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There is no need for firearms permits or registration of firearms in Alaska. You do need to be 21 years of age and not prohibited by the statewide restrictions.
You do not need a license to carry a specific type of gun. You are allowed to own a rifle at 18 and a handgun at 21 as long as you are a resident of Alaska. You do need a permit if you are a non-resident in the state and are coming from a state that does require permits and practices reciprocity with Alaska. If you plan of traveling to Alaska and taking a firearm from a state where your permit will be honored in Alaska you must carry this with you along with proper identification while you are within the boundaries of the state.
More information on Federal Firearm Licensees (FFL), as well as what each license type can do, can be found on our FFL home page.
We also have a very helpful
FFL search tool if you want to search by postal code, state, business name, or even license number.
Yes, Alaska has a state law that requires a background check prior to the sale of a firearm.
Federally licensed gun dealers are required to perform background checks on the purchaser before selling them a firearm. They can perform checks on their own or reach out to the FBI who can use the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (“NICS”) database. Alaska has no state laws to have a background check, so the firearm dealers must initiate a background check by reaching out to the FBI directly.
You are not required to take a safety course in order to own a firearm in Alaska.