The modern reference for Illinois firearms law.
Every statute tracked, every change documented, every source cited.
A step-by-step guide covering everything first-time gun buyers in Illinois need to know, from obtaining a FOID card to completing your first purchase.
A complete walkthrough for purchasing a handgun in Illinois, including FOID card requirements, the FTIP background check, and the 72-hour waiting period.
Complete guide to purchasing rifles and shotguns in Illinois, including FOID card requirements, PICA restrictions, the 72-hour waiting period, and age rules.
Practical guide to which firearms remain fully legal under the Protect Illinois Communities Act, including compliant configurations and magazine limits.
Guide to complying with the Illinois Safe Gun Storage Act (720 ILCS 5/24-9), covering secure storage requirements, civil penalties, and reporting rules.
How to legally transport firearms in Illinois, with a complete breakdown of the rules for FOID-only holders, CCL holders, and non-residents in transit.
Illinois Public Act 104-0030 (HB1373) requires all law enforcement agencies to submit recovered crime guns to ATF eTrace and NIBIN within 2 business days. Makes eTrace participation mandatory statewide. Effective July 28, 2025. No impact on civilian gun ownership.
The U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari on April 6, 2026 in Schoenthal v. Raoul, leaving in place the Seventh Circuit ruling that upheld Illinois' prohibition on carrying concealed firearms on public transit. CTA, Metra, Pace, and all other publicly funded transit remain off-limits for CCL holders.
Multiple active bills in the 104th General Assembly would reform Illinois's Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card system — adding safety course requirements, strengthening mental health reporting, and expanding denial criteria to include stalking.
Three bills targeting convertible pistols — firearms that can be readily modified to fire fully automatic — are advancing simultaneously in the Illinois House and Senate, reflecting urgency around the "Glock switch" epidemic.
A bloc of bills in the 104th General Assembly would expand concealed carry rights in Illinois — allowing carry in forest preserves, establishing reciprocity with other states, and removing several restricted locations from the prohibited-carry list.
Senate bills to repeal portions of the Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA) assault weapons ban and modify the registration affidavit process have received committee deadlines in the 104th General Assembly, keeping the PICA debate alive.
Multiple bills in the 104th General Assembly would increase penalties for firearm-related offenses, targeting repeat offenders, juvenile offenders, and specific crime categories like domestic battery with a firearm.
Bills in both chambers would expand Illinois's firearms restraining order (red flag) law, broadening who can petition for an order and strengthening law enforcement's role in the process.