166.505 Permits to purchase firearms; rules. (1)(a) A person may apply for a permit-to-purchase a firearm or firearms under this section to the police chief or county sheriff with jurisdiction over the residence of the person making the application, or their designees, hereinafter referred to as “permit agent.”
(b) A person is qualified to be issued a permit-to-purchase under this section if the person:
(A) Is not prohibited from purchasing or acquiring a firearm under state or federal law, including but not limited to successfully completing a criminal background check as described under paragraph (e) of this subsection;
(B) Is not the subject of an order described in ORS 166.525 to 166.543;
(C) Does not present reasonable grounds for a permit agent to conclude that the applicant has been or is reasonably likely to be a danger to self or others, or to the community at large, as a result of the applicant’s mental or psychological state or as demonstrated by the applicant’s past pattern of behavior involving unlawful violence or threats of unlawful violence;
(D) Provides proof of completion of a firearm safety course as defined in subsection (8) of this section; and
(E) Pays the fee described in subsection (3)(b) of this section.
(c) An application for a permit under this section must state the applicant’s legal name, current address and telephone number, date and place of birth, physical description, and any additional information determined necessary by department rules. The application must be signed by the applicant in front of the permit agent.
(d) The permit agent shall verify the applicant’s identity with a government-issued form of identification bearing a photograph of the applicant.
(e) The applicant must submit to fingerprinting and photographing by t
Stored review status: 2025_edition_later_amendments_unresolved. A text match is a research starting point; applicability is not established.
Official chapter context and edition notices
Chapter 166 — Offenses Against Public Order; Firearms and Other Weapons; Racketeering
Uncodified sections printed in this chapter were amended or repealed by the Legislative Assembly during its 2026 regular session. See the table of uncodified sections amended or repealed during the 2026 regular session: 2026 A&R Tables
New sections of law were enacted by the Legislative Assembly during its 2026 regular session and pertain to or are likely to be compiled in this ORS chapter. See sections in the following 2026 Oregon Laws chapters: 2026 Session Laws 0120
2025 EDITION
PUBLIC ORDER OFFENSES
CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS
RIOT, DISORDERLY CONDUCT, HARASSMENT AND RELATED OFFENSES
BIAS CRIME
AUTHORITY TO REGULATE FIREARMS
POSSESSION AND USE OF WEAPONS
(Generally)
(Possession of Weapons in Public Buildings or Court Facilities)
(Destructive Devices)
(Duties of Firearm Owners and Possessors)
SALE OR TRANSFER OF FIREARMS
EXTREME RISK PROTECTION ORDERS
DISCHARGING WEAPONS
POSSESSION OF BODY ARMOR
MISCELLANEOUS
RACKETEERING
RIOT, DISORDERLY CONDUCT, HARASSMENT AND RELATED OFFENSES
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Stable record: oregon_criminal_law:legal_authorities:166.505 Source file: ors166.html Pages: Not recorded – Not recorded Passage SHA-256: 294abfc37cdf7a2b234fc5659bab1b755b2eadb41137d862fef0cc0237af8b78 Retained source evidence SHA-256: dd35e0da63555ebef88cc11cd6ae4309a37c3b744978829c3b2f00d59c0c08b8
Source location: ORS 166.505 (all printed versions and notes)
Stored source content
166.505 Permits to purchase firearms; rules. (1)(a) A person may apply for a permit-to-purchase a firearm or firearms under this section to the police chief or county sheriff with jurisdiction over the residence of the person making the application, or their designees, hereinafter referred to as “permit agent.”
(b) A person is qualified to be issued a permit-to-purchase under this section if the person:
(A) Is not prohibited from purchasing or acquiring a firearm under state or federal law, including but not limited to successfully completing a criminal background check as described under paragraph (e) of this subsection;
(B) Is not the subject of an order described in ORS 166.525 to 166.543;
(C) Does not present reasonable grounds for a permit agent to conclude that the applicant has been or is reasonably likely to be a danger to self or others, or to the community at large, as a result of the applicant’s mental or psychological state or as demonstrated by the applicant’s past pattern of behavior involving unlawful violence or threats of unlawful violence;
(D) Provides proof of completion of a firearm safety course as defined in subsection (8) of this section; and
(E) Pays the fee described in subsection (3)(b) of this section.
(c) An application for a permit under this section must state the applicant’s legal name, current address and telephone number, date and place of birth, physical description, and any additional information determined necessary by department rules. The application must be signed by the applicant in front of the permit agent.
(d) The permit agent shall verify the applicant’s identity with a government-issued form of identification bearing a photograph of the applicant.
(e) The applicant must submit to fingerprinting and photographing by the permit agent. The permit agent shall fingerprint and photograph the applicant and shall conduct any investigation necessary to determine whether the applicant meets the qualifications described in paragraph (b) of this subsection. The permit agent shall request the department to conduct a criminal background check, including but not limited to a fingerprint identification, through the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Federal Bureau of Investigation shall return the fingerprint cards used to conduct the criminal background check and may not keep any record of the fingerprints. Upon completion of the criminal background check and determination of whether the permit applicant is qualified or disqualified from purchasing or otherwise acquiring a firearm the department shall report the results, including the outcome of the fingerprint-based criminal background check, to the permit agent.
(2)(a) If during the background check, the department determines that:
(A) A purchaser is prohibited from possessing a firearm under ORS 166.250 (1)(c), the department shall report the attempted application for a permit, the purchaser’s name and any other personally identifiable information to all federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and district attorneys that have jurisdiction over the location or locations where the attempted application for a permit was made and where the permit applicant resides.
(B) Based on the judgment of conviction, the permit applicant is prohibited from possessing a firearm as a condition of probation or that the permit applicant is currently on post-prison supervision or parole, the department shall report the attempted application for a permit to the permit applicant’s supervising officer and the district attorney of the county in which the conviction occurred.
(C) The permit applicant is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a court order described in ORS 166.255 (1)(a), the department shall report the attempted application for a permit to the court that issued the order.
(D) The permit applicant is under the jurisdiction of the Psychiatric Security Review Board, the department shall report the attempted application for a permit to the board.
(b) Reports required by paragraph (a)(A) to (D) of this subsection shall be made within 24 hours after the determination is made, unless a report would compromise an ongoing investigation, in which case the report may be delayed as long as necessary to avoid compromising the investigation.
(c) On or before January 31 of each year, beginning in 2024, the department shall annually publish a report indicating for each county the number of applications made to any permit agent, the number of permits-to-purchase issued and the number of permits-to-purchase denied and the reasons for denial. The department may, by rule, include any additional information that it determines would be helpful to ensuring the permit-to-purchase process is being administered in a consistent and equitable manner.
(3)(a) Within 30 days of receiving an application for a permit under this section, if the permit agent has verified the applicant’s identity and determined that the applicant has met each of the qualifications described in subsection (1)(b) of this section, the permit agent shall issue the permit-to-purchase.
(b) The permit agent may charge a reasonable fee reflecting the actual cost of the process but shall not exceed $65, including the cost of fingerprinting, photographing and obtaining a criminal background check.
(4)(a) The department shall develop:
(A) A standardized application form for a permit under this section; and
(B) A form in quadruplicate for use by permit agents in issuing permits under this section.
(b) The issuing permit agent shall maintain a copy of each permit issued under this section.
(c) The person named in a permit shall:
(A) Maintain a copy of the permit as long as the permit is valid.
(B) Present a copy of the permit to the gun dealer or transferor of a firearm when required under ORS 166.412, 166.435, 166.436 or 166.438.
(5)(a) The permit agent shall report the issuance of a permit under this section to the department, and shall provide to the department a copy of the permit and any information necessary for the department to maintain an electronic searchable database of all permits issued under this section. A permit agent revoking a permit shall report the revocation to the department at the time that notice of the revocation has been sent to the permit holder.
(b) The department shall maintain the electronic database described in paragraph (a) of this subsection by ensuring that new permits are added to the database, renewed permits are assigned a new expiration date, and expired or revoked permits are marked expired or revoked but retained in the database.
(6)(a) A permit-to-purchase issued under this section does not create any right of the permit holder to receive a firearm.
(b) A permit-to-purchase issued under this section is not a limit on the number of firearms the permit holder may purchase or acquire during the time period when the permit is valid.
(7)(a) A permit-to-purchase issued under this section is valid for five years from the date of issuance, unless revoked.
(b) A person may renew an unexpired permit issued under this section by repeating the procedures set forth in subsection (1) of this section, except:
(A) A full fingerprint set does not need to be taken again if the original set has been retained by the permit agent or is otherwise available; and
(B) The training course does not need to be completed, provided the course previously taken fully complies with each of the requirements set forth in subsection (8) of this section.
(c) The permit agent may charge a reasonable fee for renewal of the permit, reflecting the actual cost of the process but shall not exceed $50, including the cost of obtaining a criminal background check and photographing.
(8) As used in this section, “proof of completion of a firearm safety course” means the following:
(a) Proof of completion of any firearms training course or class available to the general public that is offered by law enforcement, a community college, or a private or public institution or organization or firearms training school utilizing instructors certified by a law enforcement agency, and that includes the components set forth in paragraph (c) of this subsection; or
(b) Proof of completion of any law enforcement firearms training course or class that is offered for security guards, investigators, reserve law enforcement officers, or any other law enforcement officers, and that includes the components set forth in paragraph (c) of this subsection;
(c) A firearms training course or class required for issuance of a permit-to-purchase must include:
(A) Review of federal and state laws in place at the time of the class and other safe practices related to ownership, purchase, transfer, use and transportation of firearms;
(B) Review of federal and state safe storage laws in place at the time of the class and other safe practices related to safe storage, including reporting lost and stolen guns;
(C) Prevention of abuse or misuse of firearms, including the impact of homicide and suicide on families, communities and the country as a whole; and
(D) In-person demonstration of the applicant’s ability to lock, load, unload, fire and store a firearm before an instructor certified by a law enforcement agency. This requirement may be met separately from the other course requirements in subparagraphs (A), (B) and (C) of this paragraph, which may be completed in an online course, provided the online course has been conducted by a trainer certified by law enforcement.
(d) Proof of successful completion of a training course in order to meet the requirements for a concealed handgun license issued under ORS 166.291 and 166.292 may be submitted for a permit as a substitute for the requirements in paragraph (c) of this subsection, provided the completed course included each of the components set forth in paragraph (c) of this subsection.
(9) The department may adopt rules to carry out the provisions of this section. [2023 c.1 §4]
Note: See first note under 166.412.
Note: See second note under 166.355.
Note: See third note under 166.355.
Note: See fourth note under 166.355.
Cross-references
Connections may be documented source relationships, shared citations or nearby passages. Each explains its basis; a connection alone does not establish applicability to your situation.
Oregon criminal law — ORS Title 16 (2025 snapshot) · legal_authorities
166.250 Unlawful possession of firearms. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section or ORS 166.260, 166.270, 166.273, 166.274, 166.291, 166.292 or 166.410 to 166.470, a person commits the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm if the person knowingly:
(a) Carries any firearm concealed upon the person;
(b) Possesses a handgun that is concealed and readily accessible to the person within any vehicle;
(c) Possesses a firearm and:
(A) Is under 18 years of age;
(B)(i) While a minor, was found to be within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court for having committed an act which, if committed by an adult, would constitute a felony or a misdemeanor involving violence, as defined in ORS 166.470; and
(ii) Was discharged from the jurisdiction of the juvenile court within four years prior to being charged under this section;
(C) Has been convicted of a felony;
(D) Was committed to the Oregon Health Authority under ORS 426.130;
(E) Was found to be a person with mental illness and subject to an order under ORS 426.130 that the person be prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm as a result of that mental illness;
(F) Is presently subject to an order under ORS 426.133 prohibiting the person from purchasing or possessing a firearm;
(G) Has been found guilty except for insanity under ORS 161.295 of a felony; or
(H) The possession of the firearm by the person is prohibited under ORS 166.255; or
(d) Possesses an unfinished frame or receiver and is prohibited from possessing firearms under paragraph (c) of this subsection.
(2) This section does not prohibit:
(a) A minor, who is not otherwise prohibited under subsection (1)(c) of this section, from possessing a firearm:
(A) Other than a handgun, if the firearm was transferred to the minor by the minor’s par
166.255 Possession of firearm or ammunition by certain persons prohibited. (1) It is unlawful for a person to knowingly possess a firearm or ammunition if:
(a) The person is the subject of a court order that:
(A)(i) Was issued or continued after a hearing for which the person had actual notice and during the course of which the person had an opportunity to be heard; or
(ii) Was issued, continued or remains in effect, by order or operation of law, after the person received notice of the opportunity to request a hearing in which to be heard on the order, and either requested a hearing but did not attend the hearing or withdrew the request before the hearing occurred, or did not request a hearing during the time period in which the opportunity was available;
(B) Restrains the person from stalking, intimidating, molesting or menacing a family or household member of the person, a child of a family or household member of the person or a child of the person; and
(C) Includes a finding that the person represents a credible threat to the physical safety of a family or household member of the person, a child of a family or household member of the person or a child of the person;
(b) The person has been convicted of a qualifying misdemeanor and, at the time of the offense, the person was:
(A) A family or household member of the victim of the offense; or
(B) A parent or guardian of the victim of the offense; or
(c) The person has been convicted of stalking under ORS 163.732.
(2) The prohibition described in subsection (1)(a) of this section does not apply with respect to the transportation, shipment, receipt, possession or importation of any firearm or ammunition imported for, sold or shipped to or issued for the use of the United States Government or any federal departme
166.291 Issuance of concealed handgun license; application; fees; liability. (1) The sheriff of a county, upon a person’s application for an Oregon concealed handgun license, upon receipt of the appropriate fees and after compliance with the procedures set out in this section, shall issue the person a concealed handgun license if the person:
(a)(A) Is a citizen of the United States; or
(B) Is a legal resident noncitizen who can document continuous residency in the county for at least six months and has declared in writing to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services the intent to acquire citizenship status and can present proof of the written declaration to the sheriff at the time of application for the license;
(b) Is at least 21 years of age;
(c) Is a resident of the county;
(d) Has no outstanding warrants for arrest;
(e) Is not free on any form of pretrial release;
(f) Demonstrates competence with a handgun by any one of the following:
(A) Completion of any hunter education or hunter safety course approved by the State Department of Fish and Wildlife or a similar agency of another state if handgun safety was a component of the course;
(B) Completion of any National Rifle Association firearms safety or training course if handgun safety was a component of the course;
(C) Completion of any firearms safety or training course or class available to the general public offered by law enforcement, community college, or private or public institution or organization or firearms training school utilizing instructors certified by the National Rifle Association or a law enforcement agency if handgun safety was a component of the course;
(D) Completion of any law enforcement firearms safety or training course or class offered for security guards, investigato
166.412 Definitions; firearms transaction record; criminal history record check; prohibited transfer report; liability; rules. (1) As used in this section:
(a) “Antique firearm” has the meaning given that term in 18 U.S.C. 921;
(b) “Department” means the Department of State Police;
(c) “Firearm” has the meaning given that term in ORS 166.210, except that it does not include an antique firearm;
(d) “Firearms transaction record” means the firearms transaction record required by 18 U.S.C. 921 to 929;
(e) “Firearms transaction thumbprint form” means a form provided by the department under subsection (11) of this section;
(f) “Gun dealer” means a person engaged in the business, as defined in 18 U.S.C. 921, of selling, leasing or otherwise transferring a firearm, whether the person is a retail dealer, pawnbroker or otherwise;
(g) “Purchaser” means a person who buys, leases or otherwise receives a firearm or unfinished frame or receiver from a gun dealer; and
(h) “Unfinished frame or receiver” has the meaning given that term in ORS 166.210.
(2) Except as provided in subsection (12) of this section, a gun dealer shall comply with the following before a firearm or unfinished frame or receiver is delivered to a purchaser:
(a) The purchaser shall present to the gun dealer current identification meeting the requirements of subsection (4) of this section and a valid permit issued under ORS 166.505.
(b) The gun dealer shall complete the firearms transaction record and obtain the signature of the purchaser on the record.
(c) The gun dealer shall obtain the thumbprints of the purchaser on the firearms transaction thumbprint form and attach the form to the gun dealer’s copy of the firearms transaction record to be filed with that copy.
(d) The gun dealer shall, by telephone
166.525 Definitions. As used in ORS 166.525 to 166.543:
(1) “Deadly weapon” means:
(a) Any instrument, article or substance specifically designed for and presently capable of causing death or serious physical injury; or
(b) A firearm, whether loaded or unloaded.
(2) “Family or household member” means a spouse, intimate partner, mother, father, child or sibling of the respondent, or any person living within the same household as the respondent.
(3) “Gun dealer” has the meaning given that term in ORS 166.412.
(4) “Law enforcement agency” means an agency or department of the State of Oregon or of a political subdivision of the State of Oregon whose principal function is the apprehension of criminal offenders.
(5) “Law enforcement officer” means a member of the Oregon State Police, a sheriff, a municipal police officer or an authorized tribal police officer as defined in ORS 181A.940.
(6) “Petitioner” means a person who petitions for an order under ORS 166.525 to 166.543.
(7) “Respondent” means a person against whom an order is filed under ORS 166.525 to 166.543. [2017 c.737 §1]
166.435 Firearm transfers by unlicensed persons; requirements; exceptions; penalties. (1) As used in this section:
(a) “Transfer” means the delivery of a firearm from a transferor to a transferee, including, but not limited to, the sale, gift, loan or lease of the firearm. “Transfer” does not include the temporary provision of a firearm to a transferee if the transferor has no reason to believe the transferee is prohibited from possessing a firearm or intends to use the firearm in the commission of a crime, and the provision occurs:
(A) At a shooting range, shooting gallery or other area designed for the purpose of target shooting, for use during target practice, a firearms safety or training course or class or a similar lawful activity;
(B) For the purpose of hunting, trapping or target shooting, during the time in which the transferee is engaged in activities related to hunting, trapping or target shooting;
(C) Under circumstances in which the transferee and the firearm are in the presence of the transferor;
(D) To a transferee who is in the business of repairing firearms, for the time during which the firearm is being repaired;
(E) To a transferee who is in the business of making or repairing custom accessories for firearms, for the time during which the accessories are being made or repaired; or
(F) For the purpose of preventing imminent death or serious physical injury, and the provision lasts only as long as is necessary to prevent the death or serious physical injury.
(b) “Transferee” means a person who is not a gun dealer or licensed as a manufacturer or importer under 18 U.S.C. 923 and who intends to receive a firearm from a transferor.
(c) “Transferor” means a person who is not a gun dealer or licensed as a manufacturer or importer under 18 U.S.C. 923
166.436 Department of State Police criminal background checks for gun show firearm transfers; prohibited transfer report; liability. (1) The Department of State Police shall make the telephone number established under ORS 166.412 (5) available for requests for criminal background checks under this section from persons who are not gun dealers and who are transferring firearms at gun shows.
(2) Prior to transferring a firearm at a gun show, a transferor who is not a gun dealer shall by telephone verify that the transferee has a valid permit-to-purchase a firearm under ORS 166.505, and request that the department conduct a criminal background check on the recipient upon providing the following information to the department:
(a) The name, address and telephone number of the transferor;
(b) The make, model, caliber and manufacturer’s number of the firearm being transferred;
(c) The name, date of birth, race, sex and address of the recipient;
(d) The Social Security number of the recipient if the recipient voluntarily provides that number;
(e) The address of the place where the transfer is occurring; and
(f) The type, issuer and identification number of a current piece of identification bearing a recent photograph of the recipient presented by the recipient. The identification presented by the recipient must meet the requirements of ORS 166.412 (4)(a).
(3)(a) Upon receipt of a request for a criminal background check under this section, the department shall immediately, during the telephone call or by return call:
(A) Determine from criminal records and other information available to it whether the recipient is disqualified under ORS 166.470 from completing the transfer or is otherwise prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a firearm; and
(B) Notify the t
166.438 Transfer of firearms at gun shows; penalties. (1) A transferor who is not a gun dealer may not transfer a firearm at a gun show unless the transferor:
(a)(A) Verifies with the department that the recipient has a valid permit-to-purchase issued under ORS 166.505;
(B) Requests a criminal background check under ORS 166.436 prior to completing the transfer;
(C) Receives a unique approval number from the department indicating that the recipient is qualified to complete the transfer; and
(D) Has the recipient complete the form described in ORS 166.441; or
(b) Completes the transfer through a gun dealer.
(2) The transferor shall retain the completed form referred to in subsection (1) of this section for at least five years and shall make the completed form available to law enforcement agencies for the purpose of criminal investigations.
(3) A person who organizes a gun show shall post in a prominent place at the gun show a notice explaining the requirements of subsections (1) and (2) of this section. The person shall provide the form required by subsection (1) of this section to any person transferring a firearm at the gun show.
(4) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply if the transferee is licensed as a dealer under 18 U.S.C. 923.
(5)(a) Failure to comply with the requirements of subsection (1), (2) or (3) of this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, failure to comply with the requirements of subsection (1), (2) or (3) of this section is a Class C felony if the person has two or more previous convictions under this section at the time of the offense.
(6) It is an affirmative defense to a charge of violating subsection (1) or (3) of this section that the person did not know, or reasonably could not k
166.508 Denial of application; revocation; petition to circuit court. (1) If the application for the permit-to-purchase is denied, the permit agent shall set forth in writing the reasons for the denial. The denial shall be placed in the mail to the applicant by certified mail, restricted delivery, within 30 days after the application was made. If no decision is issued within 30 days, the person may seek review under the procedures in subsection (5) of this section.
(2) Notwithstanding ORS 166.505 (1) to (3), and subject to review as provided in subsection (5) of this section, a permit agent may deny a permit-to-purchase if the permit agent has reasonable grounds to believe that the applicant has been or is reasonably likely to be a danger to self or others, or to the community at large, as a result of the applicant’s mental or psychological state or as demonstrated by the applicant’s past pattern of behavior involving unlawful violence or threats of unlawful violence.
(3)(a) Any act or condition that would prevent the issuance of a permit-to-purchase is cause for revoking a permit-to-purchase.
(b) A permit agent may revoke a permit by serving on the permittee a notice of revocation. The notice must contain the grounds for the revocation and must be served either personally or by certified mail, restricted delivery. The notice and return of service shall be included in the file of the permit holder. The revocation is effective upon the permit holder’s receipt of the notice.
(4) Any peace officer or corrections officer may seize a permit-to-purchase and return it to the issuing permit agent if the permit is held by a person who has been arrested or cited for a crime that can or would otherwise disqualify the person from being issued a permit. The issuing permit agent