Firearm Storage

A firearm kept unlocked, whether in a nightstand, on a closet shelf, in a glove box or in a bag; ammunition stored with it; a key or combination that a child or teen could find. CDC says putting a firearm out of sight or out of reach is not safe storage and not enough to prevent use by children.

If there are firearms in your home, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises storing every one locked and unloaded, with ammunition locked separately. AAP also says to make sure children and teens can't get the keys or combinations to lock boxes or gun safes, and not to keep a loaded, unlocked gun in the car or anywhere else on your property. CDC says secure storage, such as a safe or lock box, can help prevent use by children and by people at risk of harming themselves or others. Project ChildSafe, the firearm industry's own safety program, gives the same advice: unloaded and locked, with ammunition secured separately (as quoted by CDC). A free lock is often available: Project ChildSafe, a program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (the firearm industry's trade association), gives out free safety kits that include a cable-style lock through law-enforcement partners; its site lists them by state and city. Storage laws differ by state, and we don't give legal advice. RAND's page on child-access prevention laws (updated January 2026) maps which states have them; your state's own statutes are the authority. We ask about storage, not ownership, and this answer stays on your device.