How easy is it to get a gun in Charlotte? This is what current law allows
In a major expansion of gun rights, the Supreme Court said Thursday that Americans have a right to carry firearms in public.
The justices’ 6-3 decision follows a series of recent mass shootings and is expected to ultimately allow more people to legally carry guns on the streets of the nation’s largest cities, The Associated Press reported. About a quarter of the U.S. population live in states expected to be affected by the ruling, the high court’s first major gun decision in more than a decade.
Here’s what state law prohibits and allows when it comes to buying and owning a gun in North Carolina:
Age limits
For purchases from a licensed dealer, buyers must be 18 years or older to buy a long gun, such as a rifle or a shotgun. They must be 21 years or older to buy a handgun. However, the rules change in regards to private sales.
Although the law prohibits licensed dealers from selling handguns to individuals under 21, as long as a pistol permit is presented, people 18 years or older can purchase a handgun through a private seller.
Permit laws
In North Carolina, permits are required for the purchase of a handgun but not for long guns.
Registration of a firearm
Owners of firearms are not required to register their weapons under state law, regardless of whether the weapon is a handgun or a long gun.
Background checks
North Carolina’s background check laws state that for private long gun sales, a background check is not required.
However, for the private sale of a handgun, a Pistol Purchase Permit issued by the sheriff in the county where the firearm is bought, or a Concealed Handgun Permit issued by the state is required.
Because a permit is required by North Carolina for the purchase of a handgun, criminal background checks are run on prospective buyers.
Waiting periods
North Carolina does not require prospective purchasers of firearms to withstand a waiting period.
Red flag laws
There are currently no red flag gun laws in place in the state of North Carolina. In 2021, North Carolina Democrats rolled out House Bill 525, also known as the Extreme Risk Protection Orders Act, but the bill was eventually rejected.
HB 525 would have allowed North Carolina judges to identify individuals who pose a threat of danger to themselves or others, thereby limiting their access to firearms.
Open carry laws
There is no state law in North Carolina that prohibits open carry without a permit, though some municipalities throughout the state have banned it.
Assault weapons
There is no ban on assault weapons currently in place in the state of North Carolina. However, Gov. Roy Cooper recently called upon Congress to pass tighter gun laws and reinstate a federal ban on assault weapons, The Charlotte Observer reported.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
This story was originally published June 7, 2022 at 2:29 PM.
