Georgia prohibits the possession or control of a handgun by any person under age 18.¹ This prohibition does not apply if the underage person is:

• Attending a hunter education course or a firearms safety course;

• Engaging in practice in the use of a firearm or target shooting at an established range authorized by the governing body of the jurisdiction where such range is located;

• Engaging in an organized competition involving the use of a firearm or participating in or practicing for a performance by an organized non-profit group that uses firearms as a part of such performance;

• Hunting or fishing pursuant to a valid license if such person has in his or her possession a valid hunting or fishing license if required; is engaged in legal hunting or fishing; has permission of the owner of the land on which the activities are being conducted; and the handgun, whenever loaded, is carried only in an open and fully exposed manner; or

• Traveling to or from any of the aforementioned activities, if the handgun is not loaded.²

In addition, this prohibition does not apply if the person under age 18 is:

• On real property under the control of his or her parent, legal guardian, or grandparent and who has the permission of the parent or legal guardian to possess a handgun; or

• At his or her residence and possesses a handgun while exercising rights authorized by Georgia provisions regarding the justified use of force against another with the permission of his or her parent or legal guardian.³

No person may intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly sell or furnish a handgun to a minor (person under the age of 18 years).⁴ However, a parent or legal guardian may permit possession of a handgun by a minor for the purposes specified above.⁵

There is no minimum age requirement to possess rifles and shotguns in Georgia. Federal age restrictions impose stricter limits.

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1. Ga. Code Ann. § 16-11-132(b).[↩]
2. Ga. Code Ann. § 16-11-132(c)(1).[↩]
3. Ga. Code Ann. § 16-11-132(c)(2), (3).[↩]
4. Ga. Code Ann. § 16-11-101.1(b); see § 16-11-101.1(a)(1) (defining “minor”).[↩]
5. Ga. Code Ann. § 16-11-101.1(b).[↩]