembled or produced only as a rifle.

What state has the most gun violence?

These are the 20 states with the highest firearm homicide rates in the country along with their gun-friendliness scores:

  • Louisiana: 11.0 (3)
  • Mississippi: 10.2 (5)
  • Alabama: 9.5 (4)
  • Missouri: 8.5 (5)
  • Maryland: 7.4 (1)
  • South Carolina: 7.4 (3)
  • Tennessee: 6.7 (4)
  • Illinois: 6.5 (2)

What is the most heavily armed county in the US?

Stewart County has the most armed 🔫 population in the 🇺🇸 per capita.

Which states have the best gun laws?

The top five ranked states are California, Massachusetts, Illinois, New York and Connecticut.

What state is the least gun friendly?

The 10 States With the Strictest Gun Laws

  • New York.
  • Connecticut.
  • Hawaii.
  • New Jersey.
  • Maryland.
  • Massachusetts.
  • Washington.
  • Colorado.

What's the hardest state to get a gun in?

Unsurprisingly, the states with the strictest gun laws generally have the lowest gun ownership rates. Massachusetts and New Jersey have the lowest gun ownership in the U.S. at 14.7%, Hawaii's is 14.9%, and New York's is 19.9%. Of the eight states with at least an A-, the highest gun ownership rate is 30.2% in Maryland.

What state has the toughest gun law?

California generally has the strictest gun laws in the U.S., leading in implementing comprehensive policies like assault weapon bans, strong background checks, ghost gun restrictions, and extreme risk protection orders, followed closely by states like New Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois, and Hawaii, according to analyses by gun safety organizations. These states often adopt numerous policies tracked by groups like Giffords and Everytown, leading to lower gun death rates compared to states with laxer laws.
 

What is the most heavily armed state in America?

Texas consistently has the most guns by total number, often exceeding a million registered firearms, followed by Florida, Virginia, and California, largely due to their large populations; however, states like Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska lead in gun ownership rates (percentage of households owning guns). Data varies slightly by year and source (e.g., registered firearms vs. sales vs. household ownership), but Texas remains the top state for total gun numbers.
 

What are the stand your ground states in 2025?

Thirty-eight states are stand-your-ground states, all but eight by statutes providing "that there is no duty to retreat from an attacker in any place in which one is lawfully present": Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, ...

What is the new law in Texas about guns?

As of 2021, Texas law no longer requires people to have a license to carry (LTC) in order to carry a handgun in most public places. As of 2021, Texas law no longer requires people to have a license to carry (LTC) to carry a handgun in most public places. Texans can still get a license to carry if they wish.