Gun law in the United States is defined by a number of state and federal statutes. Sale or delivery of firearms is restricted in Illinois like any other U.S. state. In almost all the states of the US, an importer, manufacturer, dealer or collector shall be licensed under the federal Gun Control Act of 1968 to be a lawful seller.
Illinois statute § 720 ILCS 5/24-3 deals with the unlawful sale of firearms. In Illinois, a person commits the offense of unlawful sale of firearms when he or she knowingly does any of the following[i]:
(a) Sells or gives any firearm of a size which may be concealed upon the person to any person less than 18 years of age.
(b) Sells or gives any firearm to a person under 21 years of age who has been convicted of a misdemeanor other than a traffic offense or adjudged delinquent.
(c) Sells or gives any firearm to any narcotic addict.
(d) Sells or gives any firearm to any person who has been convicted of a felony under the laws of this or any other jurisdiction.
(e) Sells or gives any firearm to any person who has been a patient in a mental hospital within the past 5 years.
(f) Sells or gives any firearms to any person who is mentally retarded.
Delivering of a firearm of a size which may be concealed upon the person, incidental to a sale, without withholding delivery of such firearm for at least 72 hours after application for its purchase has been made is also not allowed in Illinois. Delivering of a rifle, shotgun or other long gun, or a stun gun or taser, incidental to a sale, without withholding delivery of such rifle, shotgun or other long gun, or a stun gun or taser for at least 24 hours after application for its purchase has been made is also not allowed in Illinois.[ii]
The law also prohibits a person holding a license as a dealer, importer, manufacturer or pawnbroker under the federal Gun Control Act of 1968, from manufacturing, selling or delivering to any unlicensed person a handgun having a barrel, slide, frame or receiver.[iii]
Selling of firearms of any size to any person less than 18 years of age who does not possess a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification Card is also prohibited in Illinois.[iv] The law also does not permit selling of firearm without being licensed as a federal firearms dealer under Section 923 of the federal Gun Control Act of 1968.[v]
In Illinois, the sale firearm to a person who does not display to the seller or transferor of the firearm a currently valid Firearm Owner’s Identification Card that has previously been issued in the transferee’s name by the Department of State Police under the provisions of the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act is also not permitted.[vi]
[i] 720 ILCS 5/24-3(A)
[ii] 720 ILCS 5/24-3(A) (g)
[iii] 720 ILCS 5/24-3(A) (h)
[iv] 720 ILCS 5/24-3(A) (i)
[v] 720 ILCS 5/24-3(A) (j)
[vi] 720 ILCS 5/24-3(A) (k)
