TEC-9 Legal Status by State

This page summarizes where the Intratec TEC-9, TEC-DC9 and AB-10 are restricted, based on our reading of statute text as of September 2026. It is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, courts strike down or uphold provisions, and the details of feature tests and grandfather clauses matter. Before you buy, sell or travel with any firearm, read the current statute and check with your state attorney general, state police or a lawyer in your state. We are not affiliated with Intratec, and we do not sell TEC-9 pistols, which have not been made since about 2001.

Federal law

The federal assault weapons ban of 1994 named the "Intratec TEC-9, TEC-DC9 and TEC-22" and barred the manufacture and transfer of new ones, while allowing those already made to stay in circulation. That law expired on September 13, 2004. Under federal law today, a TEC-9 is treated like other semi-automatic handguns. An eligible buyer 21 or older can acquire one from a licensed dealer after a background check, and interstate transfers must go through an FFL in the buyer's state of residence.

Federal rules still apply to modifications. Adding a shoulder stock to a pistol with a barrel under 16 inches creates a short-barreled rifle under the National Firearms Act, which must be registered with ATF before it is made. Check current ATF guidance before adding any stock or brace to any pistol.

States that name the TEC-9 in their laws

The states below list the TEC-9 family by name in their assault weapon statutes, according to the statute text we reviewed. Most also have feature tests that would cover similar pistols regardless of name, and most allow owners who registered or possessed the guns before a cutoff date to keep them under conditions.

California

California's Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act of 1989 created a list of named assault weapons, now in Penal Code section 30510, and the Intratec TEC-9 is on it. California later added a features-based definition in Penal Code section 30515, which covers semi-automatic pistols with a detachable magazine and features such as a threaded barrel or a barrel shroud, and a list of related models. New acquisition is prohibited. Earlier registration windows have closed.

Connecticut

Connecticut General Statutes section 53-202a defines assault weapons by name and by features. The named list includes the Intratec TEC-9 and the Intratec TEC-DC9 and AB-10. Connecticut also bans sale of large-capacity magazines. Possession of named weapons is limited to those lawfully possessed and registered or declared by past deadlines.

Maryland

Maryland Criminal Law section 4-301 defines "assault pistol" with a list that includes the "Intratec TEC-9/DC-9 semiautomatic pistol in any centerfire variation." Maryland generally bars the sale, transfer and possession of assault pistols, with an exception for those lawfully possessed before June 1, 1994 and registered by the deadline that followed. Maryland also limits magazines sold or transferred in the state to 10 rounds.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts defines assault weapons in Chapter 140, section 121, historically by reference to the federal list, which named the Intratec TEC-9, TEC-DC9 and TEC-22. The Attorney General's 2016 enforcement notice and later legislation, including the 2024 firearms law that rewrote many definitions, have broadened how the state treats copies and similar designs. Massachusetts also requires licenses to possess firearms and uses an approved-handgun roster. Treat the TEC-9 family as prohibited to acquire in Massachusetts and check the current statute for specifics.

New Jersey

New Jersey's definition of assault firearm in N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(w) lists the "Intratec TEC 9 and 22 semi-automatic firearms," along with any firearm substantially identical to a listed one. New Jersey also limits magazines to 10 rounds in most cases and requires permits to buy handguns. The TEC-9 family is prohibited to acquire there.

States that restrict similar pistols by features

Several other states and jurisdictions do not rely mainly on the brand name but use feature tests that would likely capture a TEC-9 or AB-10, especially models with a threaded barrel, a barrel shroud or a magazine that attaches outside the pistol grip. Examples we are aware of include:

• New York: the SAFE Act of 2013 uses a features test for semi-automatic pistols with detachable magazines. A TEC-9 with a threaded barrel or shroud, or with the magazine outside the grip, is likely covered; check Penal Law section 265.00 and New York State Police guidance.
• Illinois: the 2023 Protect Illinois Communities Act restricts many semi-automatic pistols by feature and by name, subject to ongoing litigation and registration rules.
• Washington, Delaware and Hawaii: each has enacted pistol feature tests or named lists in recent years. Check each statute directly.
• Virginia: a ban on the future sale and transfer of defined assault firearms took effect July 1, 2026 and was challenged in court immediately. Read the final bill text and current court status to see whether and how it applies to pistols before ordering.
• District of Columbia: D.C. has its own assault weapon and registration rules, which are among the strictest in the country.

Colorado does not ban the TEC-9 by name, but as of September 2026 the state limits magazines sold or transferred to 15 rounds, requires buyers to be 21, and, since August 1, 2026, requires a safety course and an eligibility card to buy certain semi-automatic firearms. That definition covers gas-operated handguns with detachable magazines; blowback pistols such as the TEC-9 appear to fall outside it, but confirm with the Colorado rules before relying on that. Some Colorado cities have their own ordinances.

States without a named ban

Most states, including North Carolina, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Utah, Idaho and Nebraska, do not ban the TEC-9 by name or by pistol features as of September 2026. In those states a used TEC-9, TEC-DC9 or AB-10 can generally be bought and sold like other semi-automatic handguns, subject to federal law and the state's general rules. Our city pages summarize purchase and carry rules for each of those states; start at gun shop by city.

Magazines

Even where the pistol itself is legal, magazines may not be. States including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Delaware limit magazine capacity in various ways, often at 10, 15 or 17 rounds, and some bar possession as well as sale. Several of these laws are in active litigation, so check the current status. Original TEC-9 magazines came in 20, 32 and 36-round sizes, so check your state before buying any. See TEC-9 magazines and parts.

Local rules and travel

City and county ordinances can add restrictions, particularly in states that have repealed or narrowed preemption. When traveling, the federal safe-passage law (18 U.S.C. 926A) protects transport of an unloaded, locked-away firearm through a state where you could not possess it, but only if you can lawfully possess it at both ends of the trip and do not stop longer than necessary. Some states and airports have interpreted that protection narrowly.

How to check your own situation

• Read the statute text on your state legislature's website, not a summary.
• Check the state police or attorney general firearms page for current guidance and any court orders.
• Ask your local FFL dealer, who has to refuse a transfer that would break state law.
• For anything unclear, talk to a lawyer licensed in your state.

For the background on why the pistol ended up in so many laws, see TEC-9 history. For currently made alternatives, see pistols like the TEC-9.

Not affiliated with Intratec. Model names are used only to identify historical firearms. Legal information current as of September 2026.

General information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026. Laws change; check the official source before you act.