Louisiana State Law Summary

Last updated September 13, 2010

Louisiana has the highest rate of gun deaths per capita among the states.  In 2007, 869 people died from firearm-related injuries in Louisiana. Louisiana also plays a significant role in interstate gun trafficking.  In 2009, Louisiana ranked 15th among the states in terms of the number of crime guns supplied to other states per capita.

In its publication Gun Laws Matter: A Comparison of State Firearms Laws and Statistics, LCAV ranked each state based on a review of state laws in 25 different firearms-related policy areas.  Louisiana ranked 28th out of 50 – having enacted few gun violence prevention laws. Among other things, Louisiana law does not:

• Require a background check prior to the transfer of a firearm between private parties;

• Require firearms dealers to obtain a state license;

• Prohibit the transfer or possession of assault weapons, 50 caliber rifles, or large capacity ammunition magazines;

• Limit the number of firearms that may be purchased at one time;

• Impose a waiting period on firearm purchases; or

• Regulate unsafe handguns (“junk guns” or “Saturday night specials”).

Local governments in Louisiana generally lack authority to regulate firearms or ammunition, and local law enforcement must issue a concealed handgun permit to any applicant who meets basic qualifications.

For a more detailed description of Louisiana’s gun laws, see LCAV’s Detailed Summary of Louisiana Firearms Law.