· gun laws · 13 min read
District of Columbia Concealed Carry Firearm Laws
District of Columbia: Gun Laws Summary
Washington, D.C. is a shall-issue district with concealed weapons licenses issued by D.C. Metropolitan Police.
All firearms must be registered, and this process acts as a permit to purchase. Individuals cannot possess ammunition without a valid registration of a firearm.
Open carry is illegal in D.C.
District of Columbia Concealed Carry Pistol Licenses (CCPLs) are required in order to concealed carry and are issued to residents and non-residents and require a firearms training course that has been approved by the Metro Police. You must be at least 21 years old to get a concealed carry license in D.C. Any firearm you plan on carrying in Washington D.C. will also need to be registered in the District. In addition, possession of ammunition for an unregistered firearm is prohibited in the District of Columbia. Some areas are off-limits even with a D.C. CCPL, including schools, public memorials on the National Mall and along the Tidal Basin and the area around the White House. In terms of reciprocity, Washington D.C. does not honor CCW licenses from any other state.
Self-Defense
Under the case law of the District of Columbia, the District is neither a “stand your ground” nor a “duty to retreat” jurisdiction. The District case law has established a middle ground.
Based on case law and jury instructions, you are entitled to claim self-defense:
- If you actually believe you are in imminent danger of bodily harm; and
- If you have reasonable grounds for that belief.
You may use the amount of force which, at the time of the incident, you actually and reasonably believe is necessary to protect yourself (or a third person) from imminent bodily harm. This may extend to the use of deadly force if you actually and reasonably believe you are in imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm from which you can save yourself only by using deadly force against your assailant. You should take reasonable steps, such as stepping back or walking away, to avoid the necessity of taking a human life, so long as those steps are consistent with your own safety. You do not have to retreat or consider retreating when you actually and reasonably believe that you are in danger of death or serious bodily harm and that deadly force is necessary to repel that danger. Generally, you may not use deadly force to protect your property.
District of Columbia: Gun Laws at a Glance
| Constitutional Carry | No. The District of Columbia does not allow constitutional carry. |
| Open Carry | No. D.C. does not permit open carry. [D.C. Code § 24-2344.1] |
| Concealed Carry License | D.C. is a shall issue jurisdiction. |
| Minimum Age for Concealed Carry License | You must be at least 21 years old to get a concealed carry license in D.C. |
| Concealed Carry of Non-Handguns | No. A concealed weapons license does not allow you to carry weapons other than handguns. |
| Magazine Capacity Restrictions | No more than 10 rounds. The term “large capacity ammunition feeding device” means a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip or similar device that has a capacity of, or that can be readily restored or converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition. The term “large capacity ammunition feeding device” shall not include an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition. [D.C. Code § 7–2506.01(b)] |
| Chemical Spray/Pepper Spray | Yes, a person may use a self-defense spray only as reasonable force to defend themselves or their property. It must be propelled from an aerosol container and there are restrictions on the chemical mixtures, labeling and dating. [D.C. Code §§ 7-2502.12 and 7-2502.13] |
| Ammunition Restrictions | Yes. In order to possess ammunition, a person must have a registration certificate for a firearm. Licensed dealers may transfer ammunition only to the registered owner of a firearm of the same caliber or gauge as the ammunition, or to a nonresident of the District who provides proof that the weapon is lawfully possessed and is of the same gauge or caliber as the ammunition to be purchased. In addition, a person with a CCPL may not carry any “restricted pistol bullet” as that term is defined in DC Code. Furthermore, the District’s firearms regulations limited the amount of ammunition concealed-carry licensees may carry to 20 rounds. In June 2022, this limit was challenged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in Heller v. District of Columbia, Civil Action No. 22-1894 (DLF). The provision was repealed, which went into effect on Dec. 30, 2022. [D.C. Code Ann. §§ 7-2501.01(13A), 7-2506.01 and CDCR 24-2343.1] |
| Taser/Stun Gun | Yes. A person 18 years or older may possess a stun gun or Taser in the District of Columbia, although it may only be used to protect themselves or their property. No one other than a law enforcement officer is allowed to possess a stun gun in a building or office occupied by the District of Columbia government, a penal institution, secure juvenile residential facility, a halfway house, any building that is occupied by a children’s facility, preschool, elementary or secondary school, or any building or grounds in which the owner or occupant clearly posts forbidding the carrying of a stun gun. [D.C. Code § 7-2502.15] |
District of Columbia: Carry Locations
| Can you carry a concealed firearm in state/national parks, state/national forests and Wildlife Management Areas in District of Columbia? | No. Firearms are prohibited in public parks in the District of Columbia. [D.C. Code § 7-2509.07(a)] |
| Can you carry or possess a firearm on hotel property in District of Columbia? | Private persons or entities owning property in the District of Columbia may prohibit or restrict the possession of firearms on their property. The individual hotel should be contacted to inquire about its concealed carry policy. See the Handguns at Hotels page for additional information. [D.C. Code § 22–4503.02] |
| Can you carry a concealed firearm at roadside rest areas in District of Columbia? | Does not apply. The District of Columbia does not have roadside rest areas. |
| Can you carry a concealed firearm in bars and restaurants that serve alcohol in District of Columbia? | No, you cannot concealed carry on any premises where alcohol is served, or sold and consumed on the premises, although there are exceptions for on-premises retailers with specific classes of licenses. [D.C. Code Ann. § 7-2509.07(a)(7)] |
| Does District of Columbia have laws relating to storing firearms in private vehicles in an employee parking lot? | Whenever a licensee carries a concealed pistol and approaches any prohibited location, or is subject to any prohibited circumstance, the licensee shall: If the licensee is in a vehicle or if a vehicle is readily available, immediately secure the pistol in the following manner - unloaded, with neither the firearm nor any ammunition readily accessible or directly accessible from the passenger compartment; or If the licensee does not have a vehicle available, immediately leave the prohibited location or circumstance. [Title 7 Subtitle J Chpt. 25 § 7-2509.07]Any person who is not otherwise prohibited by the law from transporting, shipping or receiving a firearm shall be permitted to transport a firearm for any lawful purpose from any place where he may lawfully possess and carry the firearm to any other place where he may lawfully possess and carry the firearm if the firearm is transported in accordance with this section. If the transportation of the firearm is by a vehicle, the firearm shall be unloaded, and neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported shall be readily accessible or directly accessible from the passenger compartment of the transporting vehicle. If the transporting vehicle does not have a compartment separate from the driver’s compartment, the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console, and the firearm shall be unloaded. If the transportation of the firearm is in a manner other than in a vehicle, the firearm shall be: unloaded; inside a locked container; and separate from any ammunition. [Title 22 Subtitle VI Chpt. 45 § 22-4504.02. Lawful transportation of firearms.] |
| Can you carry a concealed handgun in a vehicle in District of Columbia? | Yes, with a D.C. CCPL only. Without a license, the firearm must be unloaded inside a locked container, other than the glove compartment or console, and separate from ammunition. [D.C. Code § 22-4504.02] |
District of Columbia: Key State Laws
| Preemption Laws | Does not apply. Washington D.C. does not have preemption laws. |
| Concealed Carry Licenses for Non-Residents | Yes. Licenses are granted to non-residents, but any firearm carried in Washington D.C. must be registered in the District. In addition, individuals who don’t have a residence or place of business in D.C. must have a permit from their state of residence. [D.C. Code § 24-2341] |
| Access to Concealed Carry Registry Information | No. The District of Columbia does not allow the public to access concealed carry registry information. |
| Link Between Driver’s License and Pistol License | No. Your District of Columbia driver’s license is not linked to your District of Columbia concealed carry pistol license. Therefore, a law enforcement officer (LEO) will not be notified that you are a concealed carry license holder immediately when they run your driver’s license. LEOs may have access to other databases where they can obtain this information. [D.C. Code § 7-2509.04(d)] |
| Carrying Firearms on Private Property | Yes. Signs stating that the carrying of firearms is prohibited on any private property shall be clearly and conspicuously posted at any entrance open to the public of a building, premises or real property. A sign shall be considered conspicuous if it is at least 8” by 10” in size and contains writing in contrasting ink using not less than 36 point type. [D.C. Code § 24-2346] |
| Duty to Inform Law Enforcement | Yes, you have a duty to inform a law enforcement officer that you’re carrying a concealed firearm in Washington D.C. [D.C. Code § 7-2509.04(d)] |
| Brandishing | No definition of brandishing was found in District of Columbia law. A person shall not unlawfully assault, or threaten another in a menacing manner with a dangerous weapon. [D.C Code § 22-402] |
| Red Flag Law | Yes. District of Columbia has a red flag law. Family members, cohabitants, mental health professionals and law enforcement are allowed to petition for an order to surrender to law enforcement authorities any firearms, ammunition, registration certificates, licenses to carry a concealed pistol, or dealer’s licenses in the respondent’s possession. The respondent is prohibited from purchasing or possessing any firearm or ammunition for the duration of the interim and or final extreme risk protection order. [D.C. Code § 7–2510.02 thru 7-2510.12] |
| Carrying Firearms While Using Alcohol or Drugs | No consumption is allowed. As a responsibly armed American, regardless of the laws in your state, it is unwise to carry while under the influence of any substance that could impair your judgement, slow your reaction times or impact your decision-making abilities. Any decision you make while carrying a firearm could have life-altering consequences. [[D.C. Code § 7-2502.03](https://advance.lexis.com/documentpage/?pdmfid=1000516&crid=10a077e0-ba74-4416-94f9-a190581784b6&nodeid=AABAAHAAOAAIAABAAJAAG&nodepath=%2FROOT%2FAAB%2FAABAAH%2FAABAAHAAO%2FAABAAHAAOAAI%2FAABAAHAAOAAIAAB%2FAABAAHAAOAAIAABAAJ%2FAABAAHAAOAAIAABAAJAAG&level=7&haschildren=&populated=false&title=%C2%A7+7-2509.06.+Carrying+a+pistol+while+impaired |
District of Columbia: Handgun Purchase and Possession
| Minimum Age for Handgun Possession and Transport | At 21 years of age, a person may possess and transport a handgun in the District of Columbia. [ |