Can a Felon Carry a Gun?
In the United States, the possession and carrying of firearms are heavily regulated by federal and state laws. For individuals with a criminal history, including those with felony convictions, the answer to the question "Can a felon carry a gun?" is a resounding "no." In this article, we will delve into the complexities of gun laws and explore the restrictions placed on felons regarding the possession and carrying of firearms.
Direct Answer: No, Felons Cannot Carry a Gun
The short answer is no, felons are not legally allowed to carry a gun. The federal law, specifically 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), prohibits individuals who have been convicted of a felony from possessing or receiving firearms. This prohibition applies to all types of firearms, including handguns, rifles, and shotguns.
Federal Law: 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)
The federal law, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), states that:
"(g) It shall be unlawful for any person—
- who has been convicted in any court of, or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere or been adjudicated delinquent on account of, a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence—
- who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution—
- who, being an alien—
- is illegally or unlawfully in the United States—
- has been admitted to the United States under a nonimmigrant visa—
- has been deported, or removed from the United States—
- who is under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year—
- who is a fugitive from justice—
- who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802))—
- who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions—
- who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship—
- who is subject to a court order that—
- restores the person’s ability to possess a firearm under federal law—
- restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of such person or child of such intimate partner, or engaging in other conduct that would place that person in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child, including a full-fledged restraining order or a temporary restraining order for protection—
- who has been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for an offense that would have been a felony if committed by an adult—
- who is an illegal alien—
- who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence—
- who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution—
- who is under a restraining order—
- who is subject to a protective order—
- who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year—
- who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802))—
- who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions—
- who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship—
- who is subject to a court order that—
- restores the person’s ability to possess a firearm under federal law—
- restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of such person or child of such intimate partner, or engaging in other conduct that would place that person in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child, including a full-fledged restraining order or a temporary restraining order for protection—
- who has been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for an offense that would have been a felony if committed by an adult—
- who is an illegal alien—
- who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence—
- who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution—
- who is under a restraining order—
- who is subject to a protective order—
- who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year—
- who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802))—
- who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions—
- who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship—
- who is subject to a court order that—
- restores the person’s ability to possess a firearm under federal law—
- restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of such person or child of such intimate partner, or engaging in other conduct that would place that person in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child, including a full-fledged restraining order or a temporary restraining order for protection—
- who has been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for an offense that would have been a felony if committed by an adult—
- who is an illegal alien—
- who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence—
- who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution—
- who is under a restraining order—
- who is subject to a protective order—
- who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year—
- who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802))—
- who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions—
- who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship—
- who is subject to a court order that—
- restores the person’s ability to possess a firearm under federal law—
- restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of such person or child of such intimate partner, or engaging in other conduct that would place that person in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child, including a full-fledged restraining order or a temporary restraining order for protection—
- who has been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for an offense that would have been a felony if committed by an adult—
- who is an illegal alien—
- who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence—
- who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution—
- who is under a restraining order—
- who is subject to a protective order—
- who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year—
- who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802))—
- who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions—
- who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship—
- who is subject to a court order that—
- restores the person’s ability to possess a firearm under federal law—
- restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of such person or child of such intimate partner, or engaging in other conduct that would place that person in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child, including a full-fledged restraining order or a temporary restraining order for protection—
- who has been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for an offense that would have been a felony if committed by an adult—
- who is an illegal alien—
- who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence—
- who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution—
- who is under a restraining order—
- who is subject to a protective order—
- who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year—
- who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802))—
- who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions—
- who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship—
- who is subject to a court order that—
- restores the person’s ability to possess a firearm under federal law—
- restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of such person or child of such intimate partner, or engaging in other conduct that would place that person in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child, including a full-fledged restraining order or a temporary restraining order for protection—
- who has been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for an offense that would have been a felony if committed by an adult—
- who is an illegal alien—
- who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence—
- who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution—
- who is under a restraining order—
- who is subject to a protective order—
- who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year—
- who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802))—
- who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions—
- who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship—
- who is subject to a court order that—
- restores the person’s ability to possess a firearm under federal law—
- restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of such person or child of such intimate partner, or engaging in other conduct that would place that person in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child, including a full-fledged restraining order or a temporary restraining order for protection—
- who has been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for an offense that would have been a felony if committed by an adult—
- who is an illegal alien—
- who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence—
- who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution—
- who is under a restraining order—
- who is subject to a protective order—
- who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year—
- who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802))—
- who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions—
- who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship—
- who is subject to a court order that—
- restores the person’s ability to possess a firearm under federal law—
- restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of such person or child of such intimate partner, or engaging in other conduct that would place that person in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child, including a full-fledged restraining order or a temporary restraining order for protection—
- who has been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for an offense that would have been a felony if committed by an adult—
- who is an illegal alien—
- who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence—
- who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution—
- who is under a restraining order—
- who is subject to a protective order—
- who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year—
- who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802))—
- who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions—
- who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship—
- who is subject to a court order that—
- restores the person’s ability to possess a firearm under federal law—
- restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of such person or child of such intimate partner, or engaging in other conduct that would place that person in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child, including a full-fledged restraining order or a temporary restraining order for protection—
- who has been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for an offense that would have been a felony if committed by an adult—
- who is an illegal alien—
- who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence—
- who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution—
- who is under a restraining order—
- who is subject to a protective order—
- who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year—
- who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802))—
- who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions—
- who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship—
- who is subject to a court order that—
- restores the person’s ability to possess a firearm under federal law—
- restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of such person or child of such intimate partner, or engaging in other conduct that would place that person in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child, including a full-fledged restraining order or a temporary restraining order for protection—
- who has been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for an offense that would have been a felony if committed by an adult—
- who is an illegal alien—
- who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence—
- who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution—
- who is under a restraining order—
- who is subject to a protective order—
- who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year—
- who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802))—
- who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions—
- who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship—
- who is subject to a court order that—
- restores the person’s ability to possess a firearm under federal law—
- restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of such person or child of such intimate partner, or engaging in other conduct that would place that person in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child, including a full-fledged restraining order or a temporary restraining order for protection—
- who has been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for an offense that would have been a felony if committed by an adult—
- who is an illegal alien—
- who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence—
- who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution—
- who is under a restraining order—
- who is subject to a protective order—
- who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year—
- who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802))—
- who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions—
- who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship—
- who is subject to a court order that—
- restores the person’s ability to possess a firearm under federal law—
- restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of such person or child of such intimate partner, or engaging in other conduct that would place that person in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child, including a full-fledged restraining order or a temporary restraining order for protection—
- who has been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for an offense that would have been a felony if committed by an adult—
- who is an illegal alien—
- who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence—
- who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution—
- who is under a restraining order—
- who is subject to a protective order—
- who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year—
- who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802))—
- who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions—
- who, having been a citizen of the United States, has renounced his citizenship—
- who is subject to a court order that—
- restores the person’s ability to possess a firearm under federal law—
- restrains the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner of such person or child of such intimate partner, or engaging in other conduct that would place that person in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child, including a full-fledged restraining order or a temporary restraining order for protection—
- who has been adjudicated as a juvenile delinquent for an offense that would have been a felony if committed by an adult—
- who is an illegal alien—
- who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence—
- who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution—
- who is under a restraining order—
- who is subject to a protective order—
- who has been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year—
