Kansas has no law requiring a background check on the purchaser of a firearm when the seller is not a licensed dealer. Kansas does, however, prohibit any person from knowingly selling, giving or otherwise transferring any firearm to any person:

• Under 18 years of age, if the firearm has a barrel less than 12 inches long;¹

• Who is both addicted to and an unlawful user of a controlled substance;²

• Who has been convicted of a felony under the laws of Kansas or any other state and was found to have been in possession of a firearm at the time of the commission of the offense;³

• Who, within the preceding five years, has been convicted of certain felonies under the law of Kansas or any other state or has been released from imprisonment for a felony, and was not found to have been in possession of a firearm at the time of the commission of the offense;⁴

• Who, within the preceding ten years, has been convicted of certain felonies, even if he or she was not found to have been in possession of a firearm at the time of the commission of the offense or has been released from imprisonment for such crime, and has not had the conviction of the crime expunged or been pardoned for such crime;⁵ or

• Is or has been a mentally ill person subject to involuntary commitment for care and treatment as defined by Kansas law, or a person with an alcohol or substance abuse problem subject to involuntary commitment for care and treatment, unless he or she obtained a “certificate of restoration pursuant to Kansas law.”⁶ See the Firearm Prohibitions in Kansas section for further information about these certificates.

MEDIA REQUESTS

Our experts can speak to the full spectrum of gun violence prevention issues. Have a question? Email us at media@giffords.org.

Contact

1. Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-6301(a)(7).[↩]
2. Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-6301(a)(8).[↩]
3. Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-6303(a)(3).[↩]
4. Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-6303(a)(1).[↩]
5. Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-6303(a)(2).[↩]
6. Kan. Stat. Ann. § 21-6301(a)(9).[↩]