State Gun Laws

Under Arkansas law, it is illegal for someone to have any firearm if s/he has been convicted of a felony.¹

Arkansas state law says that a person can be denied a license to carry a concealed weapon if s/he:

• has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of violence or of “carrying a weapon” within the last five years, unless the person received a suspended sentence for the crime;²
• has been convicted of a felony in any state;
• has been found guilty of a drug crime or two or more alcohol-related crimes within the last three years; or
• is a fugitive or has a warrant out for his/her arrest.³

If s/he already has a license to carry a concealed weapon, that license can be revoked (canceled) if:

• the person has been found guilty of a crime of violence within the last three years; or
• the department that issues licenses is notified by any law enforcement agency or a court that the license-holder (or applicant) is arrested or formally charged with a crime that would disqualify him/her from having a license. The license can be revoked until the criminal case is decided; at that point, it can continue to be revoked or it can be re-instated, depending on the outcome of the case.⁴

Also, federal laws, which apply to all states, restrict an abuser’s right to have a gun if s/he has been convicted of a felony or a domestic violence misdemeanor. Go to Federal Gun Laws to get more information.

¹ A.C.A. § 5-73-103(a)(1)
² A.C.A. § 5-73-308(a)(1)(A), (a)(2)
³ A.C.A. § 5-73-309
⁴ See A.C.A. § 5-73-308(a)(1)(B), (a)(3)