DOJ sued Minnesota, Minneapolis and St. Paul on September 24, 2026 over purchase-permit delays. The complaint alleges waits of 30 days, and nearly 60 for some city applicants. Filing the lawsuit does not change California law.
Sources checked September 25, 2026. Educational information only, not legal advice.
| What changed | DOJ filed a challenge to Minnesota’s purchase-permit system and alleged city processing delays. |
| Effective | Complaint filed September 24, 2026. The filing itself changes no purchase rule. |
| Applies to | Minnesota’s challenged handgun and regulated-rifle purchase process; California rules are unchanged. |
| Statutory basis | Second Amendment claims; 34 U.S.C. § 12601. Case 0:26-cv-04123. |
What happened
The federal complaint challenges Minnesota’s permit-to-purchase and transferee-report system for handguns and regulated rifles, focusing on people without carry permits. It alleges that Minneapolis and St. Paul sometimes exceed the statutory processing limit, making some applicants wait nearly 60 days. That is an allegation about delays, not a separate statutory 60-day waiting period.
DOJ seeks declaratory and injunctive relief in U.S. v. Minnesota, case 0:26-cv-04123. The complaint describes its subject as “armed self-defense within the confines of a person’s home.” These are the government’s claims; filing a complaint is not a court decision striking down the rules.
What it means for you
This Minnesota filing does not change California’s purchase requirements. California DOJ states that a firearm generally cannot be released to a purchaser or transferee until the state’s 10-day waiting period has elapsed. Specific statutory exemptions exist. California buyers should continue following the applicable California requirements.
The official source
Read the primary sources rather than a summary of them, including this one.
- Justice Department press release No. 26-2002, “Justice Department Sues Minnesota, St. Paul, and Minneapolis Over Firearm Purchase Waiting Period” (Sept. 24, 2026) DOJ news release announcing the suit under the Second Amendment, 34 U.S.C. § 12601, and Executive Order 14206.
- Filed complaint, Justice Department Civil Rights Division Second Amendment Section (Sept. 24, 2026) The complaint challenging Minnesota’s permit-to-purchase and waiting-period scheme.
- California DOJ firearm FAQs California’s 10-day waiting period and exemptions, questions 3 and 18.
Discuss
Update log
- September 25, 2026 Published from DOJ press release No. 26-2002 (Sept. 24, 2026) by CA2A Newsroom.
- September 25, 2026 — Correction: An earlier version incorrectly said California had no statewide waiting period. California generally has a 10-day waiting period. Clarified Minnesota’s affected firearm categories and that the nearly 60-day delays are allegations about city processing, not a statutory city waiting period.
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