Best States for Gun Rights (2026)
Gun rights vary dramatically across the US. Some states let you carry a concealed firearm without a permit, openly carry in most places, and own suppressors. Others require extensive permitting, ban open carry, and prohibit suppressors entirely. We scored all 50 states across three key metrics to create this ranking.
How We Scored
Each state is scored on three factors: constitutional carry (permitless concealed carry), open carry, and suppressor legality. Legal = 3 points, restricted = 1 point, illegal/no = 0 points. Maximum score is 9. This is a simplified ranking — individual situations vary based on specific firearm types, local ordinances, and personal eligibility.
Most Permissive States (0)
| Rank | State | Const. Carry | Open Carry | Suppressors | Score |
|---|
All 50 States Ranked
| # | State | Const. Carry | Open Carry | Suppressors | Score | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 2 | Alaska | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 3 | Arizona | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 4 | Arkansas | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 5 | Georgia | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 6 | Idaho | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 7 | Indiana | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 8 | Iowa | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 9 | Kansas | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 10 | Kentucky | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 11 | Louisiana | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 12 | Maine | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 13 | New Mexico | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 14 | North Carolina | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 15 | North Dakota | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 16 | Ohio | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 17 | Oklahoma | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 19 | South Carolina | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 20 | Tennessee | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 21 | Vermont | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 22 | West Virginia | Yes | Restricted | Restricted | 5/9 | Moderate |
| 23 | Florida | Yes | No | Restricted | 4/9 | Moderate |
| 24 | Michigan | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | 3/9 | Restrictive |
| 25 | Minnesota | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | 3/9 | Restrictive |
| 26 | Mississippi | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | 3/9 | Restrictive |
| 27 | Missouri | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | 3/9 | Restrictive |
| 28 | Montana | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | 3/9 | Restrictive |
| 29 | Nebraska | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | 3/9 | Restrictive |
| 30 | New Hampshire | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | 3/9 | Restrictive |
| 31 | South Dakota | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | 3/9 | Restrictive |
| 32 | Texas | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | 3/9 | Restrictive |
| 33 | Utah | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | 3/9 | Restrictive |
| 34 | Virginia | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | 3/9 | Restrictive |
| 35 | Washington | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | 3/9 | Restrictive |
| 36 | Wisconsin | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | 3/9 | Restrictive |
| 37 | Wyoming | Restricted | Restricted | Restricted | 3/9 | Restrictive |
| 38 | Colorado | No | Restricted | Restricted | 2/9 | Restrictive |
| 39 | Delaware | No | Restricted | Restricted | 2/9 | Restrictive |
| 40 | Nevada | No | Restricted | Restricted | 2/9 | Restrictive |
| 41 | Oregon | No | Restricted | Restricted | 2/9 | Restrictive |
| 42 | Connecticut | No | Restricted | No | 1/9 | Very Restrictive |
| 43 | Maryland | No | Restricted | No | 1/9 | Very Restrictive |
| 44 | Massachusetts | No | Restricted | No | 1/9 | Very Restrictive |
| 45 | New Jersey | No | Restricted | No | 1/9 | Very Restrictive |
| 46 | Rhode Island | No | Restricted | No | 1/9 | Very Restrictive |
| 47 | California | No | No | No | 0/9 | Very Restrictive |
| 48 | Hawaii | No | No | No | 0/9 | Very Restrictive |
| 49 | Illinois | No | No | No | 0/9 | Very Restrictive |
| 50 | New York | No | No | No | 0/9 | Very Restrictive |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which state has the best gun rights?
States with constitutional carry, unrestricted open carry, and legal suppressors score highest. As of 2026, states like Arizona, Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, and Texas rank among the most permissive for gun owners.
How many states have constitutional carry?
As of 2026, 23 states have constitutional carry (permitless carry), allowing residents to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.
What is constitutional carry?
Constitutional carry means a state allows residents to carry a concealed firearm without obtaining a permit. The term comes from the argument that the Second Amendment itself is the only "permit" needed. States with constitutional carry still have restrictions on who can carry (age, felony status, etc.).
Which states are the most restrictive for gun owners?
States like California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and Connecticut have the most restrictive gun laws, including may-issue or no-issue concealed carry, assault weapons bans, magazine capacity limits, and suppressor bans.