Washington DC has enacted some of the strongest gun violence prevention legislation in the nation.
Washington DC requires all guns to be registered and has high standards for the types of guns that can be owned or possessed. Because of this, firearms purchased in DC are rarely used in crimes. In an average year, 174 people die from gun violence in Washington DC. That means someone dies from gun violence every two days. Six percent of those deaths are gun suicides, and 92% are gun homicides. In Washington DC, the rate of gun deaths increased 163% from 2014 to 2023, compared to a 33% increase nationwide.
What Washington DC Does Well
- Universal background checks
- Gun owner licensing
- Handgun dealer licensing
- Extreme risk protection orders
- Most domestic violence gun laws
- Assault weapon restrictions
- Large capacity magazine ban
- Waiting Periods
- Child access prevention laws
- Open Carry Regulations
- Strong concealed carry law
What Washington DC Is Missing
- Mental health record reporting
EXPLORE WASHINGTON DC’S GUN LAWS
WHO CAN HAVE A GUN
OWNER RESPONSIBILITIES
CHILD & CONSUMER SAFETY
GUNS IN PUBLIC
HARDWARE & AMMUNITION
SUPPORT GUN SAFETY
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.
