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Illinois Compiled Statutes

720 ILCS 5/24-3.5 (2026)

Unlawful purchase of a firearm

✓ current as of May 2026
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(720 ILCS 5/24-3.5)
    Sec. 24-3.5. Unlawful purchase of a firearm.
    (a) For purposes of this Section, "firearms transaction record form" means a form:
        (1) executed by a transferee of a firearm stating:
    
(i) the transferee's name and address (including county or similar political subdivision); (ii) whether the transferee is a citizen of the United States; (iii) the transferee's State of residence; and (iv) the date and place of birth, height, weight, and race of the transferee; and
        (2) on which the transferee certifies that he or she
    
is not prohibited by federal law from transporting or shipping a firearm in interstate or foreign commerce or receiving a firearm that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce or possessing a firearm in or affecting commerce.
    (b) A person commits the offense of unlawful purchase of a firearm who knowingly purchases or attempts to purchase a firearm with the intent to deliver that firearm to another person who is prohibited by federal or State law from possessing a firearm.
    (c) A person commits the offense of unlawful purchase of a firearm when he or she, in purchasing or attempting to purchase a firearm, intentionally provides false or misleading information on a United States Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms firearms transaction record form.
    (d) Exemption. It is not a violation of subsection (b) of this Section for a person to make a gift or loan of a firearm to a person who is not prohibited by federal or State law from possessing a firearm if the transfer of the firearm is made in accordance with Section 3 of the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act.
    (e) Sentence.
        (1) A person who commits the offense of unlawful
    
purchase of a firearm:
            (A) is guilty of a Class 2 felony for purchasing
        
or attempting to purchase one firearm;
            (B) is guilty of a Class 1 felony for purchasing
        
or attempting to purchase not less than 2 firearms and not more than 5 firearms at the same time or within a one year period;
            (C) is guilty of a Class X felony for which the
        
offender shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than 9 years and not more than 40 years for purchasing or attempting to purchase not less than 6 firearms at the same time or within a 2 year period.
        (2) In addition to any other penalty that may be
    
imposed for a violation of this Section, the court may sentence a person convicted of a violation of subsection (c) of this Section to a fine not to exceed $250,000 for each violation.
    (f) A prosecution for unlawful purchase of a firearm may be commenced within 6 years after the commission of the offense.
(Source: P.A. 95-882, eff. 1-1-09.)

    
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2008–2023 · leading case: Negrete-Rodriguez v. Mukasey, 518 F.3d 497 (7th Cir. 2008).
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Negrete-Rodriguez v. Mukasey, 518 F.3d 497 (7th Cir. 2008). “, 720 ILCS 5/24-3.5(c) (unlawful purchase of a firearm); 720 ILCS 5/24-3.”
People v. Deleon, 2015 IL App (1st) 131308 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). “" 720 ILCS 5/24-3.5(b) (West 2008). We will not concern ourselves with why the State chose not to charge defendant under that statute.”
People v. Deleon, 2015 IL App (1st) 131308 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). “” 720 ILCS 5/24-3.5(b) (West 2008). We will not concern ourselves with why the State chose not to charge defendant under that statute.”
People v. Matiala, 2023 IL App (4th) 220387 (Ill. App. Ct. 2023). “He might likewise have been charged with unlawful purchase of a firearm pursuant to Illinois law (720 ILCS 5/24-3.5(c) (West 2020)). Instead, the only charges brought against him were under -8- Illinois’s perjury statute.”
Negrete-Rodriguez, P v. Mukasey, Michael B. (7th Cir. 2008). “, 720 ILCS 5/24-3.5(c) (unlawful purchase of a firearm); 720 ILCS 5/24-3.”
— 720 ILCS 5/24-3.5(b) — 2 cases
People v. Deleon, 2015 IL App (1st) 131308 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). “" 720 ILCS 5/24-3.5(b) (West 2008). We will not concern ourselves with why the State chose not to charge defendant under that statute.”
People v. Deleon, 2015 IL App (1st) 131308 (Ill. App. Ct. 2015). “” 720 ILCS 5/24-3.5(b) (West 2008). We will not concern ourselves with why the State chose not to charge defendant under that statute.”
— 720 ILCS 5/24-3.5(c) — 3 cases
Negrete-Rodriguez v. Mukasey, 518 F.3d 497 (7th Cir. 2008). “, 720 ILCS 5/24-3.5(c) (unlawful purchase of a firearm); 720 ILCS 5/24-3.”
People v. Matiala, 2023 IL App (4th) 220387 (Ill. App. Ct. 2023). “He might likewise have been charged with unlawful purchase of a firearm pursuant to Illinois law (720 ILCS 5/24-3.5(c) (West 2020)). Instead, the only charges brought against him were under -8- Illinois’s perjury statute.”
Negrete-Rodriguez, P v. Mukasey, Michael B. (7th Cir. 2008). “, 720 ILCS 5/24-3.5(c) (unlawful purchase of a firearm); 720 ILCS 5/24-3.”
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