Kentucky

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Kentucky

This jurisdictional hub aggregates FRC holdings related to Kentucky. It supports research on the state’s firearms history, technology, law, policy, and culture from the territorial and early statehood periods to the present.

Legal sources: statutes and session laws, administrative regulations, attorney general opinions, appellate decisions, and select municipal ordinances.
Historical materials: newspapers, photographs, maps, catalogs, frontier militia and court records, manufacturing and river-transport archives, and oral histories tied to Kentucky people and places.
Research outputs: technical reports, academic studies, training manuals, and curated datasets relevant to the state.

Cite the Firearms Research Center and the item’s handle/DOI when using materials. Rights and licensing vary by item.

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Ordinance No. 101: An Ordinance to Regulate the Discharge of Guns and Fireworks, in L.A. Civill, Charter of the City of Louisville, Ky.: Part Third, Ordinances of the City of Louisville 80 (1862) (enacted 1853)
(1853)
Any person who shall discharge a gun, pistol, or other fire-arms, or any person, who shall set off a squib, cracker, or other fire works, in any public place, or send up a paper balloon or sky rocket, or throw a fire ball within the city, shall be fined four dollars.
Edward I. Bullock & William Johnson, The General Statutes of the Commonwealth of Kentucky 345 (1873)
(1873)
11: If any person shall hunt game with a gun or dogs on the Sabbath, he shall be fined not less than five nor more than fifty dollars for each offense.
Edward I. Bullock & William Johnson, The General Statutes of the Commonwealth of Kentucky 669 (1873)
(1873)
Ch. 76, art. V,§ 3: A soldier who unnecessarily, or without order from a superior officer, comes to any parade with his musket, rifle, or pistol loaded with ball, slug, or shot, or shall so load the same while on duty, or unnecessarily, or without order from a superior officer, discharges the same when going to, returning from, or upon parade, shall forfeit not less than one nor more than five dollars.
1891 Ky. Acts 1076
(1891)
An Act for the Government of Cities of the Third Class, pt. 13: To regulate, restrain or prevent the establishment or continuance in or near said city of any trade or occupation, business or manufactory offensive to the public, or dangerous to health, or in causing or producing fire: and to regulate the sale of fire-arms and to prevent the carrying of concealed deadly weapons.
1898 Ky. Stat. 547
(1898)
Sec. 1259: Hunting or fishing on another's land. Any person who shall enter upon the inclosed lands of another for the purpose of shooting, hunting, or fishing, without the consent of the owner or occupant of said lands, shall be fined not less than five nor more than twenty-five dollars.
1869 Ky. Acts 481
(1869)
An Act to Amend and Reduce into One the Several Acts in Reference to the Town of Princeton, art. V, pt. 14: To regulate the keeping and conveying of gun-powder and other combustible and dangerous materials.
Ordinance No. 78: An Ordinance as to Retailing Gunpowder, in L.A. Civill, Charter of the City of Louisville, Ky.: Part Third, Ordinances of the City of Louisville 55 (1862) (enacted 1853)
(1853)
Prohibited the sale of gunpowder to minors under 15 years of age, "free colored persons," or "slaves" without permission from a parent, guardian, or master.
1885 Ky. Acts 154
(1885)
Ch. 1233: Imposed an occupational tax of fifty dollars for dealers of pistols and bowie knives.
1851 Ky. Acts 296
(1851)
Of Dealing With Slaves and Suffering Them to go at Large,§ 12: Prohibited "any negro" from keeping or carrying a gun, weapon, powder, or shot.
1839 Ky. Acts 246
(1839)
An Act to Amend the Several Acts Concerning the Towns of Paris and Elizabethtown, chap. 1279,§ 8: They shall have power to ordain a penalty on persons who shall be guilty of running horses within the limits of said town, blowing horns, or crying aloud, in such manner as to disturb the peace and quiet of the town, or the shooting a gun, or pistol in said town, any sum not exceeding twenty dollars.
1856 Ky. Acts 139
(1855)
An Act to Incorporate the Town of Baltimore, Hickman County, ch. 475,§ 10: Any person who shall shoot off a gun or pistol, or shall run or gallop a horse creature in said town, shall be liable to a fine of not less than two nor more than four dollars
1853 Ky. Acts 186
(1854)
Ch. 1020,§ 1-2: Prohibited the concealed carry of any deadly weapons. Violators fined not less than fifty nor more than one hundred dollars on first conviction. Subsequent convictions fined not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars.
1891 Ky. Acts 346
(1891)
Ch. 103: Tax of fifty dollars on sales of Bowie-knives, dirks, brass-knucks, or slung-shots.
C.A. Wickliffe et al., The Revised Statutes of Kentucky 671 (1852)
(1852)
Art. 7,§ 1: No person, except a gunsmith on his own premises, shall shoot off a gun or pistol in a town. Any person offending herein shall be fined five dollars and costs, to be collected by the trustees, and applied to keeping the streets of the town in repair.
1799 Ky. Acts 7
(1799)
An Act to Amend an Act Entitled "An Act Concerning the Militia," p. 421-22,§ 1-3: [T]he brigadier generals shall attend each regimental muster within their brigades to view the same; it shall be the duty of the brigade major, attended by the commandant of the regimnt, to inspect the same at every muster.§ 2. All fines arising within the bounds of any regiment, on account of delinquencies of officers, privates, or otherwise, shall be appropriated to the use of such regiment only.§ 3. . . . [E]ach non-commissioned officer shall have ten days notice of each muster; and each non-commissioned officer and private, appearing on parade without a gun after being duly notified, shall be fined any sum not exceeding fifty cents, at the discretion of a court martial.
1874 Ky. Acts 332
(1874)
An Act to Revise and Amend the Charter of the City of Newport,§ 6: To prohibit the manufacture of gunpowder or other explosive, dangerous, or noxious compounds or substances in said city, and to regulate their sale and storage by license.
1904 Ky. Acts 150-51
(1904)
An Act Creating the Offices of Fish and Game Wardens and Defining the Powers and Duties and Fixing the Compensation of such Officers, and for the Further Protection and Preservation of Fish, Game and Birds in the State of Kentucky, ch. 68,§ 3: Game wardens . . . may arrest on sight and without warrant any person detected by them in the act of violating any such law; they shall have the same right as sheriffs to require aid in executing any process or in arresting without process any person found by them in the act of violating any of said laws; and they shall have authority to seize without process; and birds, fish or game then found in the possession of any such person, together with the guns, nets, seines, traps or other devices, with which the same were taken or killed, and destroy or confiscate such guns, nets, seines, traps or other devices, and forthwith convey such offender before a court or magistrate . .
Carrying Weapons or Sale to Minors Prohibited, Amendment to Ordinance No. 11-Crimes and Punishment, §§ 7-9 in Ordinances, Charter and Laws for the Government of the City of Frankfort, Kentucky (1876)
(1876)
Prohibited discharge of any gun or pistol in the city unless in lawful defense. Also prohibited concealed carry of deadly weapons except ordinary pocket knives. Also prohibited selling deadly weapons to minors other than pocket knives.
Ky. Const. of 1792 art. XII,§ 23
(1792)
Declared the right of citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and of the State shall not be questioned.
1813 Ky. Acts 100
(1813)
An Act to Prevent Persons in this Commonwealth from Wearing Concealed Arms, Except in Certain Cases, ch. 89,§ 1.: Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, that any person in this Commonwealth, who shall hereafter wear a pocket pistol, dirk, large knife, or sword in a cane, concealed as a weapon, unless when travelling on a journey, shall be fined .
1871 Ky. Acts 89
(1871)
Act to Prohibit the Carrying of Concealed Deadly Weapons, ch. 1888,§ 1-2, 5: That if any person shall hereafter carry concealed any deadly weapon upon their persons other than an ordinary pocket-knife, except as provided for in next section, he shall be fined, on the first conviction, not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars, or imprisoned not less than thirty days nor more than sixty days, or both so fined and imprisoned; and on any subsequent conviction not less than one hundred nor more than four hundred dollars, or imprisoned not less than two months nor more than six months, or both.
1876 Ky. Acts 450
(1875)
An Act to Amend an Act Entitled "An Act to Amend and Reduce into One Several Acts in Regard to the Town of Vanceburg, in Lewis County" 43 : No person, except watchmen, gunsmiths and militiamen in the discharge of their duty, or unless in defense of life or property, shall fire a gun or pistol within the city limits: any person thus offending shall be fined not less than one dollar nor more than five dollars.
1807 Ky. Acts 1
(1807)
An Act to Amend an act titled "An Act Concerning the Militia," ch. 1§ 3: Imposed a fine of up to fifty cents on each non commissioned officer and private appearing on parade without a gun after being duly notified.
1924 Ky. Acts 76
(1924)
Malicious Shooting, Stabbing or Poisoning; Deadly Weapon,§ 1166: Prohibited willfully or maliciously shooting at or drawing a gun on a person.
1866 Ky. Acts 52
(1866)
An Act to Prevent Shooting on the Sabbath in this Commonwealth, ch. 656§ 1: That no person shall, within this Commonwealth, on the Sabbath day, enter or go upon the land of another person to catch, shoot, or kill any birds, fowl, or animal of any kind; and any such person having in his possession a gun at the time, or after he enters upon the premises of another as aforesaid, shall, upon proof, be guilty of a violation of this act, and, upon conviction thereof, by proceedings before any justice of the peace, in any county of the State . . .
1890 Ky. Acts 618
(1890)
An Acts to Establish a City Government for the Town of North Middle-Town, ch 327 Article III§7: The council should have the power tor regulate and restrain the firing and concealed carry of firearms.
Ky. Const. of 1891,§ 1(7)
(1891)
The right to bear arms in defense of themselves and of the State, subject to the power of the General Assembly to enact laws to prevent persons from carrying concealed weapons.
1 Albert G. Hodges, A Digest of the Statute Laws of Kentucky 578-79 (1834)
(1800)
Tit. 64,§ 6: That if any person within this Commonwealth, shall challenge, by word or writing, the person of another to fight at sword, pistol, or other deadly weapon, such person, (a) so challenging, shall forfeit and pay, for every such offence, being thereof lawfully convicted, in any court of record within the Commonwealth, by the testimony of one or more witnesses, or by the confession of the party offending, the sum of five hundred dollars, or shall suffer twelve months' imprisonment, without bail or mainprize.
1866 Ky. Acts 715
(1866)
An Act to Amend the Charter of the Town of New Castle, ch. 819§ 2: If any person shall shoot off a gun or pistol within the corporate limits of said town, it shall be the duty of the trustees and officers of said town to report the fact to the police judge, who shall forthwith have the person so offending arrested and brought before him for trial, and, on conviction of the offense, shall be fined by said judge in a sum not to exceed ten dollars, and a forfeiture to said town of the gun or shall be the duty of said judge to have the gun or pistol so used sold at public auction, and the proceeds thereof shall be paid into the treasury of said town . . . .
1806 Ky. Acts 122
(1806)
An Act to Amend the Several Acts for the Better Regulation of the Town of Lexington,§ 3: Be it further enacted, That said trustees are herby authorised [sic] to make such regulations as they may deem necessary and proper, relative to the keeping of gun-powder in the said town of Lexington, and if necessary may prohibit any inhabitants of said town, from keeping in the settled parts thereof, any quantity of gun powder which might in case of fire be dangerous
1859 Ky. Acts 245
(1859)
An Act to Amend an Act Entitled "An Act to Reduce to One of the Several Acts in Relation to the Town of Harrodsburg,"§ 23: Prohibited "any slave or free person of color, any gun, pistol, bowie knife, slung shot, sword cane, or other weapon used for the purpose of offence or defence."
1798 Ky. Acts 106
(1798)
Ch. 54,§ 5: Prohibited "negro, mulatto, or Indian" from possessing or carrying a gun, powder, shot, club, or other weapon or ammunition.
1912 Ky. Acts 593
(1912)
Regulate Storage of Explosives and Provide Against Fires,§ 17: To regulate the storage of gunpowder, rosin, tar, pitch, cotton, oil and all other explosives and combustible material, and to appoint some suitable person or persons, at seasonable times, to enter and examine such houses as they may designate, in order to ascertain whether any of such houses are in a dangerous condition with reference to fires, and to cause such as are in a dangerous condition to be immediately put in safe order and condition.
1 Albert G. Hodges, A Digest of the Statute Laws of Kentucky 788 (1834)
(1834)
That whosoever shall hereafter use any fire-hunting or the killing of any deer by such means on any patented land, every person present at such fire hunting shall forfeit and pay twenty shillings for every such offense; and if any Indian be found fire-hunting as aforesaid, it shall and may be lawful for the owner of such land, or his or her overseer, to take away the gun of such Indian, and the same to keep to his own use.
By-Laws & Ordinances for the Police of the Town of Lexington 36 (1809)
(1809)
4: "Be it further ordained, That no person except watchmen in the discharge of their duty, shall fire a gun or pistol within the limits of the in lots of this town, unless in the defence of life or property, under the penalty of three dollars for every such offence.
1934 Ky. Acts 169-70
(1934)
An Act . . . prescribing punishment for robbery or burglary . . ., ch. 52,§ 1159(a): That if any person shall commit acts of robbery, burglary . . . robbery of bank [sic] or safe, and in committing said act or acts shall use or display any pistol, gun or other firearms or deadly weapon of any character in so doing; upon conviction such person or persons shall be sentenced to death or life imprisonment in the discretion of the jury
1888 Ky. Acts 139
(1888)
Unlawful for Other Than Regular Militia to Drill, Ch. 1525,§ 1: It shall be unlawful for any body of men whatever, other than the regular organized militia of this Commonwealth, and the troops of the United States, to associate themselves together as a military company or other armed organization
J.F. Bullitt & John Feland, The General Statutes of Kentucky 359 (1881)
(1880)
Ch. 29, art. 29,§ 1: If any person shall carry concealed a deadly weapon upon or about his person other than an ordinary pocket knife, or shall sell a deadly weapon to a minor other than an ordinary pocket knife, such person shall, upon indictment and conviction, be fined not less than twenty-five nor more than one hundred dollars, and imprisoned in the county jail for not less than ten nor more than thirty days, in the discretion of the court or jury trying the case.
1873 Ky. Acts 35-36
(1873)
Pub. Acts ch. 767§ 1-9: If two or more persons shall unlawfully confederate or band together, and go forth armed or disguised, they shall each, on conviction thereof, be imprisoned in the penitentiary not less than six nor more than twelve months, or fined, in the discretion of the jury, in a sum not less than one hundred nor more than five hundred dollars, and imprisoned in the county jail for a period of not less than three nor more than six months.
1855 Ky. Acts 96-7
(1855)
Ch. 636: Prohibited vending, buying, selling, or dealing in colts, brass knuckles, slung-shots, or any imitation or substitute therefor. Violators fined twenty-five dollars. Any use of the above to strike, beat, wound, or bruise another shall be punished by forfeit of the weapon and a fine of one hundred dollars to go to the victim.

Kentucky

Kentucky

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