Gun Rights Restoration by State
Lost your firearm rights after a conviction? State-by-state guides to getting them back — the restoration mechanisms each state offers (petition, expungement, pardon, certificate), waiting periods, and which convictions are permanently barred. Critically, restoring rights under state law does not by itself lift the separate federal ban — confirm the federal effect before you ever possess a firearm. Laws vary by state.
All Gun Rights Restoration by State guides
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in South Dakota: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How South Dakota restores firearm rights after a conviction, why state relief doesn't automatically lift the federal gun bar, and how to check both.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Oklahoma: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
Oklahoma restores firearm rights only through a Governor's pardon for nonviolent felonies — and state relief alone rarely lifts the federal gun ban.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Illinois: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How firearm rights are lost and restored in Illinois, and why state FOID relief may not lift a separate federal gun-possession bar.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Iowa: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
A state-specific guide explaining how a past felony conviction affects firearm rights in Iowa and the real steps to restore them.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Texas: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
Texas felon firearm rights: how Penal Code 46.04, pardons, and the Board's restoration process work — and why the federal bar can still apply.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Wisconsin: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
Wisconsin restores felon gun rights only through a governor's pardon - and even that may not clear the separate federal firearm bar.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Hawaii: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How to restore firearm rights in Hawaii after a felony: the governor's pardon route, the 20-year misdemeanor reset, and why the federal gun ban stays separate.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in New Hampshire: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How firearm rights are restored after a conviction in New Hampshire, why state relief alone doesn't lift the separate federal gun ban, and how to check both.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Maine: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
Maine does not auto-restore gun rights after a conviction. How the state permit, pardon process, and the separate federal bar actually work.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Massachusetts: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How Massachusetts restores firearm rights after a conviction — FLRB petitions, pardons, waiting periods — and why the federal bar is separate.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Montana: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
Montana felon firearm-rights restoration: the state's narrower gun ban, why state relief doesn't erase the federal bar, and how to actually restore rights.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Alabama: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How to restore firearm rights after a felony in Alabama: the pardon process, waiting periods, and why the federal gun ban can still apply.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Kentucky: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How to restore firearm rights after a felony in Kentucky: the pardon and expungement routes, and why the federal gun ban can still apply.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Colorado: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How to restore firearm rights in Colorado after a felony — pardon process, exclusions, and why the federal gun ban may still apply.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Vermont: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How firearm rights are restored in Vermont after a conviction, and why Vermont relief alone may not lift the separate federal gun ban.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in West Virginia: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How to restore firearm rights after a conviction in West Virginia, and why state relief alone may not lift a separate federal firearms ban.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Arizona: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How felons in Arizona can legally restore firearm rights, why state relief alone doesn't lift the separate federal gun-possession bar, and the exact steps to take.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in New Jersey: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How firearm rights work after a New Jersey conviction: the state-vs-federal gun bar, New Jersey's expungement and pardon paths, and what to confirm first.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Missouri: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How firearm rights are restored after a felony in Missouri: expungement, pardon, waiting periods, exclusions, and why the federal gun ban can still apply.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Michigan: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How Michigan restores gun rights after a felony — and why state restoration alone doesn't lift the separate federal firearms bar.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Washington: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How Washington restores gun rights after a felony — and why state restoration alone doesn't lift the separate federal firearm bar under 18 U.S.C. 922(g).
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Kansas: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How firearm rights can be restored after a Kansas conviction — state mechanisms, the federal bar that state relief doesn't automatically lift, and how to confirm both.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Pennsylvania: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How Pennsylvania restores firearm rights after a conviction - the 18 Pa.C.S. 6105 court petition, pardon, and mental-health routes - and why clearing the state ban does not lift the separate federal ban under 18 U.S.C. 922(g).
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in California: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How to restore firearm rights after a conviction in California — state mechanisms, waiting periods, and why state relief alone doesn't lift the federal gun ban.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Virginia: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
Virginia gun rights restoration: how state relief and the federal firearms bar work as two separate locks, and the real state process.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Alaska: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
Restoring gun rights in Alaska: state relief does not erase the federal felon-in-possession bar. What actually restores rights, waiting periods, and bars.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in North Dakota: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How felons and others barred from guns in North Dakota can restore firearm rights, and why state relief alone doesn't lift the separate federal firearms ban.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Oregon: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How to restore firearm rights after a conviction in Oregon, and why fixing the state bar does not automatically clear the separate federal firearms bar.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in New Mexico: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How firearm rights restoration works in New Mexico after a felony, and why state relief alone doesn't lift the separate federal gun-possession bar.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Minnesota: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How firearm rights are lost and restored in Minnesota, and why state restoration alone may not lift the separate federal gun-possession bar.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Idaho: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How Idaho actually restores firearm rights after a conviction, and why state relief alone may not lift the separate federal gun ban.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Rhode Island: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
Rhode Island can restore state gun rights, but a separate federal firearms bar may remain. Here's how RI restoration actually works and why the federal lock matters.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Nebraska: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How firearm rights are lost and restored in Nebraska, why state relief alone doesn't clear the separate federal firearm bar, and the pardon process.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in North Carolina: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How felons restore firearm rights in North Carolina: the state's court-petition process, its limits, and why the federal gun ban may still apply.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Maryland: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How firearm rights are restored in Maryland after a conviction — expungement, pardon, waiting periods, and the separate federal bar you must also clear.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Louisiana: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
Anti-doorway guide to restoring firearm rights after a conviction in Louisiana, covering the state/federal two-lock reality.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Indiana: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How Indiana restores gun rights after a conviction (expungement, court petitions, pardons) and why the federal firearm ban can still apply.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Ohio: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How to legally restore gun rights in Ohio after a conviction: R.C. 2923.14 court petitions, pardons, and why the federal firearms bar is separate.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Nevada: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
Anti-doorway state guide on restoring firearm rights after a conviction in Nevada, covering the state-vs-federal firearms bar.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Delaware: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
Delaware gun rights restoration guide: why state relief alone doesn't lift the federal firearms bar, and the pardon/expungement paths Delaware actually offers.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in South Carolina: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
South Carolina firearm rights after a felony: how state restoration works, why a pardon from the state Board is usually required, and why federal law may still bar you.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Utah: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How to restore firearm rights after a Utah conviction: state mechanisms, the federal bar, waiting periods, and permanent exclusions explained.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in New York: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How firearm rights are lost and restored in New York, why state relief may not lift the federal gun ban, and the certificates/pardon process to use.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Florida: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
Florida gun rights restoration: state clemency options (pardon, firearm authority, civil rights) and why the federal firearm bar is separate.
- Restoring Your Gun Rights in Connecticut: How to Get Firearm Rights Back
How Connecticut restores firearm rights after a conviction, why the state's Absolute Pardon may not lift the separate federal gun ban, and the steps to take.