Airgun Laws: Why the Rules Differ by State and City

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There is no single airgun law. Federal law sets a few baseline rules, states write their own definitions and age limits, and cities and villages add rules about where you may fire. The facts on this page were checked in October 2026 against statute and ordinance text, and every rule below is named for the state or place it comes from, because a rule in one state says nothing about the next. For any young shooter, the practical baseline is adult supervision and eye protection for everyone in range, whatever the local law says.

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Use this page as a map of what to look up, not as a final answer for where you live. It is general information, not legal advice, and laws change. The sections below follow the four questions that matter most: what the law calls an airgun, who may buy or possess one, where you may shoot, and how to check your own rules.

Key Takeaways
  • The federal firearm definition turns on expelling a projectile by the action of an explosive, but states and cities write their own airgun rules [1].
  • Age rules differ by state, for example Florida under 16 with adult supervision and Pennsylvania dealer sales under 18 [2] [3].
  • Discharge rules can be local: Carlsbad, California, Liberty, Texas, and Springville, New York, each regulate firing in their own codes [4] [5] [6].
  • Check the statute, then the municipal code, then your state wildlife agency for animals, and note the date you checked.

Federal, state and local rules stack on top of each other

The federal definition of a firearm turns on how the projectile is expelled. In the Gun Control Act, a firearm is a weapon that will, is designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive [1]. That wording describes powder-fired guns. It does not settle whether your state or city treats a spring, CO2 or compressed-air gun as a firearm, and some states, such as New Jersey and Rhode Island below, do write air guns into their firearm definitions.

Federal consumer rules sit alongside that definition. Federal law requires a blaze orange plug in the barrel of toy, look-alike and imitation firearms [7], and the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s marking rule excludes traditional BB, paintball and pellet-firing air guns that use compressed air, compressed gas or spring action [8]. Traditional air guns of those types fall outside that marking rule, while the look-alike products it covers carry the plug.

Below the federal level, a state legislature can define airguns, set minimum ages for buying and carrying them, and limit where they may be fired. Pennsylvania spells out the stacking effect in its own statute: an ordinance from a political subdivision that imposes greater restrictions on the sale, use or possession of air rifles than the statute does is not invalidated by it [3]. In other words, a town in Pennsylvania can be stricter than the state.

What a state calls an airgun

States answer the definition question in different ways, and we cover the details in our article on whether an air rifle is a firearm.

Here are four contrasting examples, each limited to the state named.

Airgun Laws: Why the Rules Differ by State and City - What a state calls an airgun
  • New Jersey: the firearm definition includes any firearm in the nature of an air gun, spring gun or pistol in which the propelling force is a spring, elastic band, carbon dioxide, compressed or other gas or vapor, air or compressed air, ejecting a bullet or missile smaller than three-eighths of an inch in diameter with sufficient force to injure a person [9].
  • Rhode Island: the weapons chapter defines firearm to include air rifles and air pistols [10].
  • Illinois: the air rifle statutes cover B-B guns, pellet guns and spring guns as air rifles [11], while the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act’s firearm definition excludes certain pneumatic, spring and B-B guns that expel a single globular projectile not exceeding .18 inch in diameter or that have a maximum muzzle velocity of less than 700 feet per second [12].
  • Michigan: the local-regulation act defines a firearm by the action of an explosive and defines a pneumatic gun separately as an implement designed as a gun that expels a BB or pellet by spring, gas or air [13].

Who can buy or possess an airgun

Age rules are where the state-by-state differences are easiest to see.

These are statements about the named state only, quoted or paraphrased from statute text.

  • Florida: use of BB guns and air or gas-operated guns by a minor under the age of 16 years is prohibited unless the use is under the supervision and in the presence of an adult [2].
  • Pennsylvania: it is unlawful for a dealer to sell, lend, rent, give or otherwise transfer an air rifle to anyone under the age of 18 years [3].
  • Massachusetts: no minor under the age of eighteen may have an air rifle or BB gun in any place the public has a right of access unless accompanied by an adult, or unless holding a sporting or hunting license and carrying a permit from the chief of police [14].
  • New York: it is unlawful for any person under the age of sixteen to possess an air gun, spring gun or similar instrument in which the propelling force is a spring or air [15]. Read the full section before relying on this summary.
  • Illinois: a dealer may not sell or transfer an air rifle to a person under the age of 13 years, with an exception where a parent and child, guardian and ward, or adult instructor and pupil relationship exists [16].
  • California: selling a BB device to a minor is a misdemeanor [17], and furnishing one to a minor without the express or implied permission of a parent or legal guardian is also a misdemeanor [18].

Where you can shoot

Even where a state does not restrict ownership, discharge rules can decide whether your backyard works. Pennsylvania makes it unlawful to discharge an air rifle from or across any highway or public land or any public place, except on a properly constructed target range [3]. Massachusetts bars discharging a BB shot, pellet or other object from an air rifle into, from or across any street, alley, public way or railroad right of way [14]. Illinois prohibits discharging an air rifle from or across any street, sidewalk, road, highway or public place except on a safely constructed target range [19].

City and village codes can go further. Carlsbad, California, requires permission from the Chief of Police before anyone discharges an air rifle, BB gun or pellet gun on public property, on any street or sidewalk, or in a park, beach or other public gathering place in the city [4].

Liberty, Texas, makes it unlawful to discharge an air rifle, pistol or BB gun in a manner that lets the projectile cross the boundary of the property, or without the owner’s permission [5]. The Village of Springville, New York, prohibits discharging an air gun or BB gun within the village except in self-defense [6].

A state can also hand cities the power to write these rules. Michigan’s statute lets a city or charter township prohibit discharging pneumatic guns in areas so heavily populated that the conduct is dangerous, while preserving discharge at authorized target ranges and on private property with the owner’s permission when done with reasonable care to keep the projectile within the property [20]. If you live in a dense neighborhood, the municipal code is the document that matters.

Taking an airgun on a trip

Travel adds another layer. The Transportation Security Administration lists BB guns as not allowed in carry-on bags and allowed in checked bags with special instructions, and tells travelers to check with the airline [21]. It also warns that possession laws vary by local, state and international government [21]. A rifle that is unremarkable at home can be regulated differently in the city or state where you land.

How to check your own rules

Start with the statute and then the municipal code, in that order. Search your state legislature’s website for the words air gun, air rifle, BB gun and pneumatic gun, because states use different terms, as the definitions above show. Then find your city, village or county code and search for discharge, firearms and air guns.

Most municipal codes are published online.

Airgun Laws: Why the Rules Differ by State and City - How to check your own rules

Hunting and pest control are a separate set of rules written by your state wildlife agency, not by the statutes above, so check that agency before using an airgun on animals; for birds, the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act also applies. [22] For anything that affects a purchase, a transport plan or an arrest risk, call the local police non-emergency line or consult a licensed attorney in your state. Write down the date you checked, because rules change.

FAQ

Are airgun laws the same in every state?
No. Pennsylvania lets local ordinances impose greater restrictions than its statute [3], and New Jersey and Rhode Island write airguns into their firearm definitions [9] [10]. Michigan defines pneumatic guns separately from firearms [13]. Check the rules where you live.

Can a child own a BB gun?
It depends on the state. Florida prohibits use by a minor under 16 unless under adult supervision and in the presence of an adult [2], and New York makes it unlawful for a person under sixteen to possess an air gun [15]. Look up your state before you buy.

Can I shoot a BB gun in my backyard?
Maybe. Michigan lets cities prohibit discharge in heavily populated areas but not on private property with the owner’s permission when reasonable care is taken [20], while Springville, New York, prohibits discharge within the village [6]. Your municipal code decides.

Can I fly with a BB gun?
TSA lists BB guns as not allowed in carry-on bags and allowed in checked bags with special instructions, and says to check with your airline [21]. Local, state and international rules also apply at your destination.

Important

This page is general information, not legal advice, and it covers only the places named. Laws change and vary by state and city, so confirm with your state statutes, your local code and a licensed attorney before relying on any rule here.

Sources

  1. 18 U.S. Code 921 – Definitions (definition of firearm, subsection (a)(3)). Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (reproduces U.S. Code), accessed 2026-10-13
  2. Florida Statutes 790.22 – Use of BB guns, air or gas-operated guns by minor under 16. Florida Legislature (leg.state.fl.us), accessed 2026-10-13
  3. 18 Pa.C.S. 6304 – Sale and use of air rifles. Pennsylvania General Assembly (legis.state.pa.us), accessed 2026-10-13
  4. Carlsbad (CA) Municipal Code 8.16.015 – Discharge of air guns, BB guns, etc. prohibited, where. eCode360 (City of Carlsbad, CA municipal code host), accessed 2026-10-13
  5. Liberty (TX) Code 8.02.003(c) – Discharge of air gun, BB gun, or bow and arrow. eCode360 (City of Liberty, TX municipal code host), accessed 2026-10-13
  6. Village of Springville (NY) Code 95-3 – Discharge within village prohibited. eCode360 (Village of Springville, NY municipal code host), accessed 2026-10-13
  7. 15 U.S. Code 5001 – Penalties for entering into commerce of imitation firearms. Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (reproduces U.S. Code), accessed 2026-10-13
  8. 16 CFR Part 1272 – Marking of Toy, Look-Alike, and Imitation Firearms. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission rule, accessed 2026-10-13
  9. N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1 Definitions (firearm, subsection f). FindLaw (reproduces New Jersey Statutes; legislature host blocked scripted fetch), accessed 2026-10-13
  10. Rhode Island General Laws 11-47-2 – Definitions (firearm). Rhode Island General Assembly (rilegislature.gov), accessed 2026-10-13
  11. 720 ILCS 5/24.8-0.1 Definitions (air rifle). Illinois General Assembly, accessed 2026-10-13
  12. 430 ILCS 65/1.1 Firearm Owners Identification Card Act – Definitions (firearm). Illinois General Assembly, accessed 2026-10-13
  13. Michigan Compiled Laws 123.1101 – Definitions (firearm, pneumatic gun). Michigan Legislature (legislature.mi.gov), accessed 2026-10-13
  14. Massachusetts General Laws c. 269, section 12B – Air rifles; possession by minors; shooting. Massachusetts Legislature (malegislature.gov), accessed 2026-10-13
  15. New York Penal Law 265.05 – Unlawful possession of weapons by persons under sixteen. FindLaw (reproduces New York Consolidated Laws; legislature host blocked scripted fetch), accessed 2026-10-13
  16. 720 ILCS 5/24.8-1 Selling, renting, or transferring air rifles to children. Illinois General Assembly, accessed 2026-10-13
  17. California Penal Code 19910 – Sale of BB device to a minor. FindLaw (reproduces California Penal Code; leginfo host blocked scripted fetch), accessed 2026-10-13
  18. California Penal Code 19915 – Furnishing a BB device to a minor. FindLaw (reproduces California Penal Code; leginfo host blocked scripted fetch), accessed 2026-10-13
  19. 720 ILCS 5/24.8-2 Carrying or discharging air rifles on public streets. Illinois General Assembly, accessed 2026-10-13
  20. Michigan Compiled Laws 123.1104 – Local discharge ordinances for pneumatic guns. Michigan Legislature (legislature.mi.gov), accessed 2026-10-13
  21. BB Guns – What Can I Bring? (TSA). U.S. Transportation Security Administration, accessed 2026-10-13
  22. 16 U.S.C. 703 – Taking, killing, or possessing migratory birds unlawful. Cornell Legal Information Institute (U.S. Code text), accessed 2026-10-13

Velocity, energy and shot-count figures are quoted as the manufacturer states them unless a test source is named. Airgun laws vary by state, county and city, and some places treat airguns as firearms; check your local law before buying or shooting. Adults should supervise young shooters, and everyone in range should wear eye protection. Hunting and pest control are governed by state wildlife rules. We do not sell or link to firearms or firearm ammunition. This is general information, not legal advice. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

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