North Carolina’s weak gun laws put its residents at risk. Lawmakers must do better to reduce gun violence in their state and save lives.
In 2023, North Carolina repealed background checks and permits for handgun purchases. Before that occurred, in 2022, North Carolina had the twentieth highest gun death rate among the states. In 2023, North Carolina had the twenty-first highest gun death rate among the states. In an average year, 1,714 people die from gun violence in the state. That means someone dies from gun violence every five hours. Fifty-three percent of those deaths are gun suicides, and 43% are gun homicides. In North Carolina, the rate of gun deaths increased 39% from 2014 to 2023, compared to a 33% increase nationwide.
What North Carolina Does Well
- Certain domestic violence gun laws
- Child access prevention laws
- Some concealed carry permitting and safety training standards
What North Carolina Is Missing
- Universal background checks
- Extreme risk protection orders
- Minimum age restrictions
- Some domestic violence protections
- Firearm relinquishment laws
- Large capacity magazine ban
- Assault weapon restrictions
- Open carry regulations
- Community violence intervention funding
SPOTLIGHT
GUN LAW SCORECARD
The data is clear: States with stronger gun laws have less gun violence. See how your state compares in our annual ranking.
Read MoreEXPLORE NORTH CAROLINA’S GUN LAWS
WHO CAN HAVE A GUN
OWNER RESPONSIBILITIES
CHILD & CONSUMER SAFETY
GUNS IN PUBLIC
HARDWARE & AMMUNITION
OTHER LAWS & POLICIES
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We’re in this together. To build a safer America—one where children and parents in every neighborhood can learn, play, work, and worship without fear of gun violence—we need you standing beside us in this fight.
