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Maybe this will help, mind you it’s lengthy: This info is from the site: Ammunition Regulation: State by State | Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun ViolenceAmmunition Regulation: State by StateAmmunition Regulation in AlabamaLast updatedNovember 8, 2019.Alabama law prohibits the possession or sale of brass or steel teflon-coated handgun ammunition or ammunition of like kind designed to penetrate bullet-proof vests. However, this prohibition does not apply to the possession or sale of teflon-coated lead or brass ammunition designed to expand upon contact.1Alabama does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers; orProhibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition, although the federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in AlaskaLast updatedNovember 1, 2019.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.In Alaska, a state parole board may require as a condition of special medical, discretionary, or mandatory parole that a prisoner released on parole not possess or control firearm ammunition.1Alaska does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;Prohibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition, although the federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply;Prohibit armor-piercing ammunition, although the federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies.Ammunition Regulation in ArizonaLast updatedOctober 16, 2018.Arizona law generally prohibits anyone from giving or selling ammunition to a person under age 18 without written consent of the minor’s parent or legal guardian.1Arizona does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require a license to purchase or possess ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;Prohibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition, although federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply; orProhibit armor-piercing and other unreasonably dangerous ammunition, although federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies.See our Ammunition Regulation Policy Summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in ArkansasLast updatedOctober 9, 2019.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Arkansas law does not, among other things:Prohibit individuals ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition;Require a license for the possession of ammunition; orRequire a license to sell ammunition.Ammunition Regulation in CaliforniaLast updatedOctober 10, 2018.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.California regulates the following aspects of ammunition, as described below:Sales and transfers of ammunition;Persons prohibited from possessing ammunition;Minimum age to possess ammunition;Ammunition at gun shows; andCertain kinds of unreasonably dangerous ammunition.California also prohibits carrying ammunition onto school grounds, subject to certain limited exceptions.1(1) Sales and Transfers of AmmunitionIn 2016, California voters passed Proposition 63, which will comprehensively regulate ammunition sales in the state once its various reforms become effective between 2017 and 2019.Previously, California had adopted a groundbreaking 2009 law (AB 962) that sought to comprehensively regulate the sale of handgun ammunition by, among other things,regulating mail-order shipments of handgun ammunition and by requiring retail sellers of handgun ammunition to obtain a business license from DOJ and to keep records of their handgun ammunition sales. However, implementation of AB 962 was delayed due to litigation surrounding the definition of “handgun ammunition.”2Proposition 63 will supersede AB 962 and will apply to all ammunition sales. More specifically:Beginning January 1, 2018, individuals who sell more than 500 rounds of ammunition in any month will be required to obtain an annual state-issued business license3 and will be required to conduct ammunition sales at specified business locations or gun shows.4 The California Department of Justice (“DOJ”) will start accepting applications for ammunition vendor business licenses on July 1, 2017.5DOJ will issue ammunition vendor licenses to individuals who provide specified documentation, including a certificate of eligibility verifying that they passed a background check.6 Individuals who are already licensed as firearms dealers by DOJ would automatically be deemed licensed ammunition vendors, provided that they comply with other legal obligations placed on ammunition sellers.7Once licensed, ammunition vendors will be required to report the loss or theft of any ammunition from their inventory to law enforcement,8 and to obtain a certificate of eligibility from employees who handle or sell ammunition, verifying that they passed a background check.9Beginning January 1, 2018, ammunition sales will generally have to be conducted by or processed through licensed vendors.10 Sales of ammunition by unlicensed sellers would have to be processed through a licensed ammunition vendor, in a manner similar to private party firearms transactions,11 and ammunition obtained over the Internet or from out of state would have to be initially shipped to a licensed ammunition vendor for physical delivery to the purchaser pursuant to a background check.12Beginning July 1, 2019, licensed ammunition vendors will be required to record, maintain, and report to DOJ records of ammunition sales, in a manner similar to dealer’s records of sales (DROS) for firearms purchases.13 Proposition 63 will require that these records be kept confidential except for use by law enforcement for law enforcement purposes.14 DOJ will be required to maintain a database of ammunition sale records, similar to the DROS database for firearms.15Beginning July 1, 2019, a licensed ammunition vendor will generally be prohibited from selling or transferring ammunition until first conducting a background check to verify that the person receiving the ammunition is legally eligible.16 If the vendor is a licensed firearms dealer, he or she can also sell ammunition in the same transaction as a firearm with only the firearm background check required.17Proposition 63 will still authorize people to sell or share ammunition with their spouses, domestic partners, parents, grandparents, children, and grandchildren without going through a licensed vendor.18 It will also authorize people to freely share (but not sell) ammunition in person with friends and shooting partners, unless they have reason to believe that the ammunition would be illegally provided to a criminal or illegal user.19Proposition 63 will also allow people to buy ammunition at a shooting range without undergoing a background check and without a sale record as long as they keep that ammunition inside the facility; if they want to bring ammunition to or from the facility, they could bring their own ammunition from home or undergo a background check at the shooting range.20California currently prohibits people from supplying ammunition to any person they know or reasonably should know is prohibited from possessing ammunition.21Prop 63 will also make it illegal for a person to supply ammunition to a straw purchaser with knowledge or cause to believe that the straw purchaser would subsequently provide that ammunition to a prohibited person.22See Persons Prohibited from Possessing Ammunition below.(2) Persons Prohibited from Possessing AmmunitionCalifornia prohibits any person from owning, possessing, or having under his or her custody or control any ammunition or reloaded ammunition if the person falls into any of the categories of persons who are ineligible to purchase or possess firearms under state law.23In addition, a person subject to an injunction as a member of a criminal street gang may not own, possess or have any ammunition under his or her custody or control.24(3) Minimum Age to Possess AmmunitionCalifornia prohibits the possession of live ammunition by persons under age 18, with certain enumerated exceptions.25Sellers of ammunition are prohibited from selling any ammunition to a person under 18 years of age and may not sell handgun ammunition to a person under 21 years of age.26However, a seller, agent or employee of a seller may avoid prosecution for a violation of this law by demonstrating that the minor presented identification indicating that he or she was actually old enough to make the purchase, and that the seller, agent or employee acted in reasonable reliance on this identification.27(4) Ammunition at Gun ShowsCalifornia prohibits ammunition from being displayed at gun shows except in closed containers, unless the seller is showing the ammunition to a prospective buyer.28In addition, no person at a gun show in California, other than security personnel or sworn peace officers, can possess at the same time both a firearm and ammunition that is designed to be fired in the firearm. Vendors selling such items at the show are exempt.29(5) Unreasonably Dangerous AmmunitionCalifornia bans the manufacture, importation, sale, offer for sale, or knowing possession or transportation of handgun ammunition designed primarily to penetrate metal or armor.30This ban applies to any ammunition (except a shotgun shell or ammunition primarily designed for use in rifles) that is designed primarily to penetrate a body vest or body shield, either by virtue of its shape, cross-sectional density, or coating, or because it has a projectile or projectile core constructed entirely of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium, or any equivalent material of similar density or hardness. KTW ammunition, among others, is subject to this ban.31California also prohibits the possession, sale, offer for sale, or knowing transportation of a “destructive device,” defined to include “[a]ny projectile containing any explosive or incendiary material” or any other chemical substance including, but not limited to, that commonly known as tracer or incendiary ammunition (except tracer ammunition manufactured for use in shotguns), and any “explosive missile.”32The state provides for the limited issuance of permits to possess or transport any destructive device, issued at the discretion of the California Department of Justice.33California prohibits the manufacture, importation, keeping or offering for sale, transfer or possession of any “flechette dart” (dart capable of being fired from a firearm, that measures approximately one inch in length, with tail fins that take up approximately five-sixteenths of an inch of the body) or bullet that contains an explosive agent.34In addition, California generally prohibits any person, firm or corporation from selling, offering for sale, possessing or knowingly transporting any fixed ammunition greater than .60 caliber. ((Cal. Penal Code § 18735.)Ammunition Regulation in ColoradoLast updatedNovember 8, 2019.The provisions of Colorado law that prohibit domestic abusers from possessing firearms apply to ammunition, as well. For further details, see Domestic Violence and Firearms in Colorado.Colorado does not regulate ammunition in any other way.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in ConnecticutLast updatedOctober 16, 2018.Effective October 1, 2013, Connecticut prohibits the sale of ammunition or an ammunition magazine to any buyer unless the prospective ammunition purchaser:Has a handgun carry permit, gun sales permit, or long gun or handgun eligibility certificate, and presents such a credential to the seller; orHas an ammunition certificate and presents to the seller such certificate along with a driver’s license, passport, or other valid government-issued identification that contains the person’s photograph and date of birth.1These provisions do not apply to the transfer of ammunition between federal firearms licensees, among other specific persons or entities.2Ammunition Purchaser Permitting – Ammunition CertificateUnder Connecticut law, any person who is age 18 or older may request the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection (Commissioner) to: 1) conduct a criminal history records check of such person, using the person’s name and date of birth only; and 2) if approved, issue an ammunition certificate to such person.3The ammunition certificate must be in the form prescribed by the Commissioner, and must contain an identification number and the name, address, and date of birth of the certificate holder and be signed by the holder.4The name and address of a person issued an ammunition certificate must be confidential and must not be disclosed except:To law enforcement officials acting in the performance of their duties;By the Commissioner to the extent necessary to comply with a request made for a firearms or ammunition certificate for verification that such certificate is still valid and has not been suspended or revoked; andTo the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to carry out the provisions of Connecticut General Statutes § 17a-500, requiring the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to maintain information on commitment orders by a probate court and on voluntary commitments, and requires probate courts to maintain information regarding cases relating to persons with psychiatric disabilities.5The fee for each ammunition certificate is $35 and there is an additional fee for the criminal history records check.6An originally issued ammunition certificate expires five years after the date it becomes effective and each renewal certificate will expire five years from the date it is issued.7An ammunition certificate must be revoked by the Commissioner if any event occurs which would have disqualified the holder from being issued the certificate.8Prohibited AmmunitionConnecticut prohibits any person from knowingly distributing, transporting, importing into the state, keeping, offering, or exposing for sale, or giving any person any “armor-piercing bullet” or “incendiary .50 caliber bullet.” An “armor-piercing bullet” includes any .50 caliber bullet that is designed for the purpose of, held out by the manufacturer or distributor as, or generally recognized as having a specialized capability to penetrate armor or bulletproof glass, including, but not limited to, bullets designated as “M2 Armor-Piercing” or “AP,” “M8 Armor-Piercing Incendiary” or “API,” “M20 Armor-Piercing Incendiary Tracer” or “APIT,” “M903 Caliber .50 Saboted Light Armor Penetrator” or “SLAP,” or “M962 Saboted Light Armor Penetrator Tracer” or “SLAPT.”9Effective October 1, 2013, this definition will include any bullet that can be fired from a pistol or revolver that: 1) has projectiles or projectile cores constructed entirely, excluding the presence of trances of other substances, from tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper or depleted uranium; or 2) is fully jacketed with a jacket weight of more than 25% of the total weight of the projectile, is larger than .22 caliber and designed and intended for use in a firearm; and 3) does not have projectiles whose cores are composed of soft materials such as lead or lead alloys, zinc or zinc alloys, frangible projectiles designed primarily for sporting purposes, or any other projectiles or projectile cores that the U.S. Attorney General finds to be primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes or industrial purposes or that otherwise do not constitute “armor piercing ammunition” as defined in federal law.10An “incendiary .50 caliber bullet” is defined as any .50 caliber bullet that is designed for the purpose of, held out by the manufacturer or distributor as, or generally recognized as having a specialized capability to ignite upon impact, including, but not limited to, such bullets commonly designated as “M1 Incendiary,” “M23 Incendiary,” “M8 Armor-Piercing Incendiary” or “API,” or “M20 Armor-Piercing Incendiary Tracer” or “APIT.”11Connecticut also prohibits any person from knowingly transporting or carrying a firearm loaded with an armor piercing bullet or incendiary .50 caliber bullet.12The prohibited ammunition provisions exempt:The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, police departments, the Department of Correction, or the state or U.S. military forces for use in the discharge of their official duties;An executor or administrator of an estate that includes such ammunition that is disposed of as authorized by the Probate Court; andThe transfer by bequest or intestate succession of such ammunition.13The federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition also applies.Transfer of Ammunition for Prohibited PersonsNot later than two business days after the occurrence of any event that makes a person ineligible to possess a firearm or ammunition, that person must transfer any ammunition in his or her possession to a federally licensed firearms dealer or another person eligible to possess the ammunition, or surrender the ammunition to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection.14The prohibited possessor may, at any time up to one year after such delivery or surrender, have any ammunition transferred to any person eligible to possess such ammunition. Notification must be given in writing by such person and the transferee to the Commissioner, who must deliver the ammunition to the transferee. If, at the end of a year, the ammunition has not been transferred at the request of the prohibited person, the Commissioner must have the ammunition destroyed.15Domestic Violence Prohibitions and AmmunitionConnecticut requires the application form for civil restraining orders to include a space for an alleged victim of domestic violence to indicate whether the alleged domestic violence offender possesses ammunition.16As of October 1, 2013, domestic violence units in the Connecticut judicial system that respond to cases involving family violence are required to inform the court if a domestic violence victim indicates that a defendant possesses ammunition.17Police are allowed to seize ammunition under the same circumstances as they can seize guns when investigating domestic violence crimes.18Namely, whenever a peace officer determines that a family violence crime has been committed, the officer may seize any ammunition at the location where the crime is alleged to have been committed that is in the possession of any person arrested for the commission of such crime or suspected of its commission or that is in plain view. The ammunition must be returned in its original condition to the rightful owner unless that person is ineligible to possess the ammunition, or unless otherwise ordered by the court.19Disposal of Contraband AmmunitionFirearms and ammunition determined by a court to be contraband or a nuisance pursuant to state law must be turned over to the Bureau of Identification of the Connecticut Division of State Police for destruction or appropriate use or disposal by sale at public auction.20The proceeds of any such sale must be paid to the State Treasurer and deposited by the State Treasurer in the forfeit firearms account within the general fund.21Seizure of AmmunitionIf any state’s attorney or assistant state’s attorney, or any two police officers have probable cause to believe that a person: 1) Poses a risk of imminent personal injury to themselves or to others; 2) Possesses one or more firearms, and 3) Such firearms are within or upon any place, thing or person, then a judge may issue a warrant commanding law enforcement to enter into or upon the named place or thing, search the place or thing or the person, and take into custody any firearms and ammunition.22This action can only be taken if the officers have made an independent investigation and believe there is no reasonable alternative available to prevent the person from causing imminent personal injury to himself, herself or others with a firearm.23See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in DelawareLast updatedNovember 25, 2019.Persons Prohibited from Purchasing/Possessing AmmunitionDelaware prohibits the purchase, ownership, possession or control of ammunition by the same categories of persons who are ineligible to purchase or possess firearms under state law.1See the Delaware Prohibited Purchasers Generally section for these prohibited categories.Minimum Age to Purchase/Possess AmmunitionDelaware prohibits the transfer of ammunition to persons under age 18, unless the person transferring the ammunition is the minor’s parent or guardian or first receives the permission of the minor’s parent or guardian.2Delaware does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;Require a license to purchase or possess ammunition; orProhibit the possession, transfer or use of armor-piercing or other unreasonably dangerous ammunition, although the federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in FloridaLast updatedOctober 28, 2019.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Florida law prohibits the possession of ammunition by the same persons who are directly prohibited by Florida law from possessing firearms, although the persons who are prevented from obtaining firearms through the background check process required by Florida law are not similarly prevented from obtaining ammunition.1The federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions also apply.Florida prohibits the manufacture, sale or delivery of any armor-piercing bullet or exploding bullet, or “dragon’s breath” shotgun shell, bolo shell, or flechette shell.2The state also prohibits the possession of an armor-piercing bullet or exploding bullet with knowledge of its armor-piercing or exploding capabilities loaded in a handgun, and the possession of a dragon’s breath shotgun shell, bolo shell, or flechette shell with knowledge of its capabilities loaded in any firearm.3Each of these terms is defined.4The definition of “armor-piercing bullet” differs from the definition of “armor-piercing ammunition” in federal law, which also restricts the manufacture, sale, importation and delivery of such ammunition.Florida law does not:Impose a minimum age for the purchase or possession of ammunition, although federal minimum age requirements apply;Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require a license for the purchase or possession of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;Require the safe storage of ammunition; orRestrict the locations where ammunition may be carried.Ammunition Regulation in GeorgiaLast updatedNovember 18, 2019.Georgia law does not significantly regulate the sale, transfer, purchase or possession of ammunition in any way. Furthermore, Georgia law limits local regulation of ammunition. See Local Authority to Regulate Firearms in Georgia for further information.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in HawaiiLast updatedOctober 28, 2019.Purchase and Possession of AmmunitionHawaii prohibits the ownership, control or possession of ammunition by any person who:Is a fugitive from justice;Is a person prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law;Is under indictment for, or has been convicted of, a felony or any crime of violence, or an illegal sale of any drug;Is or has been under treatment or counseling for addiction to, abuse of, or dependence upon any dangerous drug, intoxicating compound, or intoxicating liquor;Has been acquitted of a crime on the grounds of mental disease, disorder, or defect, or is or has been diagnosed as having a significant behavioral, emotional, or mental disorder, or for treatment for organic brain syndromes;Is less than 25 years old and has been adjudicated by the family court to have committed a felony, two or more crimes of violence, or an illegal sale of any drug;Is a minor who: 1) Is or has been under treatment for addiction to any dangerous drug, intoxicating compound, or intoxicating liquor; 2) is a fugitive from justice; or 3) Has been determined not to have been responsible for a criminal act or has been committed to any institution on account of a mental disease, disorder, or defect; orHas been restrained pursuant to an order of any court from contacting, threatening, or physically abusing any person, as long as the order or any extension is in effect, unless the order specifically permits the possession of ammunition.1Safe Storage of AmmunitionHawaii requires all ammunition to be confined to the possessor’s business or residence and only allows for the limited transport of ammunition in an enclosed container away from these locations.2Hawaii law does not specify any ammunition storage practices, however.Regulation of Unreasonably Dangerous AmmunitionHawaii prohibits the manufacture, possession, sale or other transfer, barter, trade, gift or acquisition of any ammunition or projectile component coated with Teflon or a similar coating designed primarily to enhance its capacity to penetrate metal or pierce protective armor.3Hawaii also prohibits the manufacture, possession, sale or other transfer, barter, trade, gift or acquisition of ammunition or projectile components designed or intended to explode or segment upon impact with a target.4In addition, the federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies.Hawaii does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers; orRequire a license to purchase or possess ammunition.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in IdahoLast updatedOctober 27, 2019.Minimum Age to Purchase/PossessIdaho prohibits any person, firm, association or corporation from selling or giving any minor under the age of 16 any shells or fixed ammunition of any kind, except shells loaded for use in shotguns or for use in rifles of 22 caliber or smaller without the written consent of the parents or guardian of the minor.1However, federal law prohibits firearms dealers from selling or delivering ammunition for a shotgun or rifle to any person the dealer knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under the age of 18, and from selling or delivering handgun ammunition to any person the dealer knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under the age of 21.2Federal law prohibits unlicensed persons generally from selling, delivering or otherwise transferring handgun ammunition to any person the transferor knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under the age of 18.3Federal law also generally prohibits the possession of handgun ammunition by anyone under the age of 18.4Safe Storage of AmmunitionA state administrative regulation requires house parents at a children’s residential care facility to store any ammunition under lock and key separate from firearms and inaccessible to children.5Idaho does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;Require a license to purchase or possess ammunition; orProhibit the possession, transfer or use of armor-piercing or other unreasonably dangerous ammunition, although the federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies.For additional information on the regulation of minors in Idaho, see the Idaho Minimum Age to Purchase / Possess and Idaho Trafficking sections.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in IllinoisLast updatedSeptember 13, 2018.License to Sell AmmunitionIllinois does not require ammunition sellers to obtain a license or maintain records of ammunition purchasers.License to Purchase/Possess AmmunitionIllinois requires residents to obtain a Firearm Owner’s Identification (“FOID”) card before they can lawfully purchase or possess ammunition.1No person may transfer firearm ammunition in Illinois unless the transferee displays a currently valid FOID card.2For detailed information on the requirements for a FOID card, see Licensing of Gun Owners & Purchasers in Illinois section.Any resident purchasing ammunition outside the state must provide the seller with a copy of his or her valid FOID card and either his or her Illinois driver’s license or Illinois State Identification card prior to the shipment of the ammunition. The ammunition may be shipped only to an address on either of those two documents.3People Prohibited from Purchasing or Possessing AmmunitionIllinois prohibit the purchase or possession of ammunition by the same categories of people who are ineligible to purchase or possess firearms under state law.4Federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions also apply.Minimum Age to Purchase or Possess AmmunitionIllinois generally prohibits persons under age 21 from obtaining a FOID card, which is required to purchase or possess ammunition.5A person under age 21 must have the written consent of a parent or legal guardian to purchase ammunition.6Safe Storage of AmmunitionIllinois does not generally require firearm owners to safely store ammunition. However, ammunition kept or stored in child day care facilities, foster homes or similar locations must be kept in locked storage separate from firearms and inaccessible to children.7Regulation of Unreasonably Dangerous AmmunitionIllinois prohibits the knowing manufacture, sale, purchase, possession, or carrying of any armor-piercing bullet, dragon’s breath shotgun shell, bolo shell, or flechette shell.8Illinois also bans the knowing manufacture, sale, offer of sale, or other transfer of any bullet or shell which is represented to be an armor piercing bullet, a dragon’s breath shotgun shell, a bolo shell, or a flechette shell.9Illinois prohibits the reckless use or discharge of an armor-piercing bullet, flechette shell, dragon’s breath shell or bolo shell.10The state also prohibits the possession, concealed on or about the person, of an armor piercing bullet, dragon’s breath shotgun shell, bolo shell, or flechette shell.11Illinois prohibits the sale, manufacture or acquisition and possession of exploding ammunition.12“Explosive bullet” means the projectile portion of an ammunition cartridge which contains or carries an explosive charge which will explode upon contact with the flesh of a human or an animal. “Cartridge” means a tubular metal case having a projectile affixed at the front thereof and a cap or primer at the rear end thereof, with the propellant contained in such tube between the projectile and the cap.13Federal law also prohibits certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in IndianaLast updatedNovember 6, 2019.Indiana generally prohibits people from knowingly or intentionally manufacturing, possessing, transferring or offering to transfer armor-piercing ammunition, as defined.1Note that the federal prohibitions on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition also apply.Indiana does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;Require a license to purchase or possess ammunition; orImpose a minimum age for the purchase or possession of ammunition.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in IowaLast updatedNovember 15, 2019.Iowa law does not:Prohibit individuals ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition;Require a license for the purchase or possession of ammunition; orRequire a license to sell ammunition.Minimum Age to Purchase/Possess AmmunitionIowa prohibits any person from selling or otherwise transferring handgun ammunition to a person under age 21.1However, a parent or guardian or spouse who is age 21 or older may allow a minor of any age to possess handgun ammunition for any lawful purpose while under the “direct supervision” of the parent, guardian or spouse, or while the person receives instruction in the proper use of a handgun from an instructor age 21 or older, with the consent of the parent, guardian or spouse.2Iowa also generally prohibits any person from selling rifle or shotgun ammunition to a person under age 18.3A parent or guardian over age 18, or another with the express consent of the minor’s parent or guardian, may allow a minor to possess rifle or shotgun ammunition.4See the Iowa Minimum Age to Purchase/Possess section for further information.Regulation of Unreasonably Dangerous AmmunitionIowa generally prohibits any person from knowingly possessing any bullet or projectile containing any chemical compound or mixture designed to explode or detonate upon impact.5Iowa generally prohibits the possession of any shotgun shell or cartridge containing “exothermic pyrophoric misch” metal as a projectile, which is designed to throw or project a flame or fireball to simulate a flamethrower.6The federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition also applies.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in KansasLast updatedNovember 18, 2019.Kansas law prohibits possessing, manufacturing, causing to be manufactured, selling, offering for sale, lending, purchasing or giving away any cartridge which can be fired by a handgun and which has a plastic-coated bullet that has a core of less than 60% lead by weight.1Kansas law does not:Impose a minimum age for the purchase or possession of ammunition (although federal law applies);Prohibit individuals ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;Require a license for the purchase or possession of ammunition; orRequire a license to sell ammunition.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in KentuckyLast updatedNovember 13, 2019.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Kentucky law, like federal law, prohibits any person from knowingly manufacturing, selling, delivering, transferring, or importing armor-piercing ammunition, defined as a projectile or projectile core which may be used in a handgun and which is constructed entirely from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium, with exceptions for certain sporting shot and industrial materials.1This prohibition does not apply to members of the U.S. Armed Forces or law enforcement acting within the scope of their duties, and does not prohibit licensed gun dealers from possessing the ammunition for the purpose of receiving and transferring it to these exempt individuals.2Kentucky law also prohibits a person from being armed with a firearm loaded with armor-piercing ammunition or flanged ammunition during the commission of a felony, or in flight immediately thereafter.3Flanged ammunition is defined as ammunition with a soft lead core and sharp flanges that are designed to expand upon impact.4Kentucky law does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers; orProhibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition, although the federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply.Ammunition Regulation in LouisianaLast updatedOctober 12, 2018.In 2008, Louisiana enacted a law prohibiting any person from intentionally giving, selling, donating, providing, lending, delivering, or otherwise transferring ammunition to any person known by the offender to have been convicted of a felony and prohibited by Louisiana law from possessing a firearm.1Louisiana law also prohibits the import, manufacture, sale, purchase, possession and transfer of armor-piercing bullets.2Federal law also restricts armor-piercing bullets, although the definition of that term differs under federal and Louisiana law.3However, Louisiana does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers; orProhibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition, although the federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in MaineLast updatedNovember 24, 2019.Maine law prohibits knowingly selling, furnishing, giving or offering to sell, furnish or give ammunition to a child under 16 years of age.1Federal age restrictions for ammunition sales are stricter.Maine law prohibits knowingly possessing armor-piercing ammunition, other than as part of a bona fide collection.2The Maine definition of “armor-piercing ammunition” differs slightly from the federal definition of armor-piercing ammunition.Maine does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require a license to purchase or possess ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers; orProhibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition, although federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in MarylandLast updatedNovember 15, 2019.Prohibited PersonsUnder Maryland law, a person may not possess ammunition if that person is prohibited from possessing a regulated firearm under Maryland’s Public Safety laws.1“Ammunition” for these purposes means a cartridge, shell, or any other device containing explosive or incendiary material designed and intended for use in a firearm.2See the Prohibited Purchasers Generally in Maryland section for details on circumstances that prohibit a person from possessing a regulated firearm.Loading AmmunitionMaryland requires any person engaged in the business of “loading or reloading small arms ammunition” to obtain a license.3A license is also required for possession or storage of quantities over five pounds of: 1) “smokeless powder for the loading or reloading of small arms ammunition;” or 2) “black powder for the loading or reloading of small arms ammunition.”4Exceptions are included for persons who handle smaller quantities of smokeless or black powder for personal use so long as the powder is stored in the original shipping containers.5Maryland does not regulate the sale or possession of other kinds of unreasonably dangerous ammunition, although the federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies.In addition, no person may possess or store explosives for use in firearms in “multifamily dwellings, apartments, dormitories, hotels, schools, other public buildings, or buildings or structures open for public use.”6Minimum Age to Purchase/Possess AmmunitionIn Maryland, no person may sell, rent or transfer ammunition solely designed for a handgun or assault weapon to a person under age 21.7No person may sell ammunition for any firearm to a person under age 18.8Maryland does not:Require a license to sell regular ammunition;Ensure that sellers of ammunition maintain records of the purchasers; orRequire a license to purchase or possess regular ammunition.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in MassachusettsLast updatedSeptember 14, 2018.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Massachusetts law does not regulate or prohibit any types of unreasonably dangerous ammunition. Massachusetts does, however, do each of the following things, as described below:Require a license for the purchase or possession of ammunition;Impose a minimum age to purchase or possess ammunition; andRequire a license to sell ammunition.Licensing of Ammunition Purchasers and PossessorsMassachusetts requires a firearm license to purchase or possess ammunition. Any person with a license to carry is permitted to purchase, rent, lease, borrow, possess and carry all types of lawful firearms, including both large and non-large capacity handguns, rifles, shotguns, and feeding devices and ammunition for these firearms.1Alternatively, in Massachusetts, any person may purchase and possess rifles, shotguns and “non large capacity” feeding devices and ammunition for rifles and shotguns with a valid firearm identification (FID) card.2To purchase a handgun and ammunition for a handgun, a FID card holder must also obtain a permit to purchase a handgun.3Massachusetts law penalizes anyone who sells ammunition to a person who does not have the required license(s). For detailed information on licensing requirements for firearm owners in Massachusetts, see the section on Licensing of Gun Owners & Purchasers.Minimum Age to Purchase / Possess AmmunitionMassachusetts law prohibits selling or furnishing long gun ammunition to anyone under age 18, and ammunition for a handgun, large capacity weapon, or large capacity feeding device to a person under age 21.4Ammunition Seller LicensingMassachusetts requires any person who sells ammunition to obtain a license. The chief of police or the board or officer having control of the police in a city or town may grant a license after a criminal history check, to anyone who is not:An alien;A minor;A person who has been adjudicated a youthful offender, including those who have not received an adult sentence; orA person who has been convicted of a felony in any state or federal jurisdiction, or of the unlawful use, possession or sale of narcotic or harmful drugs.The license must specify the street and number, if any, of the building where the business is to be carried on. The Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) conducts the background check, and the local issuing authority must send CJIS a copy of the license.5Alternatively, a sporting or shooting club may obtain a license to sell or supply ammunition for regulated shooting on the premises.6Ammunition seller licenses are valid for three years.7Ammunition Regulation in MichiganLast updatedNovember 18, 2019.Laws Prohibiting Certain Persons from Purchasing/Possessing AmmunitionMichigan prohibits handgun sellers from selling ammunition to any person the seller knows is under indictment for a felony or is prohibited by state law from possessing a firearm.1See the Michigan Prohibited Purchasers Generally section for a list of these individuals.Federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions also apply.Regulation of Unreasonably Dangerous AmmunitionMichigan generally prohibits any person from manufacturing, distributing, selling or using armor-piercing ammunition.2“Armor piercing ammunition” means a projectile or projectile core which may be used in a handgun and is constructed entirely, excluding the presence of traces of other substances, of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, or beryllium copper, and does not include:Shotgun shot that is required by federal law or by a law of this state to be used for hunting purposes;A frangible projectile designed for target shooting;A projectile that the director of the Michigan Department of State Police finds is primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes; orA projectile or projectile core that the director of the Michigan Department of State Police finds is intended to be used for industrial purposes.3The federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition also applies.Michigan does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Ensure that sellers of ammunition maintain records of the purchasers; orRequire a license to purchase or possess ammunition.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in MinnesotaLast updatedNovember 18, 2019.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Minnesota does not:• Require a license to purchase or possess ammunition;• Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers; orProhibited PersonsMinnesota generally extends its laws regarding persons prohibited from possessing firearms to include parallel prohibitions preventing such persons from possessing ammunition as well.1Ammunition Sales Licensing/RegulationMinnesota does not require a license to sell ammunition. The state does prohibit the display of centerfire metallic-case handgun ammunition for sale to the public in a manner that makes the ammunition directly accessible to persons under age 18, unless the display is under observation of the seller or the seller’s employee or agent, or the seller takes reasonable steps to exclude underage persons from the immediate vicinity of the display.2Minimum Age to Purchase/Possess AmmunitionUnder Minnesota law, a person under the age of 18 years is generally prohibited from possessing ammunition, except that a person under 18 may possess ammunition designed for use in a firearm that the person may lawfully possess.3Minnesota generally bans furnishing ammunition to a child under age 14 outside of a municipality,4and to a minor (under age 18) without the consent of the minor’s parent or guardian or the police department of the municipality, while within the municipality.5Federal ammunition age restrictions also apply.Restricting Locations Where Ammunition May be PossessedMinnesota generally prohibits the possession of ammunition within any courthouse complex or state building within the Capitol Area, other than the National Guard Armory.6Regulation of Unreasonably Dangerous AmmunitionMinnesota prohibits the use or possession of a “metal-penetrating bullet” during the commission of a crime.7A “metal-penetrating bullet” is defined as a handgun bullet of “9 mm, .25, .32, .357, .38, .41, .44, or .451 caliber which is comprised of a hardened core equal to the minimum of the maximum attainable hardness by solid red metal alloys which purposely reduces the normal expansion or mushrooming of the bullet’s shape upon impact.”8Federal prohibitions on armor-piercing ammunition also apply.Ammunition Regulation in MississippiLast updatedNovember 8, 2019.Regulation of Unreasonably Dangerous AmmunitionMississippi prohibits any person or corporation not duly authorized under federal law from making, manufacturing, selling or possessing armor piercing ammunition as defined by federal law.1In addition, the federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies. Mississippi also prohibits any person or entity not authorized under federal law from making, manufacturing, selling or possessing armor-piercing ammunition.2Mississippi does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;License persons who purchase or possess ammunition; orProhibit persons who are ineligible to purchase or possess firearms under state law from purchasing or possessing ammunition, although the federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in MissouriLast updatedOctober 9, 2018.Missouri generally prohibits the knowing possession, manufacture, transportation, repair or sale of a bullet or projectile that explodes or detonates on impact due to an independent explosive charge after being shot from a firearm.1Missouri prohibits anyone from recklessly selling, leasing, loaning, giving away or delivering ammunition to a person who is intoxicated.2Missouri also makes it a violation of state law for anyone to violate the federal law prohibiting a person under age 18 from possessing handgun ammunition and prohibiting the sale or transfer of handgun ammunition to a person under age 18.3.))See the section entitled Firearms Trafficking in Missouri regarding a law prohibiting certain illegal sales of ammunition.Missouri does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Ensure that persons purchasing ammunition have a license or permit;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;Prohibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition,4 although the federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply; orProhibit armor-piercing ammunition, although the federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies.5Ammunition Regulation in MontanaLast updatedNovember 15, 2019.Regulation of Unreasonably Dangerous AmmunitionMontana does not prohibit the possession, transfer or use of armor-piercing or other unreasonably dangerous ammunition. Montana does mandate a sentence enhancement for any conviction for a crime in which bodily injury was inflicted, attempted, or threatened by someone who knowingly used or carried a handgun loaded with armor-piercing ammunition, however.1Federal law also regulates armor-piercing ammunition.Montana does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;License persons who purchase or possess ammunition; orProhibit persons who are ineligible to purchase or possess firearms under state law from purchasing or possessing ammunition, although the federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in NebraskaLast updatedNovember 15, 2019.Nebraska does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require a license to purchase or possess ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;Prohibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition, although federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply; orProhibit armor-piercing and other unreasonably dangerous ammunition, although federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in NevadaLast updatedNovember 14, 2019.Nevada does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Obligate ammunition purchasers to obtain a license; orRequire sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers.Regulation of Unreasonably Dangerous AmmunitionNevada prohibits the manufacture or sale of any “metal-penetrating bullet” capable of being fired from a handgun.1A “metal-penetrating bullet” means a bullet whose core reduces the normal expansion of the bullet upon impact, and is at least as hard as the maximum hardness attainable using solid red metal alloys, and that can be used in a handgun.2Persons Prohibited from Purchasing/Possessing AmmunitionIn Nevada, a person may not sell or otherwise dispose of any ammunition to another person if the seller or transferor has “actual knowledge” that the person:Is under indictment for, or has been convicted of, a felony in Nevada, any other state, or under federal law;Is a fugitive from justice;Has been adjudicated as mentally ill or has been committed to any mental health facility; orIs illegally or unlawfully in the United States.3See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in New HampshireLast updatedNovember 6, 2019.New Hampshire prohibits any person from transferring ammunition of any kind to a person under the age of 16, other than her or his own child, grandchild, or ward.1New Hampshire law prohibits any person from attempting to use or using, in the course of committing any misdemeanor or felony, any teflon-coated or armor-piercing bullet or cartridge or any bullet or cartridge that contains an explosive substance in the projectile and is designed to explode upon impact.2Among other things, New Hampshire law does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers; orProhibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms from possessing ammunition.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in New JerseyLast updatedOctober 28, 2019.Persons Prohibited from Purchasing/Possessing AmmunitionIn 2019, New Jersey amended the law prohibiting certain categories of individuals from purchasing, owning, possessing or controlling firearms to also include ammunition. For a list of individuals prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms and ammunition in New Jersey, see Prohibited Purchasers Generally in New Jersey.In order to sell, transfer, purchase or otherwise acquire any handgun ammunition in New Jersey, the transferee must be a licensed gun dealer, wholesaler or manufacturer, or possess a Firearms Purchaser Identification Card, a permit to purchase a handgun, or a permit to carry a handgun.1Handgun ammunition may be transferred for lawful use in certain narrow circumstances.2In addition, the sale of a “de minimis” amount of handgun ammunition for immediate use at a firearm range is permitted if the range is operated by a: 1) licensed firearms dealer; 2) law enforcement agency; 3) legally recognized military organization; or 4) rifle or pistol club which has filed a copy of its charter with the Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.3Ammunition Seller Record-keepingRetail sellers of firearm ammunition are required to maintain a permanent record of ammunition acquisition and disposition.4Acquisition records must be kept at the business location and record the name of the manufacturer, the type, caliber or gauge, quantity of the ammunition acquired, the date of each acquisition and person from whom the ammunition was acquired. Disposition records must be in bound form and contain the date of the transaction, name of manufacturer, caliber or gauge, quantity of ammunition sold, name, address and date of birth of purchaser, and identification used to establish the identity of the purchaser. Sellers must record sales or other dispositions of handgun ammunition and ammunition that may be interchangeable between rifles and handguns, as well as hollow-nosed or dum-dum ammunition.5Minimum Age to Purchase/PossessNew Jersey prohibits any person from selling, giving, transferring, assigning or otherwise disposing of handgun ammunition to a person under age 21.6Regulation of Unreasonably Dangerous AmmunitionNew Jersey generally prohibits any person from knowingly possessing, manufacturing, transporting, shipping, selling, or disposing armor piercing ammunition.7New Jersey also prohibits the knowing possession of any hollow nose or dum-dum bullet.8Hollow nose and dum-dum are terms associated with bullets designed to expand on impact. These terms are not specifically defined under New Jersey law.The federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition also applies.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in New MexicoLast updatedSeptember 11, 2018.Restricting Locations Where Ammunition May be PossessedNew Mexico prohibits any person from bringing ammunition onto the grounds of the penitentiary of New Mexico or any other designated correctional institution,1or any county or municipal jail.2The state also prohibits any person from bringing ammunition into any juvenile detention or correctional facility.3New Mexico does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Ensure that sellers of ammunition maintain records of the purchasers;Require a license to purchase or possess ammunition;Prohibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition, although the federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply; orRestrict armor-piercing ammunition, although the federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in New YorkLast updatedOctober 23, 2018.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.New York law defines a “Seller of ammunition,” as any person, firm or corporate entity engaging in the business of purchasing, selling, or keeping ammunition. This does not apply to private sellers.1Licensing of Ammunition SellersAmmunition sellers in New York must register with the state police, except for ammunition sellers who are already validly licensed firearms dealers. Ammunition sales are prohibited except through licensed dealers or registered sellers of ammunition. The transfer of ammunition must occur in person.2Record Retention Requirement for Ammunition SalesAmmunition sellers and firearms dealers must, at the time of a transaction, record the transaction details (date, name, age, occupation, and residences of anyone transferring or receiving ammunition and also the amount, caliber, manufacturer’s name and serial number or other distinguishing information) in a record book to be maintained on the premises and made available for inspection by any law enforcement officer. This information is not considered a public record.3Background Checks Before Transfer of AmmunitionAn ammunition seller or firearms dealer may not transfer any ammunition to anyone other than a licensed dealer unless he or she conducts a check against records maintained in the state’s electronic database and receives a number identifying the transaction and signifying that the transferee is not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing the firearm or ammunition.4The ammunition seller or gun dealer must also check a valid driver’s license or other photo identification of the prospective purchaser prior to transfer.After the transfer, the transferee must indicate to the database that the transaction was completed at which time a record of the transaction, to be maintained for no longer than one year, will be made available to law enforcement but will not be made a part of the new firearms database for licenses and records or the new firearms registry. A record of the transaction may be shared with local law enforcement but will not be a public record. This requirement will not apply if the background check system is not operational or if a dealer or seller was issued a waiver from conducting a background check by the state police.5Minimum Age to Purchase/Possess AmmunitionNew York prohibits the possession of ammunition by any person under age 16.6Federal law imposes additional age restrictions.Regulation of Unreasonably Dangerous AmmunitionNew York prohibits the possession of armor piercing ammunition with the intent to use it unlawfully against another.7“Armor piercing ammunition” is any ammunition capable of being used in handguns that contains a projectile or projectile core constructed entirely from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper or uranium.8New York generally prohibits any person from knowingly possessing any bullet containing an explosive substance designed to explode or detonate upon impact.9License to Purchase Handgun AmmunitionA firearms dealer may not sell any ammunition designed exclusively for use in a handgun to any person who is not authorized to possess a pistol or revolver.10See Licensing of Gun Owners in New York for further information.Ammunition Regulation in North CarolinaLast updatedNovember 6, 2019.North Carolina prohibits any person from importing, manufacturing, possessing, storing, transporting, selling, offering to sell, purchasing, offering to purchase, delivering, giving or acquiring any teflon-coated bullet.1This prohibition does not apply to the following individuals:Licensed importers, manufacturers, and dealers for the purpose of sale to authorized law-enforcement agencies; orInventors, designers, ordinance consultants and researchers, chemists, physicists, and other persons employed by or under contract with a manufacturing company engaged in making or doing research designed to enlarge knowledge or to facilitate the creation, development, or manufacture of more effective police-type body armor.2North Carolina does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;Require a license to purchase or possess ammunition; orProhibit the possession, transfer or use of armor-piercing, although the federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in North DakotaLast updatedNovember 14, 2019.North Dakota prohibits knowingly supplying ammunition to, or procuring ammunition for, a person who is prohibited by North Dakota law from receiving or possessing it.1However, no North Dakota law limits the persons who may receive or possess ammunition. Note that federal law prohibits certain persons from receiving or possessing ammunition and prohibits the sale or transfer of ammunition to these persons.2However, federal law does not require a seller of ammunition to conduct a background check on the purchaser to determine whether he or she is a prohibited person.3North Dakota also does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;Require a license to purchase or possess ammunition; orProhibit the possession, transfer or use of armor-piercing or other unreasonably dangerous ammunition, although the federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in OhioLast updatedNovember 6, 2019.Ohio does not:• Require a license for the sale of ammunition;• Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;• Prohibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition, although the federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply;• Prohibit armor-piercing ammunition, although the federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies; or• Otherwise regulate ammunition.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in OklahomaLast updatedNovember 1, 2019.Oklahoma bans the possession, carrying, use, attempted use, manufacture, importation, advertising for sale or sale of any “restricted bullet.”1A “restricted bullet” is a round or elongated missile with a core of less than 60% lead and that has a fluorocarbon coating, designed to travel at high velocity and capable of penetrating body armor.2Oklahoma also prohibits carrying a concealed handgun loaded with ammunition larger than .45 caliber.3In 2011, Oklahoma enacted a law prohibiting certain conduct relating to fraudulent purchase of ammunition. See our Oklahoma Trafficking section.Oklahoma does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;License persons who purchase or possess ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers; orProhibit persons who are ineligible to purchase or possess firearms under state law from purchasing or possessing ammunition, although the federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in OregonLast updatedNovember 17, 2019.Oregon prohibits any person from making, selling, buying or possessing any handgun ammunition (principally for use in pistols and revolvers) where the bullet or projectile is coated with Teflon or any chemical compound with properties similar to Teflon, and which is intended to penetrate soft body armor, and where the person intends that the ammunition be used in the commission of a felony.1Federal law also prohibits certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition.Oregon does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;Prohibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition, although federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply;Restrict locations where ammunition may be possessed; orRequire the safe storage of ammunition.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in PennsylvaniaLast updatedNovember 18, 2019.Pennsylvania law makes it a separate crime for a person who commits or attempts to commit a “crime of violence” to possess, use or attempt to use a KTW teflon-coated bullet or other “armor-piercing ammunition” while committing or attempting to commit that crime.1“Armor-piercing ammunition” is defined as:[A]mmunition which, when or if fired from any firearm as defined in section 6102 that is used or attempted to be used in violation of subsection (a) under the test procedure of the National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Standard for the Ballistics Resistance of Police Body Armor promulgated December 1978, is determined to be capable of penetrating bullet-resistant apparel or body armor meeting the requirements of Type IIA of Standard NILECJ-STD-0101.01 as formulated by the United States Department of Justice and published in December of 1978.2Pennsylvania law does not otherwise regulate the sale or possession of ammunition in any way.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in Rhode IslandLast updatedNovember 17, 2019.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Rhode Island does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Ensure that sellers of ammunition maintain records of the purchasers;Require a license to purchase or possess ammunition; orProhibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition, although the federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply.Minimum Age to Purchase/Possess AmmunitionRhode Island generally prohibits any person from selling, transferring, giving, conveying or causing to be sold, transferred, given or conveyed, any firearm or ammunition to any person under age 18, when the person knows or has reason to know that the recipient is under age 18.1Persons under age 18 are also prohibited from possessing or using ammunition.2Federal minimum age limits also apply.Regulation of Unreasonably Dangerous AmmunitionRhode Island prohibits the importation, manufacture, sale or other transfer or purchase of “armor-piercing bullets,” which have steel inner cores or cores of equivalent hardness and truncated cones and are designed for use in pistols as armor-piercing or metal-piercing bullets.3The federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition also applies.Ammunition Regulation in South CarolinaLast updatedNovember 6, 2019.See our Ammunition Regulation for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.South Carolina prohibits the use, transportation, manufacture, possession, distribution, sale or purchase of any ammunition or shells that are coated with Teflon.1Federal prohibitions on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition also apply.A law South Carolina adopted in 2010 makes it unlawful for a person who has been convicted of a “violent crime,” as defined by South Carolina law, to possess ammunition if the violent crime is also classified as a felony offense.2In 2013, South Carolina enacted a law making it unlawful for a person who has been “adjudicated as a mental defective” or who has been “committed to a mental institution” to ship, transport, possess, or receive ammunition.3The definitions of “adjudicated as a mental defective” and “committed to a mental institution” mirror federal law.In 2015, South Carolina enacted a law making it unlawful for certain domestic abusers to possess ammunition.4See Domestic Violence and Firearms in South Carolina for further information.South Carolina does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require a license to purchase or possess ammunition; orRequire sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers.Ammunition Regulation in South DakotaLast updatedOctober 26, 2019.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.South Dakota law does not:Prohibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition, although the federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply; orRegulate or prohibit any type of unreasonably dangerous ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to make a record of the purchasers;Require a license for the purchase or possession of ammunition; orRequire a license to sell ammunition.In addition, South Dakota only prohibits a person from selling, transferring, giving, loaning, furnishing, or delivering ammunition to a person under age 18, if such person knows or reasonably believes that the minor intends, at the time of transfer, to use the ammunition in the commission or attempted commission of a crime of violence.1Ammunition Regulation in TennesseeLast updatedNovember 16, 2019.Tennessee does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of purchasers;Require persons purchasing or possessing ammunition to obtain a license; orRequire the safe storage of ammunition in the home.Regulation of Unreasonably Dangerous AmmunitionTennessee prohibits the sale, offer for sale, display for sale, manufacture and use of any ammunition cartridge containing a bullet with explosive material designed to detonate upon impact.1Federal prohibitions on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition also apply.Persons Prohibited from Purchasing/Possessing AmmunitionTennessee prohibits any person from intentionally, knowingly or recklessly selling ammunition to an intoxicated person.2Tennessee does not otherwise prohibit the transfer of ammunition to, or the purchase and possession of ammunition by, persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law, although federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in TexasLast updatedSeptember 14, 2018.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Texas law does not:Impose a minimum age for the purchase or possession of ammunition;Require the seller of ammunition to make a record of the purchaser;Require a license for the purchase or possession of ammunition; orRequire a license to sell ammunition.Purchase/Possession ProhibitionsTexas prohibits the transfer of ammunition to some, but not all, of the same categories of persons who are prohibited from purchasing firearms under state law. More specifically, Texas prohibits any person from intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly selling ammunition to any person who is intoxicated, and from knowingly selling ammunition to any person who has been convicted of a felony before the fifth anniversary of the later of: 1) the person’s release from confinement following conviction of the felony; or 2) the person’s release from supervision under community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision following conviction of the felony.1Regulation of Unreasonably Dangerous AmmunitionTexas prohibits the intentional or knowing possession, manufacture, sale, transportation or repair of any armor-piercing ammunition. “Armor-piercing ammunition” is defined as “handgun ammunition that is designed primarily for the purpose of penetrating metal or body armor and to be used principally in pistols and revolvers.”2Ammunition Regulation in the District of ColumbiaLast updatedOctober 24, 2019.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Prohibited Possessors/Registration RequirementsThe District of Columbia broadly prohibits the possession of ammunition1. A holder of a valid registration certificate for a firearm may possess ammunition, however ((D.C. Code Ann. § 7-2506.01(a)(3).)). Licensed firearms dealers, on-duty law enforcement officers, holders of ammunition collector’s certificates, and persons temporarily possessing ammunition while participating in a firearms training and safety class conducted by a firearms instructor also exempt2.Federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions also apply.Ammunition Sales Licensing/RegulationThe sale or other transfer of ammunition is strictly regulated. Any person or organization eligible to register a firearm may sell or otherwise transfer ammunition only to a licensed dealer3.Licensed dealers may sell or otherwise transfer ammunition only if:The sale or transfer is made in person;The purchaser exhibits, at the time of transfer, a valid registration certificate (if the purchaser is a nonresident, he or she must produce proof that the firearm is lawfully possessed in the jurisdiction where such person resides);The ammunition to be transferred is of the same caliber or gauge as the firearm described in the registration certificate (or other similar proof in the case of nonresident); andThe purchaser signs a receipt for the ammunition (the dealer must maintain this receipt for at least one year from the date of sale)4.This does not apply to, inter alia, sales to other licensed dealers and certain law enforcement officers and government agents5.For additional information about ammunition that must be maintained as part of a dealer’s inventory, see the District Dealer Regulations section.Owners or managers of establishments where ammunition is stored or kept for sale at wholesale or at both wholesale and retail must pay a license fee of $7606. Owners or managers of establishments where ammunition is kept for sale at retail must pay a license fee of $477.Minimum Age to Purchase/Possess AmmunitionBecause a registration certificate is required for the possession of a firearm8, licensed dealers may only transfer ammunition to valid registration certificate holders9, and persons under age 21 cannot obtain a registration certificate10, persons under age 21 are generally prohibited from possessing or obtaining ammunition.Federal minimum age requirements may also apply.Regulation of Unreasonably Dangerous AmmunitionUnder District law, a “restricted pistol bullet” is defined asA projectile or projectile core which may be used in a pistol and which is constructed entirely (excluding the presence of traces of other substances) from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium;A full jacketed projectile larger than .22 caliber designed and intended for use in a pistol and whose jacket has a weight of more than 25% of the total weight of the projectile; orAmmunition for a .50 BMG rifle.11.Licensed dealers may transfer restricted pistol bullets to only: 1) another licensed dealer; or 2) any law enforcement officer or agent of the District or the United States, when such officer or agent is on duty and acting within the scope of his or her duties when acquiring such ammunition, if the officer or agent has in his or her possession a statement from the head of his or her agency stating that the item is to be used only in official duties.12.The District prohibits firearm registration certificate holders from possessing restricted pistol bullets13.Federal law also prohibits certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition.Ammunition Regulation in UtahLast updatedNovember 18, 2019.Utah limits the transportation of ammunition into or within correctional facilities, mental health facilities and institutions of higher education.1For more information, see the Utah Location Restrictions section.Utah does not:Prohibit the possession of ammunition by individuals prohibited from possessing firearms;Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;Require a license to purchase or possess ammunition; orGenerally prohibit the possession, transfer or use of armor-piercing or other unreasonably dangerous ammunition,2 although the federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in VermontLast updatedSeptember 17, 2018.Vermont law prohibits any person, firm or corporation, other than a parent or guardian, from selling or furnishing any ammunition to a minor under age 16.1Federal law, however, imposes stricter age requirements on the sale of ammunition.Vermont does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;Prohibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition, although the federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply; orProhibit armor-piercing ammunition, although the federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in VirginiaLast updatedNovember 1, 2019.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.In 2009, Virginia enacted a law that prohibits the knowing and intentional possession or transportation of ammunition by any person: 1) convicted of a felony; 2) adjudicated delinquent as a juvenile 14 years of age or older at the time of the offense of murder, kidnapping, robbery by the threat or presentation of firearms, or rape; or 3) who is under the age of 29 and was found guilty as a juvenile (14 years of age or older) of a delinquent act which would be a felony if committed by an adult.1Virginia law does not:Prohibit other individuals ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition;Prohibit the sale or possession of unreasonably dangerous ammunition;2Impose a minimum age for the purchase or possession of ammunition (although federal law applies);Require a license for the purchase or possession of ammunition; orRequire a license to sell ammunition.Ammunition Regulation in WashingtonLast updatedOctober 29, 2018.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Licensing of Ammunition SellersNo firearms dealer may sell or otherwise transfer, or expose for sale or transfer, or have in his or her possession with intent to sell or otherwise transfer, any ammunition without being licensed by the State of Washington.1See the Washington Dealer Regulations section for further information.Safe Storage of AmmunitionSmall arms ammunition must be stored separated from flammable liquids, flammable solids and oxidizing materials by a fire-resistant wall “of one-hour rating” or by a distance of 25 feet.2State administrative regulations govern the storage of ammunition in family home child care facilities.3State administrative regulations may regulate other aspects of ammunition.Washington does not:Prohibit individuals ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition;Require a license for the possession of ammunition; orRequire a license to sell ammunition, unless the seller is operating as a dealer.Ammunition Regulation in West VirginiaLast updatedOctober 8, 2018.West Virginia prohibits a person or company from knowingly selling, renting, giving or lending ammunition to a person who is prohibited from possessing it under state or federal law.1West Virginia law, unlike federal law, does not prohibit anyone from possessing ammunition.West Virginia prohibits any person from publicly displaying or offering for sale or rent ammunition where a passerby on a street, road or alley can see it.2See the section entitled Firearms Trafficking in West Virginia regarding a law aimed at the trafficking of ammunition.West Virginia does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;Require a license to purchase or possess ammunition; orProhibit the possession, transfer or use of armor-piercing or other unreasonably dangerous ammunition, although the federal prohibition on certain kinds of armor-piercing ammunition applies.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in WisconsinLast updatedNovember 1, 2019.Wisconsin prohibits the possession or use of an armor-piercing bullet during the commission of a crime, if the possessor: 1) has a handgun loaded with an armor-piercing bullet or a projectile or projectile core with a muzzle velocity of 1,500 feet per second or greater; or 2) possesses an armor-piercing bullet.1“Armor-piercing bullet” is defined as a projectile or projectile core that may be fired from any handgun and that is constructed entirely from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper or depleted uranium.2Wisconsin does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require a license or permit to purchase or possess ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers; orProhibit persons who are ineligible to possess firearms under state law from possessing ammunition, although federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply.See our Ammunition Regulation policy summary for a comprehensive discussion of this issue.Ammunition Regulation in WyomingLast updatedNovember 18, 2019.Wyoming does not:Require a license for the sale of ammunition;Require sellers of ammunition to maintain a record of the purchasers;License persons who purchase or possess ammunition;Regulate or prohibit unreasonably dangerous ammunition; orProhibit persons who are ineligible to purchase or possess firearms under state law from purchasing or possessing ammunition, although the federal ammunition purchaser prohibitions apply.As well: Read more: Are Hollow-Point Bullets Illegal For Personal DefenseUnder Creative Commons License: Attribution AMMOLAND:There is no statutory restriction on the type of ammo that you can carry in your personal defense weapon. Nor is there any prohibition on sighting devices. There may be some potential concerns about jury perception if you ever have to use your gun in self-defense and find yourself facing charges. (This is much less likely to occur at this point in history than prior to the enactment of Public Act 311 of 2006 [MCL 780.951] which created presumptions that deadly force is appropriate in certain situations and also created qualified immunity to those who use force in legitimate self defense.)There have been examples of prosecutors focusing on the hardware used by defendants. They try to overcome the self-defense argument by painting a picture of the armed citizen as blood-thirsty. In one particular case in another state, the defendant used a certain brand of hollow-point ammo that came in a box featuring a picture of a hawk or eagle talon. It appears that the tactic was successful and contributed to the conviction of an armed citizen who argued that he fired to save his life. I'm told that the particular brand of ammo in question has changed it's name and packaging.Many law-enforcement agencies use hollow-point ammunition. There are some famous brands that are well-known as “good guy” ammo, and a prosecutor would have a hard time making the case that one who carries the same ammo in his or her personal defense weapon is being unreasonable. In my opinion, there is no reason not to carry effective personal defense ammunition.The same is true of laser sights in my opinion. The technology is mature, widely available, and considered effective by tactical experts. From a legal standpoint, the key is to make sure that any use of force is justified by necessity and that you control your weapon. Insofar as a laser helps with control, it seems to me that it is more likely to help a self-defense shooter avoid liability than create perception issues in the event of a jury trial.I have personally recommended hollow-point ammo and laser sights to family and friends, and will continue to do so.

“For complex surgical procedures, you’re generally better off at teaching hospitals, which usually stay at the forefront of health research. Medical students and residents ask questions, providing more eyes and ears to pay attention and prevent errors. Teaching hospitals have lower complication rates and better outcomes.” —Evan Levine, MD, a cardiologist and the author of What Your Doctor Can’t (or Won’t) Tell You.“Those freestanding ERs popping up all over? They typically don’t have anywhere near the resources of hospital ERs, yet they cost just as much. Go there for small bumps and bruises. For something serious (chest pain, a badly broken bone), get to a trauma center where specialists and surgeons work.” —James Pinckney, MD, an ER doctor, founder of Diamond Physicians in Dallas, Texas. Check out these other 50 secrets an ER staff won’t tell you.Epidural steroid injections for back pain has risky potential complications like neurological problems or paralysis. “Generally, epidural steroid injection isn’t very useful for treatment of chronic back or neck pain,” says Steven Severyn, MD, an anesthesiologist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.No unnecessary scans. Studies have shown that radiation from CT scans could be responsible for as many as two percent of all cancers in the U.S. “CT scans are much quicker and tend to be less costly than an MRI, but does have the added radiation that MRI’s lack,” says Todd Sontag, DO, a family medicine physician with Orlando Health.Practically all surgeons have an inherent financial conflict of interest. That’s because they are paid approximately ten times more money to perform surgery than to manage your problem conservatively.” —James Rickert, MD, an orthopedic surgeon in Bedford, Indiana.No-certified specialty. If an airline told you that their pilot is the best but he’s not FAA-certified, would you get on the plane? "For the same reason, always check if your surgeon is board-certified in his specialty. Many are not.” Tomas A. Salerno, MD, chief of cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of MedicineSome surgeons won’t mention procedures they don’t know how to do. "I’ll see patients who were told they needed an open hysterectomy, even though it could be handled laparoscopically. That’s one reason it’s good to get a second opinion.” —Arnold Advincula, MDYears ago, a patient sent his slides to three different pathologists and got three different answers. "I got very upset on hearing that. Now I never rely on just one pathology exam. If your doctor finds something, ask him to send your slides to a nationally recognized reference lab—not just one or two slides but the whole lot—and get a second interpretation.” —Bert Vorstman, MD, a prostate cancer specialist in Coral Springs, FloridaIn medicine, you can get a DUI, go to jail for a couple of hours, and walk out at 7 a.m. the next morning and do a surgery. "You can be accused of sexual misconduct and drug and alcohol abuse in one state and pop over to the next one and get a license. Some state medical boards don’t even thoroughly research your background; they argue that the less-than-$10 fee to access national data is too expensive.” —Marty Makary, MD.Surgeons are control freaks. "When things don’t go our way in the operating room, we can have outbursts. Some of us curse, some throw instruments, others have tantrums.” —Paul Ruggieri, MD, author of Confessions of a Surgeon: The Good, the Bad, and the Complicated ... Life Behind the O.R. DoorsMistakes are probably more common than you would think. "But most of them don’t actually hurt people. I work with residents, and I don’t let them do anything that I can’t fix if they screw it up. If there’s an error that I fix that I’m sure won’t affect the patient at all, I’m not going to say anything about it. That would accomplish nothing except to stress out the patient.” —An orthopedic surgeonSome problems just don’t fix well with surgery, like many cases of back pain. "My advice? Grin and bear it. Some surgeons vehemently disagree. They say, ‘Oh, you have a degenerative disk, and that must be the culprit. Let’s fix it.’ But many people have a degenerative disk with no pain. There isn’t a lot of evidence that we’re helping very many people.” —Kevin B. Jones, MDAlways ask about nonsurgical options and whether there’s anything wrong with waiting a little while. "Surgeons are busy, and they like to operate. A professor from my residency would say, ‘There is nothing more dangerous than a surgeon with an open operating room and a mortgage to pay.’” —Kevin B. Jones, MDTalk to your doctor about donating your blood or asking your family members to donate blood before an elective surgery. "Banked blood is a foreign substance, like an organ, and your body can potentially react adversely. If you can use your own blood or blood from your family, there’s less chance of those reactions." —Kathy Magliato, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CaliforniaResidents have to learn how to operate, and it’s required that an attending physician be ‘present'. But ‘present’ doesn’t mean he has to be in the operating room scrubbed in. At an academic institution, ask whether your surgeon will be actively participating in the surgery or just checking in every hour." —Ezriel “Ed” Kornel, MDDuring my six weeks as a surgical intern in the ER, I inadvertently stuck myself twice with contaminated needles...... briefly nodded off in the middle of suturing a leg laceration, accidentally punctured a guy’s femoral artery while trying to draw some blood, and broke up a fight between the family members of a guy who’d come in with a stab wound to the abdomen. I was slugged in the head by a delirious patient in an alcoholic rage, spat upon, coughed on, vomited on, farted on, bled on, and mistaken for an orderly.” —Paul Ruggieri, MDYour doctor should not push you to make a speedy decision about prostate cancer surgery. "Most prostate cancers are extremely slow-growing, and there is so much misleading information out there, so you should take your time.” —Bert Vorstman, MDIf you have pain in your calf after surgery, or if it swells and looks red, call your doctor right away. "Those are the main symptoms of a blood clot, which is a risk of just about every surgery.” —James Rickert, MDThis is what really keeps us up at night. "It’s not making a mistake in the operating room; it’s the noncompliant patients. When patients don’t do what we tell them, bad things can happen.” —Kurian Thott, MD, an ob-gyn in Stafford, VirginiaDon’t ask too many questions. If you ask too many questions, you can be branded as a pain in the neck. "When one extremely hostile relative bombarded me every time I walked in, I developed a tendency not to go in the room. If you have three pages full of questions, show them to the nurse. Say ‘How many of these should I wait to ask the doctor about? How many can you help me with?’” —General surgeon who blogs under the name Skeptical ScalpelAbout 25 percent of operations are unnecessary, but administrators e-mail doctors telling them to do more. "This is not an insurance company putting pressure on doctors; this is not a government regulation. This is private hospitals pushing doctors to generate more money by doing more procedures. It goes on at America’s top hospitals. The Cleveland Clinic has said this system of paying doctors is so ethically immoral that it started paying its doctors a flat salary no matter how many operations they do.” —Marty Makary, MD.Fatigue and impatience have undoubtedly contributed to some mistakes I’ve made in the operating room. "But unless you ask, your surgeon is not going to tell you that he was up all night on call before your procedure and that he may not be in tip-top form.” —Paul Ruggieri, MDI always ask at national conferences of doctors, ‘How many of you know of another doctor who should not be practicing medicine because he is too dangerous?’ "Every hand goes up.” —Marty Makary, MDVery often, plastic surgery patients don’t admit to a previous surgery, and I don’t find out until I’m in there. "I’ll go in on an eyelid or a nose, and it’s just a mess. If you don’t tell us you had lipo, there will be scar tissue, and the fat won’t come out normally. So please be 100 percent honest. There’s no need to be embarrassed. We’ve heard it all, and we don’t judge.” —Andrew Ordon, MD, cohost of the television show The Doctors and a board-certified plastic surgeon.The biggest mistake during recovery is not giving yourself enough of a break. "Give yourself time to heal. If you don’t, you can cause complications and prolong your recovery."—Andrew Ordon, MDIf your doctor wants to give you a stent, always ask: Is this better than medicine? "If you’re not having a heart attack or an unstable angina, you will do equally well with a stent or medicine, studies show. Having something permanently implanted in your body is not a risk-free proposition. There is evidence that thousands of people have had stents they likely did not need." —Marc Gillinov, MD.If I had any kind of serious medical condition, I’d go to a teaching hospital. "You’ll get doctors involved with the latest in medicine. Even for simple cases, if there’s a complication that requires an assist device or a heart transplant, some hospitals may not be able to do it. At a university hospital, you also have the advantage of having a resident or physician bedside 24-7, with a surgeon on call always available." —Tomas A. Salerno, MDBefore any operation, always ask what’s broken and how fixing it will help. "Just because you have a blockage in an artery doesn’t mean you need it fixed, especially if you don’t have symptoms.” —Marc Gillinov, MDSpecialists quietly pad your bill. “Less-well-trained physicians will call in an abundance of consults to help them take care of the patient. If those specialists check on you every day, your bill is being padded and padded. Ask whether those daily visits are necessary.” —Evan Levine, MD.Ask how to recover faster. “Since each day in the hospital costs $4,293 on average, one of the best ways to cut costs is to get out sooner. Find out what criteria you need to meet to be discharged, and then get motivated, whether it’s moving from the bed to a chair or walking two laps around the hospital floor.” —James Pinckney, MD.Second-guess tests. “Fifteen to 30 percent of everything we do—tests, medications, and procedures—is unnecessary, our research has shown. It’s partly because of patient demand; it’s partly to prevent malpractice. When your doctor orders a test, ask why, what he expects to learn, and how your care will change if you don’t have it.” —Marty Makary, MD.“Your surgeon may be doing someone else’s surgery at the same time as yours. We’re talking about complex, long, highly skilled operations that are scheduled completely concurrently, so your surgeon is not present for half of yours or more. Many of us have been concerned about this for decades. Ask about it beforehand.” —Marty Makary, MD.“Hospital toiletries are awful. The lotion is watery. The bars of soap are so harsh that they dry out your skin. There is no conditioner. The toilet paper is not the softest. Come with your own.” —Michele Curtis, MD.Being transferred? Speak up. “If you go to a smaller hospital and it has to transfer you to a different medical center, demand that it ship you to the closest one that can handle your care. What’s happening is that community medical centers are sending patients instead to the big hospital that they’re affiliated with, even if it’s farther away. It happens even when a patient is bleeding to death or having a heart attack that needs emergency care.” —Evan Levine, MD.“Don’t assume the food is what you should be eating. There’s no communication between dietary and pharmacy, and that can be a problem when you’re on certain meds. I’ve had patients on drugs for hypertension or heart failure (which raises potassium levels), and the hospital is delivering (potassium-rich) bananas and orange juice. Then their potassium goes sky high, and I have to stop the meds. Ask your doctor whether there are foods you should avoid.” —Evan Levine, MD.On weekends and holidays, hospitals typically have lighter staffing and less experienced doctors and nurses. Some lab tests and other diagnostic services may be unavailable. If you’re having a major elective surgery, try to schedule it for early in the week so you won’t be in the hospital over the weekend. —Roy Benaroch, MD, a pediatrician and the author of A Guide to Getting the Best Healthcare for Your Child.“Many hospitals say no drinking or eating after midnight the day before your surgery because it’s more convenient for them. But that means patients may show up uncomfortable, dehydrated, and starving, especially for afternoon surgery. The latest American Society of Anesthesiologists guidelines are more nuanced: no fried or fatty foods for eight hours before your surgery and no food at all for six hours. Clear liquids, including water, fruit juices without pulp, soda, Gatorade, and black coffee, may be consumed up to two hours beforehand.” —Cynthia Wong, MD, an anesthesiologist at University of Iowa Healthcare“Get copies of your labs, tests, and scans before you leave the hospital, along with your discharge summary and operative report if you had surgery. It can be shockingly difficult for me to get copies of those things. Even though I have a computer and the hospital has a computer, our computers don’t talk to each other.” —Roy Benaroch, MD.“One time, I ran into a patient I had performed a simple appendectomy on. He thanked me for saving his life, then told me it almost ruined him because he couldn’t pay the bill. Four hours in the hospital, and they charged him $12,000, and that didn’t even include my fee. I showed his bill to some other doctors. We took out an ad in the newspaper demanding change.” —Hans Rechsteiner, MD, a general surgeon in northern Wisconsin.We're Impatient. Your doctor generally knows more than a website. I have patients with whom I spend enormous amounts of time, explaining things and coming up with a treatment strategy. Then I get e-mails a few days later, saying they were looking at this website that says something completely different and wacky, and they want to do that. To which I want to say (but I don't), "So why don't you get the website to take over your care?"--James Dillard, MDNinety-four percent of doctors take gifts from drug companies, even though research has shown that these gifts bias our clinical decision making. Internist, Rochester, Minnesota Those so-called free medication samples of the newest and most expensive drugs may not be the best or safest.--Internist, PhiladelphiaDoctors get paid each time they visit their patients in the hospital, so if you're there for seven days rather than five, they can bill for seven visits. The hospital often gets paid only for the diagnosis code, whether you're in there for two days or ten. Evan S. Levine, MDWhen a parent asks me what the cause of her child's fever could be, I just say it's probably a virus. If I told the truth and ran through the long list of all the other possible causes, including cancer, you'd never stop crying. It's just too overwhelming. Pediatrician, Hartsdale, New York60% of doctors don't follow hand-washing guidelines. Source: CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report96% of doctors agree they should report impaired or incompetent colleagues or those who make serious mistakes, but ...94% of doctors have accepted some kind of freebie from a drug company.Source: New England Journal of Medicine58% doctors would give adolescents contraceptives without parental consent. Source: New England Journal of MedicineYour doctor or nurse may have messed up your meds.Doctors in training look the same as doctors in charge.Your medical records are not confidential. If your charts are an open book, it boosts the odds that sensitive details about your health will slip into the hands of people who could use them against you—employers, ex-spouses, or medical identity thieves, says Deborah Peel, M.D., founder and chairwoman of the nonprofit advocacy group Patient Privacy Rights.Your doctor's hands may be filthy.Toronto doctor reveals secrets of hospital slang. Obese patients are “whales” or “beemers”. Old people are known as FTDs, or “failure to die”ER doctors want you to know ER is just like a horror movie. At first you're excited for every day, then there's lots of blood and screaming and crying and it's terrifying. And there's plenty of riddles, like, 'What exactly did you shove up there?!'" It takes an entire team to make an ER run. They work around the clock with little to no breaks. They care about you and they will fight for you.These are some secrets regarded to doctors including surgeons. They are also human beings and make mistakes. We need to collaborate with them to get the best results for your care. Understand them more.Thanks for reading.Sources:50 Secrets Hospitals Don’t Want to Tell You (But Every Patient Should Know)41 secrets your doctor would never share with you8 Secrets Your Hospital Keeps23 Things ER Employees Want You To KnowToronto doctor reveals secrets of hospital slang

The longer treatment is delayed the worse your condition will become and the damage your body will be subjected to could become irreparable.Go to the hospital Emergency Room (they are always open 24/7) and tell the nurse who registers the arrivals that you are in physical pain, exhausted from lack of sleep due to the pain, are concerned about your prospects for the future if your condition is neglected and in emotional distress because your parents refuse to have your condition treated.Children have rights. I’ve researched the topic and I’ve pasted the results below. I don’t know your location so you may want to research on the Internet the laws for children’s rights in your area.I hope that your situation will be looked after. good luck.Published: July 2004Parental refusals of medical treatment: the harm principle as threshold for state interventionDouglas DiekemaTheoretical Medicine and Bioethics volume 25, pages243–264(2004)Cite this article4289 Accesses249 Citations3 AltmetricMetrics detailsAbstractMinors are generally considered incompetent to provide legally binding decisions regarding their health care, and parents or guardians are empowered to make those decisions on their behalf. Parental authority is not absolute, however, and when a parent acts contrary to the best interests of a child, the state may intervene. The best interests standard is the threshold most frequently employed in challenging a parent's refusal to provide consent for a child's medical care. In this paper, I will argue that the best interest standard provides insufficient guidance for decision-making regarding children and does not reflect the actual standard used by medical providers and courts. Rather, I will suggest that the Harm Principle provides a more appropriate threshold for state intervention than the Best Interest standard. Finally, I will suggest a series of criteria that can be used in deciding whether the state should intervene in a parent's decision to refuse medical care on behalf of a child.This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.REFERENCESAmerican Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Bioethics. “Religious Objections to Medical Care.” Pediatrics 99 (1997): 279–81.Google ScholarAnderson, Roy, and Robert May, “The Logic of Vaccination.” New Scientist 96 (1982): 410–15.Google ScholarBeauchamp, Tom L., and James F. Childress. 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Botsford, 141: 250 (1891).Vorys, Yolanda V. “The Outer Limits of Parental Autonomy: Withholding Medical Treatment from Children.” Ohio State Law Journal 42 (1981): 813–29.Google ScholarWing, Kenneth R. The Law and the Public's Health. 3rd edition Ann Arbor, Michigan: Health Administration Press, 1990.Google ScholarWisconsin v. Yoder, U. S. 406: 205 (1972).Author informationAffiliationsDepartments of Pediatrics and Medical History and, Ethics University of Washington School of Medicine, Director of Medical Ethics, Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center Seattle, Washington, USADouglas DiekemaRights and permissionsReprints and PermissionsAbout this articleCite this articleDiekema, D. Parental refusals of medical treatment: the harm principle as threshold for state intervention. Theor Med Bioeth 25, 243–264 (2004). Parental refusals of medical treatment: the harm principle as threshold for state interventionDownload citationIssue DateJuly 2004DOIParental refusals of medical treatment: the harm principle as threshold for state interventionbest interestchildrenharm principleinformed consent for minorsmedical neglectparental refusalsproxy consentsurrogate decision-makingSectionsReferencesAbstractREFERENCESAuthor informationRights and permissionsAbout this articleAdvertisement