How Old to Buy a Gun in Georgia: 18 for Long Guns, 21 for Handguns

At a licensed dealer, you must be 18 to buy a rifle or shotgun and 21 to buy a handgun. Those ages come from federal law, and they apply in Georgia. This guide explains where the numbers come from, how the age line works for ammunition, what Georgia adds for anyone under 18, and what to bring to the counter. It is general information as of November 2026, not legal advice.

The federal ages for buying from a dealer

Federal law sets the minimum age for a licensed dealer to sell a gun. The rule is in 18 U.S.C. 922(b)(1) and in the ATF regulation 27 CFR 478.99(b)(1). It bars a licensed importer, manufacturer or dealer from selling or delivering:

• Any firearm or ammunition to a person the dealer knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under 18.
• A firearm other than a shotgun or rifle, or ammunition for one, to a person the dealer knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under 21. In plain terms, that is handguns and handgun ammunition.

So the working rule at the counter is:

What you are buying	Minimum age at a licensed dealer
Rifle or shotgun	18
Rifle or shotgun ammunition	18
Handgun	21
Handgun ammunition	21

The regulation lists no exceptions to these ages for dealer sales.

Why 21 for a handgun

The line between 18 and 21 is not a Georgia rule. It is the federal rule written into the dealer’s license duties. A licensed dealer cannot sell a handgun to a 20-year-old, and a parent’s say-so does not change it. The federal text keys off the age the dealer knows or has reasonable cause to believe the buyer is, and the dealer checks that with ID.

What happens at the counter

Every sale by a licensed dealer includes a background check. Federal rules require the dealer to contact the FBI’s check system, called NICS, before the transfer is complete (27 CFR 478.102), and Georgia law says dealer transfers are subject to that check (O.C.G.A. 16-11-172). The buyer also fills out ATF Form 4473 and shows a valid government photo ID with a current address.

Age matters for the check’s timing too. If the check comes back delayed, the dealer has to wait three business days, and for a buyer under 21 the window can run up to 10 business days when NICS says it needs more time. We cover the clock in our guide to a delayed background check in Georgia.

This is the same process if the gun is an online order shipped to us. The 4473, the check and the age rule apply when you pick it up. The steps are on our FFL transfers page.

If you are under 18

Under 18, a dealer cannot sell you a gun or ammunition. Georgia then adds its own limits.

Possession. A person under 18 generally may not possess a handgun in Georgia, with listed exceptions such as a hunter education course or licensed hunting (O.C.G.A. 16-11-132).

Selling or giving one. It is unlawful to sell or furnish a pistol or revolver to a minor (O.C.G.A. 16-11-101.1). A parent or guardian may permit possession for the purposes listed in 16-11-132, and the statute adds limits when the parent knows the minor has broken the law or poses a substantial risk of using the handgun in a felony. A violation of 16-11-101.1 is a felony.

Federal law. Federal law makes a handgun transfer to a juvenile unlawful with narrow exceptions, and it lets a juvenile inherit title but not possession (18 U.S.C. 922(x)).

We found no Georgia text we could cite on long guns for someone under 18, and so this guide does not answer that. For a gift to a young hunter, an attorney can tell you what applies.

How the dealer checks your age

The dealer does not take your word for it. Under 27 CFR 478.124, the dealer must verify the buyer’s identity by examining an identification document and note the type of document on the Form 4473. The form asks for your date of birth, and the person receiving the gun is the one who fills it out. It also has you certify that you are not prohibited from having a gun.

That is why a parent cannot fill out the form for an adult child, and why the ID has to be a real, current government photo ID. If the dealer knows or has reasonable cause to believe you are under the minimum age, the federal rule bars the sale no matter what the ID says.

Gifts for a younger shooter

A common question is a parent or grandparent who wants to buy a rifle for a teenager. The dealer rule above still applies: a dealer cannot sell a firearm or ammunition to a person the dealer knows or has reason to believe is under 18. A dealer can sell a rifle to an adult buyer who is 18 or older. What happens after that, who owns it and where it is kept, runs into the Georgia rules above for handguns and into the family transfer rules in our family transfer guide. We do not give advice on a specific gift, and an attorney can.

What the age rules do not cover

These ages are about dealer sales. A private sale between two Georgia residents is a separate matter, with no federal dealer age rule and the prohibited-person rule still in force. Our inherited guns guide walks through that rule, and the next steps for a family gift are in our guide on transferring a gun to a family member.

What to bring when you are old enough

• A valid government photo ID with a current address. The dealer examines it as part of the sale.
• Time to fill out the 4473 at the counter.
• For a transfer, the $40 flat fee per firearm.

If you are not sure which side of the line you are on, call before you drive over.

What the age rule does not do

The age rule sets a floor. Being old enough does not make a sale automatic. The buyer must still pass the background check, show ID and not be in a prohibited category listed in 27 CFR 478.99(c). That list covers felony convictions, fugitives, unlawful drug users, certain mental health adjudications, certain noncitizens, a dishonorable discharge, a renounced citizenship, certain protective orders and a domestic violence misdemeanor conviction.

Quick answers

• Rifle or shotgun at a dealer: 18.
• Handgun at a dealer: 21.
• Ammunition at a dealer: 18 for rifle and shotgun rounds, 21 for handgun rounds.
• Under 18: no dealer sale, and Georgia has limits on handgun possession and on furnishing a pistol or revolver.
• A delayed check: up to 10 business days for buyers under 21 when NICS asks for more time.

Where to go next

Our FFL transfers page lists what to bring and how a pickup goes. You can also contact us and ask the counter anything about age at the register.