How to Buy Ammo Online: 2026 Laws by State

Updated September 2026

Buying ammunition online is legal in most of the United States, and it’s usually the cheapest way to buy in bulk. Federal law sets the baseline: an age minimum and a list of people who can’t own ammo. A handful of states add background checks, permits, dealer pickup or higher age limits on top of that.

This guide covers the federal rules, every state with extra requirements as of September 2026, and how to get your order delivered legally.

The short answer

• In most states, you can order ammo online and have it shipped to your door if you’re 18+ for rifle and shotgun ammo, or 21+ for handgun ammo from a licensed dealer, and you’re not a prohibited person.
• In California, New York and Washington, D.C., ammo can’t ship to your home. It goes to a local dealer, where you pick it up in person.
• In Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey (for handgun ammo) and Rhode Island, you need a state license, permit or ID card before a seller can ship to you.
• In Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii and Rhode Island, buyers generally must be 21. In Colorado, the carrier checks ID at delivery.

Online ammo rules by state (as of September 2026)

State	Ship to your home?	What you need
California	No	Ships to a California licensed ammunition vendor; background check in person at pickup; 11% excise tax
Colorado	Yes, with adult signature	Age 21 (limited exceptions); the carrier checks ID at delivery
Connecticut	Yes, to the address on your ID	Ammunition certificate, pistol permit, or handgun or long-gun eligibility certificate
Delaware	Yes	Age 21 for all but shotgun ammo (exceptions for military, police and concealed carry license holders)
District of Columbia	No	In person at a D.C. dealer; valid registration certificate; ammo must match the registered gun’s caliber
Hawaii	Rarely offered	Age 21; seller checks photo ID
Illinois	Yes, to the address on your FOID card or state ID	FOID card and state ID sent to the seller before shipment
Massachusetts	Usually to an in-state dealer	FID card for non-semi-automatic rifle and shotgun ammo; License to Carry for handgun ammo; age 21 for handgun and semi-auto ammo; seller must be licensed in Massachusetts
New Jersey	Seller’s choice; many won’t ship	Any ammo that can be used in a handgun: FPID card, handgun purchase permit or carry permit, and age 21. Rifle- or shotgun-only ammo: 18+
New York	No	Ships to a licensed dealer or registered ammunition seller; state background check at pickup
Rhode Island	Yes	Age 21; handgun safety “blue card” or RI hunter education card
All other states	Yes	18+ for rifle and shotgun ammo, 21+ for handgun ammo from a licensed dealer; not a prohibited person

Laws change. Check your state attorney general or state police website before ordering.

Federal Law

These rules apply everywhere in the U.S.

• Age: Federal law lets licensed dealers sell rifle and shotgun ammunition to buyers 18 and older, and handgun ammunition only to buyers 21 and older. In September 2026, the Justice Department concluded that the under-21 limit on dealer handgun sales is unconstitutional and said it won’t prosecute dealers under it. ATF hasn’t issued new guidance, state age limits still apply, and most sellers still require buyers to be 21 for handgun ammo.
• Prohibited persons: Anyone barred from having a firearm can’t buy or possess ammunition either. That includes convicted felons, fugitives, unlawful drug users, people convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors or under certain restraining orders, and people who have been involuntarily committed. People under felony indictment can’t buy or receive it.
• Background checks: Federal law doesn’t require a background check to buy ammunition. Some states do.
• Shipping: Ammunition ships by ground through carriers like UPS and FedEx. USPS doesn’t carry it. Many sellers require an adult signature at delivery.

States With Online Ammo Restrictions

California

California has the strictest ammunition rules in the country. Every ammo purchase has to go through a California licensed ammunition vendor, and the buyer has to pass a background check in person at the time of transfer. Online orders ship to a vendor near you, and you pick them up there after the check. Home delivery isn’t allowed.

About the court case: In July 2025, a three-judge Ninth Circuit panel ruled the background check requirement unconstitutional (Rhode v. Bonta). On December 1, 2025, the Ninth Circuit agreed to rehear the case before a larger en banc panel, which vacated that ruling. The court heard arguments in March 2026 and hasn’t ruled yet. Until it does, the background check and vendor pickup rules are fully in effect.

California also charges an 11% excise tax on firearms and ammunition, in effect since July 1, 2024.

Colorado

Since July 1, 2026, Colorado requires ammunition buyers to be 21 or older (HB25-1133). Anyone born on or before January 28, 2007 is exempt, so in practice the rule covers people who turned 18 after January 28, 2025. For in-person purchases, there are also exceptions for military members and veterans, holders of a hunter education certificate and a few others. The seller’s age rule doesn’t cover rimfire (.22) ammunition.

Ammo can still ship to your home, but the carrier has to check the ID of the person receiving it, confirm they meet the age rule and get a signed acknowledgment, even for rimfire.

Colorado also charges a 6.5% excise tax on firearms and ammunition, including most online orders delivered to Colorado, since April 1, 2025.

Connecticut

To buy ammunition in Connecticut, you need one of these:

• an ammunition certificate (issued by the state police after a background check, valid for five years)
• a pistol permit
• a handgun eligibility certificate
• a long-gun eligibility certificate

Sellers ask for a copy before shipping, and most ship only to the address on your ID.

Delaware

Delaware prohibits anyone under 21 from buying or possessing ammunition, except shotgun ammunition. Active military, law enforcement and concealed carry license holders 18 and older are exempt. A lower court struck the law down, but the Delaware Supreme Court reinstated it on September 8, 2026.

District of Columbia

In Washington, D.C., you can only possess ammunition if you hold a valid firearm registration certificate. Sales happen in person through a licensed D.C. dealer, and the ammo you buy has to match the caliber or gauge of your registered gun, so mail-order delivery to a home isn’t an option.

Hawaii

Hawaii prohibits selling ammunition to anyone under 21 (Act 248, 2024), and sellers must check government-issued photo ID. Few online retailers ship to Hawaii, because getting ammunition to the islands is restricted and expensive.

Illinois

Illinois requires a Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card to buy ammunition. Before shipping, sellers ask for a copy of your FOID card and your Illinois driver’s license or state ID, and they ship only to the address on those documents. Cook County also charges a per-round tax on ammunition, which has faced court challenges.

Massachusetts

You need a Firearms Identification (FID) card or a License to Carry (LTC) to buy ammunition in Massachusetts. An FID covers ammunition for rifles and shotguns that aren’t semi-automatic. Handgun ammunition requires an LTC, or an FID plus a handgun purchase permit. Buyers under 21 can’t buy handgun ammunition or ammunition for semi-automatic rifles and shotguns.

Ammunition sellers must hold a Massachusetts license, so most out-of-state retailers either ship to an in-state dealer or don’t ship to Massachusetts at all.

Watch for changes: Massachusetts’ 2024 gun law (Chapter 135) faces a repeal vote (Question 9) on the November 3, 2026 ballot. We’ll update this section after the election.

New Jersey

New Jersey regulates handgun ammunition, and it defines that broadly: any cartridge that can be fired from a handgun counts, even if it’s also used in rifles, like 9mm or .22 LR. To buy it, you need a Firearms Purchaser Identification (FPID) card, a permit to purchase a handgun or a permit to carry, and you must be 21 or older. Ammunition designed only for rifles or shotguns isn’t covered, though many sellers still ask for an FPID card or hunting license.

Dealers must also record every handgun ammunition sale and report it to the State Police, and any sale of 2,000 or more rounds has to be reported immediately. Many national retailers don’t ship to New Jersey at all.

New York

New York requires a state background check for every ammunition purchase. Online orders must ship to a licensed dealer or a registered ammunition seller in New York, where you pick them up in person after the check. Each check costs $2.50, which sellers usually pass on to the buyer, and the dealer may add a transfer fee.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island prohibits selling ammunition to anyone under 21. Buyers also need either a handgun safety certificate (the “blue card”) or a Rhode Island hunter education card.

Washington and Oregon: Recent Laws That Don’t Cover Ammo

• Washington passed new dealer requirements in 2024 and a permit-to-purchase law for firearms that takes effect in 2027, but neither regulates buying or shipping ammunition.
• Oregon’s Measure 114 covers firearm permits and magazine capacity, not ammunition purchases.

In both states, online ammo orders work the same as in most of the country.

Supplier Restrictions

Even where shipping is legal, individual retailers set their own limits to reduce risk. You’ll commonly see:

• no shipping to California, New York, D.C. or Massachusetts, except through a local dealer
• no shipping to New Jersey at all
• New York City and Cook County, Illinois, blocked even when the state allows delivery
• no shipping to Hawaii or Alaska, because of carrier limits and freight costs
• an adult signature required at delivery everywhere

Check a seller’s shipping policy before you order, especially if you live in one of the states above.

States Without Major Restrictions

In most of the country, including Texas, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Utah, Ohio, Tennessee and Pennsylvania, buying ammo online is simple. If you meet the federal age requirement and aren’t a prohibited person, you can have ammunition shipped straight to your home. Some sellers still require an adult signature.

For hunters and shooters in these states, see our guide to the best .22 ammo for squirrel hunting.

Why FFLs Matter

A Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) is a licensed gun dealer. In some states, the FFL is where your online ammo order has to go:

• Required by law: California (a licensed ammunition vendor), New York and Washington, D.C. all require in-person pickup through a dealer.
• Required in practice: In Massachusetts, sellers must hold a state license, so orders usually ship to an in-state dealer.
• Seller’s preference: In Connecticut, Illinois and New Jersey, dealer pickup isn’t legally required, but some sellers insist on it.

If you’re shipping to an FFL, call ahead to confirm they accept ammunition transfers and ask what they charge.

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FAQs

Can you buy ammo online without a background check?
In most states, yes. Federal law doesn’t require a background check for ammunition. California and New York require one at the time of purchase, which is why online orders there go to a dealer for pickup.

Which states require dealer pickup for online ammo orders?
California, New York and Washington, D.C. In Massachusetts, sellers must be licensed in the state, so orders usually go through an in-state dealer too.

Did a court strike down California’s ammo background check?
Not for now. A three-judge Ninth Circuit panel ruled against it in July 2025, but the court vacated that ruling in December 2025 when it agreed to rehear the case en banc, and it heard new arguments in March 2026. Until the en banc court rules, the background check and vendor pickup requirements still apply.

How old do you have to be to buy ammo online?
Under federal law, 18 for rifle and shotgun ammo and 21 for handgun ammo when buying from a licensed dealer. Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii and Rhode Island set 21 as the minimum for most ammunition, with some exceptions.

Why do some sellers refuse to ship to my state even though it’s legal?
They choose not to take on the compliance risk. States with licensing or recordkeeping rules, like New Jersey and Massachusetts, are the most commonly excluded.

Is there a limit on how much ammo I can buy online?
Most states don’t limit how much ammunition you can buy, though some cities and fire codes limit how much you can store at home. Magazine capacity limits are a separate issue and don’t affect ammo quantity.

How do I know if my state’s laws have changed?
Check your state attorney general or state police website, or talk to a firearms attorney before you order. We review this guide regularly and date every update.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws change frequently. Always verify your state and local requirements before placing an order.