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Información Legal: Luisiana

Luisiana: Leyes Estatales de Armas de Fuego

Actualizada: 
21 de noviembre de 2023

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre las leyes federales y estatales de armas de fuego? ¿Por qué necesito entender ambas?

En estas páginas sobre las leyes de armas de fuego, nos referimos tanto a las “leyes federales sobre armas de fuego” como a las “leyes estatales de armas de fuego”. La diferencia más grande entre las dos tiene que ver con quién crea la ley y cuál es la penalidad por violar la ley.

Una razón por la que es importante para usted conocer que existen estos dos tipos de leyes de armas de fuego es que pueda entender todas las formas posibles en las que el/la agresor/a puede estar violando la ley y así usted puede protegerse mejor. En esta sección, nos estaremos refiriendo mayormente a las leyes estatales. Pero asegúrese también de leer nuestras páginas de Leyes Federales sobre Armas de Fuego para ver si alguna ley federal le aplica a su situación. Es posible que necesite leer tanto las leyes estatales como las federales para ver si el/la agresor/a está violando alguna de ellas.

Si va a llamar a la policía porque cree que el/la agresor/a ha violado alguna de las leyes de armas de fuego, no necesariamente tiene que decirle a la policía cuál ley fue violada (estatal versus federal) pero la policía local no puede arrestar a una persona por violar las leyes federales, sólo puede arrestarle por violar las leyes estatales/locales. Solamente el Departamento de Alcohol, Tabaco y Armas de Fuego (“ATF” por sus siglas en inglés) puede arrestar a una persona por violar las leyes federales. Si la policía local cree que se está violando una ley estatal, puede arrestar a el/la agresor/a y pasarle el caso a el/la fiscal del estado. Si la policía local cree que se está violando una ley federal, con suerte, el departamento de policía le notificará al “ATF” o a la oficina de el/la Fiscal General de los Estados Unidos en su estado (que es el/la fiscal federal). Para información sobre cómo puede contactar al “ATF” directamente para reportar la violación de las leyes federales de armas de fuego, vaya a ¿A quién le notifico si pienso que el agresor no debe tener un arma de fuego? Si el/la agresor/a está violando tanto leyes estatales como federales, le pueden procesar tanto en la corte estatal como en la federal.

¿Cuál es la definición de un delito grave?

Under Louisiana state law, a felony is any offense that can be punished by death or imprisonment at hard labor.1

1 LA R.S. 14:2(A)(4)

Soy víctima de violencia doméstica y el agresor tiene un arma de fuego. ¿Eso es legal?

Under Louisiana state law, it is illegal for anyone to possess a firearm or carry a concealed weapon under the following circumstances:

  1. If someone has a long-term protective order against him/her, it is illegal to possess/carry while the order is in effect as long as:
    • the order includes a finding that the defendant represents a believable (credible) threat to the physical safety of a family member, household member, or dating partner; and
    • the order includes a notice to the defendant about this law and about the federal firearm law;1 and
  2. If someone has been convicted of any of the following crimes, as long as s/he was represented by a lawyer during the criminal case or s/he gave up the right to have a lawyer:

In addition, anyone who was convicted of or found “not guilty by reason of insanity” of any of the following crimes cannot possess a firearm or carry a concealed weapon for a period of ten years from the date of completing the sentence, probation, parole, suspension of sentence, or discharge from a mental institution by a court:

  1. a “crime of violence” that is a felony;
  2. various burglary crimes – for a complete list, go to our Selected Louisiana Statutes page;
  3. manufacture or possession of a bomb or other incendiary device;
  4. possession of a firearm while possessing or selling a controlled dangerous substance;
  5. felony illegal use of weapons;
  6. any violation of the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law that is a felony;
  7. any crime defined as a sex offense; or
  8. an attempt to commit any of these above-listed offenses.3

There are additional reasons why a person would not qualify for a permit to be able to carry a concealed weapon. See What reasons would someone be denied a permit to carry a concealed handgun? for more information.

Also, federal laws, which apply to all states, may restrict an abuser’s right to have a gun. Go to our Federal Gun Laws page to get more information.

1 LA R.S. 46:2136.3
2 LA R.S. 14:95.10(A), (C)
3 LA R.S. 14:95.1(A), (C)

What reasons would someone be denied a permit to carry a concealed handgun?

In addition to the reasons that would make it illegal for a person to possess a firearm or carry a concealed weapon, there are additional reasons why a person would not qualify for a permit to carry a concealed handgun. In Louisiana, in order to qualify for a concealed handgun permit, the person must:

  • be a resident of the state;
  • be twenty-one years of age or older;
  • not be suffering from a mental or physical illness (infirmity) due to disease, illness, or intellectual disability that prevents the safe handling of a handgun;
  • not have been committed, either voluntarily or involuntarily, for the abuse of drugs within the past five years prior to the date the application is submitted;
  • not have been found guilty of, or entered a plea of guilty or “nolo contendere” to, a drug-related misdemeanor within the past five years prior to the date the application is submitted;
  • not presently be charged under indictment or a bill of information for a drug-related misdemeanor;
  • not frequently (“chronically and habitually”) drink alcohol to such an extent that his/her normal abilities are damaged (impaired);
  • not have been admitted, either voluntarily or involuntarily, for treatment as an alcoholic within the five-year period immediately preceding the date on which the application is submitted or at any time after the application is submitted;
  • not been found guilty of, or entered a plea of guilty or “nolo contendere” to, a misdemeanor “crime of violence,” unless five years have passed since completion of the sentence or since any other conditions set by the court have been fulfilled;
  • not have been convicted of, have entered a plea of guilty or “nolo contendere” to, or not be under a current indictment or a bill of information for a “crime of violence” or any felony;
  • not be a fugitive from justice;
  • not be an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, or narcotic drugs;
  • not have been found by a court to be mentally deficient;
  • not have been committed to a mental institution;
  • not be an undocumented immigrant;
  • not have been discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States with a discharge characterized as “Under Other than Honorable Conditions,” a “Bad Conduct Discharge,” or a “Dishonorable Discharge;”
  • not have a history of engaging in violent behavior; Note: If within a ten-year period immediately before the date of the application, there is proof that either of the following are true, it will be assumed that the person has a “history of engaging in violent behavior”:
  • not be ineligible to possess or receive a firearm under federal law, including when there is a protective order issued against the applicant that meets certain conditions; and
  • not have had a permit denied within one year prior to the most recent application or revoked within four years prior to the most recent application.1

​1 LA R.S. 40:1379.3(C)