Ohio State Gun Laws

Ohio state law says that a person cannot have or buy a gun if s/he:

• is under 18 years of age –or under 21 for a handgun– but there are certain exceptions for military and law enforcement officers;¹
• is a fugitive from justice;
• has been indicted or convicted of any felony drug offense, or has been found to have committed such an offense as a minor;
• has a drug dependency, is in danger of drug dependency, or has chronic alcoholism;
• has been committed to a mental institution or has otherwise been found to be a person with mental illness or incompetent by a court;²
• is a violent career criminal, meaning s/he has been convicted of two or more unrelated violent felonies in the prior eight years;³ or
• has been indicted or convicted of one of the following “violent felonies,” or has been found to have committed such an offense as a minor:
  
  • aggravated murder;
  • murder;
  • voluntary manslaughter;
  • involuntary manslaughter;
  • felonious assault;
  • aggravated assault;
  • kidnapping;
  • abduction;
  • making terroristic threat;
  • robbery;
  • aggravated robbery;
• has been indicted or convicted of one of the following crimes but only as a felony, not as a misdemeanor, or has been found to have committed such an offense as a minor:
  
  • burglary;
  • rape;
  • sexual battery;
  • unlawful sexual conduct with minor;
  • gross sexual imposition;
  • terrorism;
  • domestic violence.⁴

Additionally, a judge in Ohio can include gun restrictions as part of a protection order. The law allows a judge to order any relief that is “equitable and fair” to protect the victim of abuse.⁵ If the judge includes gun restrictions in your temporary or final protection order, then it may be unlawful for the abuser to have or buy a gun. You can read more in the Guns and Protective Orders section.

There are also certain Ohio state law restrictions about who can get a concealed handgun license in Ohio. In order to qualify for a concealed handgun license, in addition to the restrictions listed above, the person must meet all of the following:

1. s/he is legally living in the United States (and has not renounced his/her U.S. citizenship);
2. s/he either lives in Ohio or is employed in Ohio;
3. s/he is at least twenty-one years old;
4. s/he is not a fugitive from justice;
5. s/he has not been convicted of, and is not currently charged or indicted with, committing certain felony or misdemeanor offenses as an adult or as a minor (you can see which offenses in If the abuser has been convicted of a crime, can s/he keep or buy a gun?);
6. s/he has not been discharged from the armed forces of the United States under dishonorable conditions;
7. s/he certifies that s/he has read the Ohio firearms safety pamphlet, has completed a firearms safety course, and needs a firearm for defense; and
8. s/he is not currently subject to a civil protection order, a temporary protection order, or a protection order issued by a court of another state.⁶

If any of these situations apply to the abuser, it may be illegal for him/her to have a gun. Also, federal laws, which apply to all states, may restrict an abuser’s right to have a gun. Go to Federal Gun Laws to get more information.

¹ Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.211(A)-(B)
² Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.13(A)
³ Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.132
⁴ Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.132(A)(2)
⁵ Ohio Rev. Code § 3113.31(E)(1)(h)
⁶ Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.125(D)(1)