The gun control debate in the United States has focused primarily on assault rifles such as the AR-15. The AR-15-style firearm has grown in popularity in recent years and is now the best-selling rifle in the United States – and as of 2012, it has also been used in 10 of the country’s top 17 deadliest mass shootings. But while AR-15 firearms have dominated the political debate as debate rages in Washington and in state houses across the country, handguns take a far greater toll on public health in the United States each year.
According to the FBI, 13,620 homicides were committed with a firearm in 2020, and at least 59% of those were confirmed to have been committed with a handgun. Now, only 3% of homicides are committed with a gun. In addition, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the risk of suicide from firearms is eight times higher among male handgun owners than non-owners and 35 times higher among female handgun owners. (Here’s a look at the states where gun crime is skyrocketing.)
Given the particular risks posed by handguns, several states have implemented policies to better ensure safe and responsible ownership. These include extensions to background checks, mandatory security courses, waiting times for potential buyers, and licensing and permitting processes. Most states, however, have done none of this — and in those places, virtually any adult with no criminal record can legally get their hands on a handgun in minutes.
Georgia is one of these states. Not only are there no universal background check laws for prospective handgun buyers, but there are also no mandatory waiting periods, licenses, or safety training requirements.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 2,200 gun-related deaths in Georgia in 2021, or 20.3 per 100,000 people, making it the 14th highest rate of gun deaths among the 50 states.
All handgun purchase and ownership data in this story was compiled by the Giffords Law Center, a gun control advocacy group.
| Condition | Handgun Licensing and Safety Training Requirements | Universal background checks on handgun purchases | Mandatory waiting times when purchasing handguns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | none | NO | none |
| Alaska | none | NO | none |
| Arizona | none | NO | none |
| Arkansas | none | NO | none |
| California | Safety training to obtain the certificate | Yes | 10 days |
| Colorado | none | Yes | 3 days (valid from Oct. 1, 2023) |
| Connecticut | Permission and safety training are required for purchase | Yes | none |
| Delaware | none | Yes | none |
| Florida | none | NO | At least 3 days |
| Georgia | none | NO | none |
| Hawaii | Permission and safety training are required for purchase | Yes | 14 days |
| Idaho | none | NO | none |
| Illinois | Ownership license required | Yes | 72 hours |
| Indiana | none | NO | none |
| Iowa | none | NO | none |
| Kansas | none | NO | none |
| Kentucky | none | NO | none |
| Louisiana | none | NO | none |
| Maine | none | NO | none |
| Maryland | Permission and safety training are required for purchase | Yes | 7 days |
| Massachusetts | Safety training, permit required to purchase, license required to own | Yes | none |
| Michigan | Permission is required for purchase | Yes | none |
| Minnesota | Permission is required to purchase from private sellers | NO | 30 days when purchased from a retailer |
| Mississippi | none | NO | none |
| Missouri | none | NO | none |
| Montana | none | NO | none |
| Nebraska | Permission is required for purchase | Yes | none |
| Nevada | none | Yes | none |
| New Hampshire | none | NO | none |
| New Jersey | Permission and safety training are required for purchase | Yes | 7 days |
| New Mexico | none | Yes | none |
| new York | License required for purchase and ownership | Yes | none |
| North Carolina | none | NO | none |
| North Dakota | none | NO | none |
| Ohio | none | NO | none |
| Oklahoma | none | NO | none |
| Oregon | Permission and safety training are required for purchase | Yes | none |
| Pennsylvania | none | Yes | none |
| Rhode Island | Permission and safety training are required for purchase | Yes | 7 days |
| South Carolina | none | NO | none |
| South Dakota | none | NO | none |
| Tennessee | none | NO | none |
| Texas | none | NO | none |
| Utah | none | NO | none |
| Vermont | none | Yes | none |
| Virginia | none | Yes | none |
| Washington | none | Yes | none |
| West Virginia | none | NO | none |
| Wisconsin | none | NO | none |
| Wyoming | none | NO | none |
