DOJ Ends Federal Ban on Handgun Sales to Adults Under 21

The U.S. Department of Justice has declared that a federal law prohibiting licensed firearms dealers from selling handguns to adults aged 18 to 20 is unconstitutional and cannot be criminally enforced. In a legal opinion released on September 18, 2026, the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel concluded that the restrictions violate the Second Amendment. The opinion states that adults between 18 and 20 are part of "the people" protected by the Second Amendment, and handguns are in common use for lawful self-defense. Assistant Attorney General T. Elliot Gaiser, who leads the Office of Legal Counsel, emphasized that individuals in this age group can vote, serve on juries, be drafted, and face adult criminal penalties, including capital punishment. "The Constitution protects the people's right to keep and bear arms," Gaiser said. "The Department of Justice may not constitutionally seek to impose criminal penalties on dealers who sell handguns to law-abiding adults who, in nearly every other relevant respect, are members of the political community.