Generally, no person under age 21 may obtain a registration certificate, which prevents such individuals from lawfully possessing a firearm (see the District of Columbia Background Checks section and the section entitled District of Columbia Prohibited Purchasers Generally for further information).¹ The Chief of Police may, however, issue a registration certificate to an applicant between the ages of 18 and 21 years old, who is otherwise qualified, if the application is accompanied by a notarized statement of the applicant’s parent or guardian verifying that:

• The applicant has the permission of his or her parent or guardian to own and use the firearm to be registered; and
• The parent or guardian assumes civil liability for all damages resulting from the actions of the applicant in the use of the firearm to be registered.²

District regulations prohibit the possession of any firearm by a person under age 18.³

The District generally prohibits the sale of any handgun to a purchaser under age 21.⁴ Moreover, any person who knowingly or intentionally transfers a firearm or ammunition to a person under age 18 is criminally liable for a fine of up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 10 years.⁵

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1. D.C. Code Ann. § 7-2502.03(a)(1).[↩]
2. Id. Such registration certificate expires on the person’s 21st birthday.[↩]
3. D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 24, § 2301.1.[↩]
4. D.C. Code Ann. § 22-4507.[↩]
5. D.C. Code Ann. § 7-2507.06(1). See also D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 24, § 2302.1, 2302.3 (generally prohibiting the transfer of any firearm or ammunition to a person under age 18).[↩]