Gun laws in Mississippi regulate the sale, possession, and use of

firearm A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions). The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes c ...

s and

ammunition Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weap ...

in the state of

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Missis ...

in the United States. Gun laws in Mississippi are among the most permissive in the country, with no license or background check required to openly carry handguns most anywhere in the state.

Summary table

Concealed and open carry

Mississippi is a "shall issue" state for concealed carry. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety shall issue a license to carry a concealed pistol or revolver to a qualified applicant within 45 days. The license is valid for five years. Mississippi also recognizes all out-of-state carry permits as well. Concealed carry is not allowed in a school, courthouse, police station, detention facility, government meeting place, polling place, establishment primarily devoted to dispensing alcoholic beverages, athletic event, parade or demonstration for which a permit is required, passenger terminal of an airport, "place of nuisance" as defined in Mississippi Code section 95–3–1, or a location where a sign is posted and clearly visible from at least ten feet away saying that the "carrying of a pistol or revolver is prohibited". A license to carry a pistol or revolver is not required for

open carry In the United States, open carry refers to the practice of visibly carrying a firearm in public places, as distinguished from concealed carry, where firearms cannot be seen by the casual observer. To "carry" in this context indicates that the fir ...

beginning July 1, 2013 (see above). A license is not required for transporting a concealed or visible firearm in a vehicle. As of April 15, 2016, a license is not required to carry concealed in certain manners (see above), effectively legalizing

constitutional carry In the United States, the term constitutional carry, also called permitless carry, unrestricted carry, or Vermont carry, refers to the legal public carrying of a handgun, either openly or concealed, without a license or permit. The phrase does ...

. Additionally, churches are now covered under the

Castle Doctrine A castle doctrine, also known as a castle law or a defense of habitation law, is a legal doctrine that designates a person's abode or any legally occupied place (for example, a vehicle or home) as a place in which that person has protections and ...

and state/local law enforcement are barred from enforcing federal regulations/executive orders not approved by Congress that violate the

U.S. Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the nationa ...

or Mississippi Constitution.

State preemption

Mississippi has state preemption of many but not all firearm laws. No county or municipality may adopt any ordinance that restricts or requires the possession, transportation, sale, transfer or ownership of firearms or ammunition or their components. However, local governments may regulate the discharge of firearms, the carrying of firearms at a public park or public meeting, or the use of firearms in cases of insurrection, riots and natural disasters. Some counties have adopted

Second Amendment sanctuary Second Amendment sanctuary, also known as a gun sanctuary, refers to states, counties, or localities in the United States that have adopted laws or resolutions to prohibit or impede the enforcement of certain gun control measures which are perc ...

resolutions.

Lawsuits

Lawsuits against manufacturers, distributors, or dealers for damages resulting from the lawful design, manufacture, distribution or sale of firearms are reserved to the state. However, local governments may bring suit for breach of contract or warranty or for defects in materials or workmanship.

References

{{Gun laws in the United States (by state) Mississippi law