Who Cannot Carry
ORS 166.270, ORS 166.250 and ORS 166.255 — a felony conviction, certain commitments, and certain orders and misdemeanors
Felon in possession. A person convicted of a felony under the law of Oregon, any other state or the United States who owns, possesses or controls any firearm commits felon in possession of a firearm, a Class C felony. Having a switchblade, blackjack, metal knuckles or an Electro-Muscular Disruption Technology device, or carrying a dirk, dagger or stiletto, is felon in possession of a restricted weapon, a Class A misdemeanor.
A conviction counts if the offense was a felony where it was committed, but not if the court declared it a misdemeanor at judgment. The firearm rule does not reach a person convicted of only one felony that involved no criminal homicide and no firearm or switchblade, who has been discharged from imprisonment, parole or probation for 15 years. Nor does it reach a person granted relief from the disability, or whose record was expunged.
- Is under 18 years of age, with exceptions for a firearm other than a handgun from a parent or guardian, and for hunting, target practice and other lawful purposes.
- Was found, as a minor, to have committed what would be a felony or a violent misdemeanor for an adult, and was discharged from juvenile court jurisdiction within the four years before the charge.
- Was committed to the Oregon Health Authority, or is subject to an order prohibiting the purchase or possession of firearms because of mental illness.
- Was found guilty except for insanity of a felony.
Possessing a firearm while in any of those groups is also unlawful possession of a firearm. So is possessing a firearm or ammunition while subject to a court order, issued after notice and a chance to be heard, that restrains the person from stalking, intimidating, molesting or menacing a family or household member or child and finds a credible threat to their safety; after conviction of a misdemeanor that has as an element the use or attempted use of physical force or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, where the person was a family or household member, parent or guardian of the victim; or after a conviction for stalking.
Federal law keeps its own list of prohibited persons, which applies alongside the state's and is not on this page. How relief from the disability is obtained is set out in a section not reproduced here. Whether a particular conviction, order or commitment brings a person within these sections is a question for a licensed Oregon attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- ORS 166.270 — Possession of weapons by certain felons
- ORS 166.250 — Unlawful possession of firearms
- ORS 166.255 — Possession of firearm or ammunition by certain persons prohibited
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Oregon attorney.