Some of us live in states with complicated gun laws. Sure, it’s easy for the Monday-morning quarterbacks to tell you to “vote with your feet” or “just move,” but life isn’t always that simple. Employment, family, and other obligations have a way of rooting us in states with less-than-ideal gun laws (being from New York, I know about that!). That’s why Guns.com makes it easy for you to get a great compliant AR-15 or AR-15 alternative, even if you live in a state like Illinois. 

Here's how to tell if a gun is compliant in Illinois and a list of the best Illinois-compliant AR-15 alternatives to help you find what you need. Of note, these AR-15 alternatives are great choices regardless of where you live, as most are compliant in other more “regulated” states as well.
 

Illinois Law

First, the legal stuff. Illinois law dictates that you must have a Firearm Owners Identification card to legally possess firearms or ammunition. FOID cards are issued by the Illinois State Police. 

Illinois law around firearms seems to change frequently, and compliance requirements differ from county to county and even from town to town. We urge you to check with local law enforcement before purchasing to ensure your new rifle is legal where you live.

Some of the featureless models listed below are also available with features that will put them on the no-fly list for Illinois; however, the featureless models should work with the Protect Illinois Communities Act rules. You can check the list of currently acceptable Illinois-compliant rifles with accompanying flow chart (at the end of the document) to clarify if a gun is legal or not. Basically, if the gun isn’t listed in the PICA law, and it passes the flow chart’s test, it should be Illinois-compliant. 

Again, always check with your local authorities and FFL to make sure you’re in compliance for your area. Because of the fluidity of restrictions and frequent enforcement changes, it’s up to you to know the current requirements in your area.