Guide

New Gun Laws Taking Effect in 2027, State by State

By Cole Harlan, EditorUpdated Nov 5, 2026How we verifyEditorial standards

Several state gun laws take effect in 2027, most of them on January 1 and the rest on May 1, May 31 and July 1. This page lists each one we've checked against the state's own legislature or code site on November 4, 2026: Maryland, Virginia, Maine, California, Washington and New York, plus Arkansas Issue 2 from the November ballot. Every date and provision below links to the official text. Where we haven't confirmed something, it says "Not yet verified."

Not legal advice. This page summarizes official bill and statute text as of November 4, 2026. Summaries leave out definitions and exceptions, and courts can change when and whether a law applies. Read the linked text and ask a lawyer licensed in your state before you buy, sell, transfer or carry.

Dates at a glance

Gun laws taking effect in 2027, sorted by effective date
State	Law	Takes effect	What changes	Official source
Arkansas	Issue 2 (SJR 11), right to keep and bear arms amendment	Jan. 1, 2027, if adopted	Unofficially passed; certification pending. Takes effect on and after Jan. 1, 2027 per SJR 11 §3.	Ballot measures results
Maryland	SB 334 (Ch. 771), machine gun convertible pistols	On or after Jan. 1, 2027	Prohibits manufacturing, selling, offering for sale, purchasing, receiving or transferring a machine gun convertible pistol, with exceptions.	MGA: SB 334
Virginia	Code §18.2-308.5:2 (2026 c. 532), unserialized firearms and frames	Jan. 1, 2027	Bars importing, buying, selling or transferring unserialized unfinished frames or receivers, and making, buying, selling or transferring unserialized firearms.	Virginia LIS: §18.2-308.5:2
Maine	LD 1126 (PL 2025 c. 537), unserialized firearms and frames	Jan. 1, 2027 (penalties)	Penalties begin for possessing or transferring unserialized unfinished frames or receivers and firearms without serial numbers.	25 MRSA §2038
California	AB 1948, AB 1753, SB 948, SB 1220	Jan. 1, 2027 (non-urgency bills)	CCW license term, 10-year firearm bars after certain convictions, importer reporting window.	Cal. Const. art. IV §8
Washington	RCW 9.41.121 (2025 c 370), permit to purchase	May 1, 2027	Permit to purchase with fingerprints, firearm safety training and a fee.	RCW 9.41.121
New York	S.9005-C / A.10005-C (Ch. 55 of 2026), convertible pistols	May 31, 2027	Dealer or gunsmith sale or transfer of a convertible pistol becomes a class D felony.	NY Senate: S.9005-C
Virginia	§18.2-308.5:2, subsection C (possession)	July 1, 2027	The possession provision of the unserialized firearms law takes effect.	Virginia LIS: §18.2-308.5:2
Virginia	SB 115 (Ch. 879), concealed carry reciprocity review	July 1, 2027 (main provisions)	Attorney General determines which other states' permit requirements are “substantially similar.”	Virginia LIS: SB 115

Arkansas: Issue 2 (Jan. 1, 2027, if certified)

Issue 2 (SJR 11) would amend Article 2, §5 of the Arkansas Constitution to protect the right to keep and bear arms. On the Secretary of State's unofficial results, last updated 4:21 PM ET on November 4, 2026, it shows 613,734 votes for (70.81%) and 253,020 against (29.19%). Those results are not official and certification is pending. Section 3 of SJR 11 says it takes effect on and after January 1, 2027. The ballot measures page rechecked the sources on November 5, 2026; see our ballot measures results page for the source and details.

Maryland: SB 334, machine gun convertible pistols

SB 334 (2026), “Machine Gun Convertible Pistols,” is Chapter 771, approved by the Governor on May 26, 2026. It amends Criminal Law §§4-301, 4-302, 4-305.2 and 4-306 and is cross-filed as HB 577. The Act takes effect October 1, 2026. On or after January 1, 2027, it prohibits manufacturing, selling, offering for sale, purchasing, receiving or transferring a machine gun convertible pistol, subject to exceptions, and the Maryland State Police publish a list. Whether it applies to possession of pistols already owned, and any court ruling: Not yet verified.

Virginia: unserialized firearms and SB 115

Code of Virginia §18.2-308.5:2 (2026 c. 532) is effective January 1, 2027. Subsection B bars importing, buying, selling or transferring unserialized unfinished frames or receivers. Subsection D bars making, buying, selling or transferring unserialized firearms. Subsection C, which covers possession, takes effect July 1, 2027. A violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor, and a second offense is a Class 4 felony. Exemptions include firearms made before October 22, 1968, antiques and new residents (90 days).

Separately, SB 115 (2026), Acts of Assembly Chapter 879, was approved April 13, 2026, with its main provisions effective July 1, 2027. It changes how Virginia decides which other states' permits it honors. See Virginia's reciprocity change (SB 115).

Maine: LD 1126, unserialized firearms and frames

LD 1126 (HP 745), Public Law 2025 c. 537, became law without the Governor's signature (dated January 11, 2026). Under 25 MRSA §2038, penalties apply “beginning January 1, 2027.” Possessing an unserialized unfinished frame or receiver or a firearm without a serial number (§2037(1)(A), (D)) is a civil violation with a fine up to $50 for a first offense, Class D for a second and Class C for a third or later. Importing, transferring, offering or purchasing one (§2037(1)(B), (C), (E), (F)) is Class D for a first offense and Class C for later ones. Using one in a Class A or B crime or reckless conduct is Class C. The prohibited conduct is defined in 25 MRSA §2037.

California: AB 1948, AB 1753, SB 948 and SB 1220

These are non-urgency bills, and under Cal. Const. art. IV, §8(c) such statutes take effect January 1 of the following year.

AB 1948 (Ch. 44, Stats. 2026, approved June 30, 2026) amends Penal Code §26220: a CCW license term can be up to 3 years (it was 2).
AB 1753 (Ch. 458, approved September 26, 2026) covers protective orders. A person convicted on or after January 1, 2027 of specified offenses, including misdemeanor violations of a gun violence restraining order or other protective orders, or hate-crime violations, is barred from firearms for 10 years (PC 29805). Officers must also take temporary custody of ammunition in plain sight at domestic violence scenes, and courts may order firearm searches before hearings. From January 1, 2028, out-of-state extreme risk protection orders can be enforced.
SB 948 (Ch. 465, approved September 26, 2026) lengthens the personal firearm importer reporting window from 60 to 180 days. From January 1, 2028, importers certify they have a firearm safety certificate. From January 1, 2029, firearm safety certificate applicants must complete a course of 4 or more hours with live-fire within the prior year.
SB 1220 (Ch. 466, approved September 26, 2026): a person convicted on or after January 1, 2027 of the misdemeanor of altering or removing serial numbers, or possessing such a firearm, is barred from firearms for 10 years (PC 29805).

Bill status pages: AB 1948 status (the same URL pattern works for the other bills).

Washington: permit to purchase (May 1, 2027)

RCW 9.41.121 is marked “(Effective May 1, 2027.)” It comes from 2025 c 370 (E2SHB 1163) and was also amended by 2026 c 36 s 14. The permit to purchase requires fingerprints, firearm safety training within the past 5 years and a fee. The Washington State Patrol decides within 30 days (60 in some cases), and a permit is valid for 5 years.

New York: convertible pistols (May 31, 2027)

S.9005-C / A.10005-C was signed May 27, 2026 as Chapter 55 of 2026 (PDF; Assembly actions). Under Part C, Subpart A, Penal Law 265.10(10), a dealer or gunsmith who sells or transfers a “convertible pistol” (defined in 265.00(37)) on or after May 31, 2027 commits a class D felony. Exceptions in 265.20 cover private sales of pistols owned before May 31, 2027 (through a dealer), immediate family transfers, and police and military. The State Police publish an annual list. The bill also creates the crime of selling digital firearm manufacturing code, a class A misdemeanor.

Already passed but delayed or blocked

Oregon Measure 114 / HB 4145, pushed to 2028: see magazine capacity laws by state.
Virginia assault weapons ban (ch. 1107): see assault weapons bans by state.
Connecticut PA 26-41 (HB 5043): CGA bill status. A federal court enjoined the Section 3(a) sales and import ban on September 30, 2026; the rest of the act was not enjoined by that order. See Connecticut's Glock ban: status and court order.

Federal changes. These state laws sit alongside federal rules: ATF rule changes 2026, NFA updates, the pistol brace rule, NFA lawsuits and the Supreme Court gun cases tracker.

Frequently asked questions

When do new gun laws take effect?

It depends on the law. The dates we've confirmed for 2027 are January 1 (Arkansas Issue 2 if certified, Maryland SB 334, Virginia Code 18.2-308.5:2 except its possession subsection, Maine's penalties under 25 MRSA 2038, and several California bills), May 1 (Washington's permit to purchase), May 31 (New York's convertible pistol sales ban for dealers) and July 1 (Virginia's possession subsection and Virginia SB 115). The table at the top of this page lists each date and links to the official text.

Do new laws apply to guns I already own?

It depends on the state and the provision. Maryland SB 334 bars manufacturing, selling, purchasing, receiving or transferring a machine gun convertible pistol on or after January 1, 2027; whether it reaches possession of pistols already owned is not yet verified. Virginia's possession subsection takes effect July 1, 2027 and exempts firearms made before October 22, 1968, antiques and new residents for 90 days. Maine's penalties starting January 1, 2027 cover possessing an unserialized unfinished frame or receiver or a firearm without a serial number. New York allows private sales of pistols owned before May 31, 2027 to go through a dealer. California's AB 1753 and SB 1220 apply to convictions on or after January 1, 2027. Read the official text linked in each state's section, and ask a lawyer licensed in your state.

Did the 2026 election change gun laws?

Not yet. Results are unofficial until each state certifies them. As of 4:21 PM ET on November 4, 2026, Arkansas Issue 2 shows 70.81% for on the state's unofficial count, and it would take effect January 1, 2027 if adopted. Colorado Amendment 83, a hunting and fishing measure, shows 45.29% yes against the 55% it needs on unofficial results as of 11:21 AM ET on November 5, with counting continuing. Massachusetts Question 9 is pending, because Massachusetts publishes results only after certification. Idaho's state gun question is advisory and non-binding. Details and the November 5 recheck are on our ballot measures page.

Sources

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GunReleases.com (The Release Desk), “State gun laws taking effect in 2027,” updated Nov 5, 2026. https://gunreleases.com/guides/new-gun-laws-2027/

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