Conn. Gen. Stat. » Title 53a — PENAL CODE · Chapter 952 — Penal Code: Offenses
Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-211 (2026)

Possession of a sawed-off shotgun or silencer: Class D felony

✓ current as of May 2026
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(a) A person is guilty of possession of a sawed-off shotgun or a silencer when he owns, controls or possesses any sawed-off shotgun that has a barrel of less than eighteen inches or an overall length of less than twenty-six inches or when he owns, controls or possesses any silencer designed to muffle the noise of a firearm during discharge.

(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to persons, firms, corporations or museums licensed or otherwise permitted by federal or state law to possess, control or own sawed-off shotguns or silencers.

(c) Possession of a sawed-off shotgun or a silencer is a class D felony.

(P.A. 76-45; P.A. 80-244.)

History: P.A. 80-244 deleted phrase “of any caliber” following reference to sawed-off shotguns in Subsec. (a).

See Secs. 29-35 to 29-38a, inclusive, and 53-202 to 53-206d, inclusive, re regulation of firearms and penalties imposed for firearms violations.

Cited. 190 C. 715; 198 C. 68; 201 C. 505; 207 C. 323; 224 C. 163; 233 C. 215.

Cited. 1 CA 697; 7 CA 550; 11 CA 397; 13 CA 76; 14 CA 67; 15 CA 539; 17 CA 490; 26 CA 698; 28 CA 474; 30 CA 9. Fact that the weapon in evidence had a pistol grip was of no consequence because the barrel had been sawed off and therefore weapon was a sawed-off shotgun. 99 CA 183. Defendant was not entitled to jury instruction that “mere presence in the vicinity of the firearm, however, is not enough to establish possession”. 113 CA 651.

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 40 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1983–2024 · leading case: State v. Anonymous (83-FG), 463 A.2d 533 (Conn. 1983).
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State v. Anonymous (83-FG), 463 A.2d 533 (Conn. 1983). · cites it 9× “The defendant was found guilty of being a youthful offender pursuant to General Statutes § 54-76g 1 upon the first count of an information charging theft of a firearm in violation of General Statutes § 53a-212 2 and also upon the second count charging *717 possession of a…”
State v. Hill, 523 A.2d 1252 (Conn. 1986). · cites it 6× “A jury found the defendant, Reginald Hill, guilty of the offense of possession of a sawed-off shotgun in violation of General Statutes § 53a-211 (a). 1 The defendant forthwith filed a motion to set aside the verdict.”
State v. Collazo, 967 A.2d 597 (Conn. App. Ct. 2009). · cites it 7× “The defendant, Ulises Rivera Collazo, appeals from the judgment of conviction, rendered after a jury trial, of possession of a sawed-off shotgun in violation of General Statutes § 53a-211 and criminal possession of a firearm in violation of General Statutes § 53a-217.”
State v. Beavers, 912 A.2d 1105 (Conn. App. Ct. 2007). · cites it 9× “, appeals from the judgment of conviction, rendered after a jury trial, of robbery in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-134 (a) (2), criminal possession of a firearm in violation of General Statutes § 53a-217 (a) (1), stealing a firearm in violation of…”
State v. Mejia, 658 A.2d 571 (Conn. 1995). · cites it 4× “The defendant, Percy Mejia, was convicted after a jury trial of murder in violation of General Statutes § 53a-54a, 1 unlawful possession of a weapon in a *217 motor vehicle in violation of General Statutes § 29-38, 2 carrying a pistol without a permit in violation of General…”
State v. Jarrett, 845 A.2d 476 (Conn. App. Ct. 2004). · cites it 3× “The defendant, Daniel Jarrett, appeals from the judgment of conviction, rendered after a juiy trial, of possession of four ounces or more of a cannabis-type substance in violation of General Statutes § 21a-279 (b), criminal possession of a pistol or revolver in violation of…”
Harris v. Comm'r of Corr., 947 A.2d 7 (Conn. App. Ct. 2008). · cites it 5× “The petitioner was arrested and charged in separate informations with robbery in the first degree in violation of General Statutes §§ 53a-134 (a) (2) and 53a-8, and conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree in violation of General Statutes §§ 53a-134 (a) (2) and 53a-48…”
State v. Perez, 502 A.2d 368 (Conn. 1985). · cites it 4× “The defendant, Francisco Perez, a/k/a Jorge Sanchez, appeals his conviction, after a jury trial, of the crimes of robbery in the first degree, in violation of General Statutes § 53a-134 (a) (4), and possession of a sawed-off shotgun, in violation of General Statutes § 53a-211…”
State v. Thompson, 554 A.2d 297 (Conn. App. Ct. 1989). · cites it 9× “The defendant appeals from a judgment of conviction of three counts of robbery in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-134 (a) (4), three counts of unlawful restraint in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-95, one count of possession of a…”
State v. Peterson, 534 A.2d 1237 (Conn. App. Ct. 1987). · cites it 6× “The defendant was convicted of robbery in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-134 (a) (2), 1 having weapons in a motor vehicle in violation of General Statutes § 29-38, and possession of a sawed-off shotgun in violation of General Statutes § 53a-211 (a). He…”
St. Juste v. Comm'r of Corr., 177 A.3d 1144 (Conn. 2018). · cites it 2× “§ 53a-60 (a) (2), and guilty under the Alford doctrine 4 to possession of a sawed-off shotgun in violation of General Statutes § 53a-211. He was represented by Attorney Howard Ignal.”
State v. Ramos, 860 A.2d 249 (Conn. 2004). · cites it 2× “In Hill , in which the defendant had been charged with possession of a sawed-off shotgun in violation of General Statutes § 53a-211, we determined that the definition of the word “possess” as applied in connection with the crime of possession of a controlled substance with…”
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