Handguns and Anyone Under 18
K.S.A. 21-6301 — a firearm with a barrel under 12 inches, handed to or held by someone under 18, a class A misdemeanor
Selling, giving or otherwise transferring any firearm with a barrel less than 12 inches long to anyone under 18 is criminal use of weapons, a class A nonperson misdemeanor, whether or not the person knows the barrel's length.
Who handles this in Kansas: Johnson County Bar Association, Find a Lawyer; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Kansas directory.
Possessing a firearm with a barrel less than 12 inches long while under 18 is a class A nonperson misdemeanor, and a severity level 8, nonperson felony on a second or later conviction.
The rule on possession does not apply to someone under 18 at a hunter's safety or firearms safety course, target shooting at an established range, in an organized competition, hunting or trapping with a valid license, or on land a parent, guardian or grandparent controls with that person's permission.
Sources for this section (1)
- K.S.A. 21-6301 — Criminal use of weapons
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Kansas attorney.