Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 2021 ‘Minimum Age to Purchase & Possess in North Carolina.’ Who Can Have a Gun. San Francisco, CA: Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 1 March

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Minimum Age to Purchase and Possess in North Carolina

North Carolina law prohibits any person under the age of 18 from willfully and intentionally possessing or carrying a handgun, unless the minor:

- Possesses the handgun for educational or recreational purposes while supervised by an adult who is present;
- Is emancipated and possesses the handgun inside his or her residence; or
- Possesses the handgun while hunting outside the limits of an incorporated municipality and has written permission from a parent or guardian.

There is no minimum age to possess rifles and shotguns in North Carolina.

A parent, guardian, or person standing in for a parent is prohibited from knowingly permitting his or her child under age 12 to possess or use a firearm (whether loaded or unloaded) while not supervised by the parent, guardian or person standing in for the parent. No other person may knowingly furnish a firearm to a child under the age of 12.

Additionally, North Carolina prohibits any person from causing, encouraging, or aiding a minor who is less than age 18 to possess or carry, whether openly or concealed, any firearm on educational property. Moreover, North Carolina imposes a felony on any person who sells, offers for sale, gives or transfers in any way a handgun to a person under age 18.

Federal age restrictions impose stricter limits…

[Editor's note: The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence regularly updates its webpages with new data as US gun regulation evolves state by state. For the most up-to-date information on US gun laws, please refer to the Giffords URL below]

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https://giffords.org/lawcenter/state-laws/minimum-age-to-purchase-possess-in-north-carolina/