Child Access Prevention
Utah has no law that imposes a penalty on someone who fails to secure an unattended firearm and leaves it accessible to an unsupervised minor.
Utah prohibits minors under 18 from possessing handguns, and long guns without parental permission or supervision.1 Any parent or guardian of a minor, where the parent or guardian knows that the minor is in possession of a firearm, who fails to make reasonable efforts to remove the firearm from the minor’s possession is criminally liable.2
The state also prohibits a parent or guardian from intentionally or knowingly provide a firearm to, or permit the possession of a firearm by, any minor under age 18 who has been convicted of a violent felony or adjudicated in juvenile court for an offense which would constitute a violent felony if the minor were an adult.3
For age requirements for the purchase or possession of firearms in Utah, see the Utah Minimum Age to Purchase / Possess section
Safe Storage
Utah has no law that requires unattended firearms to be stored in a certain way.
Utah also does not require a locking device to accompany the sale of a firearm, and no state statutes require firearm owners to affirmatively lock their weapons. However, state regulations may govern the safe storage of firearms in certain locations.
MEDIA REQUESTS
Our experts can speak to the full spectrum of gun violence prevention issues. Have a question? Email us at media@giffords.org.
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