Illinois gun laws: a plain guide for buyers

Illinois is one of the most heavily regulated states in the country for firearms, and the rules changed again in 2023. Before you order anything, you need to understand three things: the FOID card, the 72-hour waiting period and the Protect Illinois Communities Act. This guide covers buying, owning and transferring firearms in Illinois as of September 2026. It is general information, not legal advice. Read the statute or talk to an Illinois attorney when the answer matters.

The FOID card comes first

Illinois requires a Firearm Owner's Identification card to acquire or possess a firearm, ammunition, a taser or a stun gun. The card is issued by the Illinois State Police Firearms Services Bureau, the application is filed online through the ISP firearms portal, and the fee is $10 plus a small electronic payment charge. A FOID card is valid for ten years and can auto-renew in some circumstances. The ISP publishes a processing target of 30 calendar days for a new application and longer for renewals, so apply well before you plan to buy.

To qualify you must be 21, or under 21 with a parent or guardian who holds a valid FOID and signs a notarised affidavit of sponsorship. You cannot be prohibited under state or federal law. Non-residents are generally not eligible for a FOID, though the statute exempts non-resident hunters with a valid licence and certain other visitors. If you are moving to Illinois, apply as soon as you have established residency.

The FOID also matters for ammunition. Because Illinois treats ammunition the same way it treats firearms, we need a valid FOID on file before ammunition ships to an Illinois address. That is the single most common reason an Illinois order stalls.

Buying from a dealer

Every firearm you order from our catalogue ships to a federally licensed dealer you choose at checkout, never to your door. At the counter you show your FOID and photo ID, complete ATF Form 4473 and the dealer runs the background check. Federal law sets the dealer minimum at 18 for rifles and shotguns and 21 for handguns.

Then you wait. Illinois requires the dealer to hold the firearm for at least 72 hours from the time the sale is applied for. The old split, 24 hours for long guns and 72 for handguns, is gone: the 72-hour rule now covers firearms generally. The clock starts at the dealer, not when your order leaves our warehouse, so plan around it. A delayed background check can add more time, and many dealers will not release a firearm until they have a final answer.

Private sales and transfers

Illinois does not allow a no-questions private sale. Before a private seller transfers a firearm to another private party, the seller must contact the Illinois State Police with the buyer's FOID number to confirm the card is valid, using the ISP verification portal. The seller then has to keep a record of the transfer for ten years, including the date, a description and serial number, the buyer's FOID number and the approval number the state issued. Failing to keep that record is a misdemeanour for a first offence and a felony for a second within ten years. The 72-hour waiting period applies to private transfers as well.

The Protect Illinois Communities Act

PICA took effect on January 10, 2023. It bans the sale, purchase, manufacture and delivery of a long list of semi-automatic rifles, pistols and shotguns that the statute defines as assault weapons, along with listed attachments, .50 BMG rifles and cartridges, and rate-increasing devices. It also bans magazines holding more than 10 rounds for rifles and more than 15 rounds for handguns.

People who already owned covered items before January 10, 2023 could keep them by filing an electronic endorsement affidavit with the Illinois State Police, with the main deadline set at January 1, 2024. The ISP portal still accepts affidavits, but the agency has warned that a late filing may be treated as invalid by the jurisdiction where you live. Lawful owners may transfer covered items only to an heir, to an out-of-state resident or to a licensed dealer.

The law has been fought over in court since the day it passed. A federal district court struck it down in November 2024, but on July 9, 2026 the Seventh Circuit reversed that decision and upheld PICA in a two-to-one ruling. PICA is therefore in force today. The Supreme Court granted review on June 30, 2026 in Viramontes v. Cook County, which challenges Cook County's separate assault weapons ordinance on the same question, with argument scheduled for December 2026 and a decision expected by mid-2027. Treat the current position as settled for now and unsettled in the medium term, and check the Illinois State Police site before you rely on anything here.

Local rules on top of state law

Home rule units in Illinois can add their own restrictions. Cook County enforces its own assault weapons ordinance, Naperville has one of its own, and other municipalities regulate discharge, transport and storage. If you live in the Chicago area, read the Chicago buying guide before you order, and check the page for your city in our city index.

Storage, reporting and carry

Illinois law requires firearms to be kept so that a person under 14, or anyone prohibited, cannot gain access without a lock or a secured container. Lost or stolen firearms must be reported to local law enforcement within 48 hours. Carrying is a separate licence: see the concealed carry licence guide. Without a licence, a firearm in a vehicle must be unloaded and enclosed in a case, and hunters should read the deer season guide for what is legal in the field.

General information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026. Laws change; check the official source before you act.