Who Cannot Carry
G.S. 14-415.1 — after a felony, any firearm, and a Class G felony
Who. It is unlawful for any person convicted of a felony to purchase, own, possess, or have in custody, care or control any firearm or any weapon of mass death and destruction. A firearm includes its frame or receiver, and a muffler or silencer. The section does not apply to an antique firearm.
The grades. A violation is a Class G felony; a Class F felony if committed during a felony under the same chapter or the controlled substances article, a Class D felony if the firearm is brandished then, and a Class C felony if it is discharged.
Which convictions. North Carolina felony convictions count whenever they occurred, as do convictions in other states or federal courts substantially similar to them and punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
Pardon or restoration. The section does not apply to a person pardoned, or whose firearm rights were restored under the law of the jurisdiction of conviction, if that restoration could also be granted under North Carolina law. It also does not reach felony convictions for antitrust violations, unfair trade practices or restraints of trade.
Federal law keeps its own list of prohibited persons, which applies alongside the state's and is not on this page. Whether a particular conviction, order or commitment brings a person within the section, and whether rights can be restored, are questions for a licensed North Carolina attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- G.S. 14-415.1 — Possession of firearms, etc., by felon prohibited
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed North Carolina attorney.