West Virginia - WV Gun Laws

No state permit or license is required to buy a rifle, shotgun, or handgun in West Virginia. Dealer purchases run through the standard federal NICS background check (Form 4473), with federal age minimums of 18 for a long gun and 21 for a handgun. There's no state waiting period and no state-added purchase restrictions beyond what federal law already requires.

West Virginia does not require a background check for private, face-to-face firearm sales between people who can legally possess firearms. Federal law still applies — a private seller may not knowingly transfer to someone they believe is a prohibited possessor.

West Virginia follows the standard federal prohibited-persons categories: felony conviction, certain domestic violence convictions or active protective orders, unlawful drug users, individuals adjudicated mentally defective or committed to a mental institution, fugitives from justice, dishonorable military discharge, undocumented immigration status, and renunciation of U.S. citizenship. West Virginia has no red-flag/extreme risk protective order law.

Legal without a permit for anyone 18 or older who can otherwise legally possess a firearm.

Permitless for adults 18 and older as of June 12, 2026 (HB 4106). Under W. Va. Code § 61-7-7(c), a person may carry concealed without a license if they are at least 18, a U.S. citizen or legal resident, and not prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law. Before HB 4106, 18-20 year-olds needed a provisional license plus a handgun safety course — that requirement is now gone. West Virginia still issues an optional concealed carry permit, mainly useful for reciprocity when traveling to states that don't recognize West Virginia's permitless standard.

No permit or license is required to carry a firearm, loaded or unloaded, concealed or openly, in a vehicle in West Virginia — the state's permitless carry framework covers vehicle transport the same as carrying on foot. The main restrictions are the same sensitive-location rules that apply anywhere else (see Restricted Locations) and the standard prohibition on possession by someone legally disqualified.

West Virginia's restricted-location list includes K-12 schools, courthouses, and certain secure areas of government buildings. Federal restrictions still apply regardless of state law — federal buildings and other federal property remain off-limits under federal statute.

West Virginia does not set a comprehensive statewide minimum age for possessing a firearm beyond the federal purchase-age framework (18 for long guns, 21 for handguns through a dealer), and 18-20 year-olds can now carry concealed without any additional license following HB 4106. Supervised possession and use by minors below these ages — for hunting, target shooting, or firearms safety instruction under adult supervision — is common practice and not separately restricted by a dedicated state age-floor statute.

None. West Virginia has no magazine capacity limit and no assault weapons ban, and state preemption law (W. Va. Code § 8-12-5a) blocks any city or county from creating one locally.

West Virginia's castle doctrine (W. Va. Code § 55-7-22) allows the use of deadly force in your home or vehicle if you reasonably believe it's necessary to prevent imminent harm, with no duty to retreat. That no-duty-to-retreat standard extends to any place a person has a legal right to be, including public places and the workplace, making West Virginia a genuine stand-your-ground state, not just a castle-doctrine one.

West Virginia has strong state preemption under W. Va. Code § 8-12-5a — municipalities and other local jurisdictions cannot regulate firearm ownership, possession, transfer, or transportation, or add their own carry-prohibited zones beyond what state and federal law already establish.

West Virginia State Police, firearms/concealed carry resources: wvsp.gov
West Virginia Code, Chapter 61, Article 7 (full text): code.wvlegislature.gov
Your county Sheriff's Office: for optional concealed carry permit applications
ATF: for federal NFA questions — West Virginia does not add state-level restrictions on suppressors beyond federal requirements