State Gun Laws

Ohio state law says that a person cannot have or buy a gun if s/he:

• is a fugitive from justice;
• has been indicted or convicted of any felony drug offense, or has been found to have committed such an offense as a minor;¹
• is a “violent career criminal,” meaning s/he has been convicted of two or more unrelated violent felonies in the prior eight years;²
• has been indicted or convicted of a violent felony, or has been found to have committed such an offense as a minor. The following are considered violent felonies:
  
  • aggravated murder;
  • murder;
  • voluntary manslaughter;
  • involuntary manslaughter;
  • felonious assault;
  • aggravated assault;
  • kidnapping;
  • abduction;
  • making terroristic threat;
  • robbery;
  • aggravated robbery;
• has been indicted or convicted of one of the following crimes but only as a felony, not as a misdemeanor, or has been found to have committed such an offense as a minor:
  
  • burglary;
  • rape;
  • sexual battery;
  • unlawful sexual conduct with minor;
  • gross sexual imposition;
  • terrorism;
  • domestic violence.³

Also, under Ohio state law, a person cannot get a concealed handgun license if:

1. s/he was convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or adjudicated a delinquent child for committing the following crimes in Ohio or similar crimes in another state;

• domestic violence; ⁴
• certain drug-related offenses(you can see which drug offenses in the statute, section (D)(1)(e));
• assault, when the victim is a peace officer;

2. s/he is currently under indictment for, or otherwise currently charged with:
   • a felony,
   • a misdemeanor offense of violence,
   • negligent assault,
   • falsifying a handgun license, or
   • certain drug-related offenses (you can see which drug offenses in the statute, section (D)(1)(d));
3. within the past three years, s/he was convicted of, plead guilty to, or was adjudicated a delinquent child for committing a misdemeanor offense of violence (other than a few specific crimes, which you can read about in the statute, section (D)(1)(f));
4. within the past five years, s/he has been convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or adjudicated a delinquent child for committing two or more violations of the crimes of assault or negligent assault;
5. within the past ten years, s/he has been convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or adjudicated a delinquent child for committing a violation of the crime of resisting arrest.⁵

Also, Ohio state law says that if a deadly weapon (including a firearm) is used while committing a domestic violence crime or while violating a protection order, the police officers who come to the scene of the crime have the right to take (seize) the weapon.⁶

In addition, federal laws, which apply to all states, restrict a person’s right to have a gun under certain circumstances. Go to Federal Gun Laws to get more information.

¹ Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.13(A)
² Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.132
³ Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.132(A)(2)
⁴ Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.125(D)(1)(s)
⁵ Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.125(D)(1)
⁶ Ohio Rev. Code § 2935.03(h)