State Gun Laws

Under Louisiana state law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of any of the following crimes to possess a firearm or carry a concealed weapon as long as the person was represented by a criminal defense lawyer during the criminal case or s/he gave up (waived) the right to have a lawyer:

• domestic abuse battery;
• battery of a dating partner when the offense involves strangulation;
• battery of a dating partner when the offense involves burning; or
• a second, or third, fourth, etc., offense of battery of a dating partner.¹

In addition, anyone who was convicted of or found “not guilty by reason of insanity” of any of the following crimes cannot possess a firearm or carry a concealed weapon for a period of ten years from the date of completing the sentence, probation, parole, suspension of sentence, or discharge from a mental institution by a court:

1. a “crime of violence” that is a felony;
2. various burglary crimes – for a complete list, go to our Selected Louisiana Statutes page;
3. manufacture or possession of a bomb or other incendiary device;
4. possession of a firearm while possessing or selling a controlled dangerous substance;
5. felony illegal use of weapons;
6. any violation of the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law that is a felony;
7. any crime defined as a sex offense; or
8. an attempt to commit any of these above-listed offenses.²

If the abuser was age 15 or 16 at the time s/he was “adjudicated delinquent” of committing any of the above eight crimes, s/he may be violating this law. However, there are some exceptions. Read section 95.1(A)(2) of the law to learn more.³

Lastly, there are additional crime-related reasons why a person would not qualify for a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Under Louisiana law, in order to qualify for a concealed handgun permit, the person must:

• not have been found guilty of, or entered a plea of guilty or “nolo contendere” to, a drug-related misdemeanor within the past five years prior to the date the application is submitted;
• not presently be charged under indictment or a bill of information for a drug-related misdemeanor;
• not been found guilty of, or entered a plea of guilty or “nolo contendere” to, a misdemeanor “crime of violence,” unless five years have passed since completion of the sentence or since any other conditions set by the court have been fulfilled;
• not have been convicted of, have entered a plea of guilty or “nolo contendere” to, or be under a current indictment or a bill of information for a “crime of violence” or any felony;
• not be a fugitive from justice;
• not have a history of engaging in violent behavior; Note: If within a ten-year period immediately before the date of the application, there is proof that either of the following are true, it will be assumed that the person has a “history of engaging in violent behavior”:
  • the applicant was arrested or charged on three or more occasions for any “crime of violence;” or
  • the applicant was arrested or charged on two or more occasions for any “crime of violence” that may be punished by death; and
• not be ineligible to possess or receive a firearm under federal law.⁴

¹ LA R.S. 14:95.10(A), (C)
² LA R.S. 14:95.1(A), (C)
³ LA R.S. 14:95.1(A)(2) 
⁴ LA R.S. 40:1379.3(C)