Restore Firearm Rights
Restore Firearm Rights in Arizona
An Arizona felony strips your right to possess or carry a firearm, and getting it back the right way takes a court order. Arizona does provide automatic restoration of some rights for many first-time offenders, but here is the catch: nobody, not the judge and not the court, gives you any proof it happened. When you try to buy a firearm from a licensed dealer and the FBI background check runs, you have to show that a set aside was approved, or you are denied. The automatic process never produces that paperwork.
Many people also believe their rights restored automatically when they are still ineligible. Often a fine or sentence term was never finished, and many were actually discharged unsuccessfully without realizing it. If the court ordered 200 volunteer hours and you did 150, the judge may still discharge you when your term ends, but as an unsuccessful discharge, which leaves your rights in limbo. A set aside under A.R.S. § 13-905 restores firearm rights and hands you the documented order that proves it, so a technicality nobody warned you about never catches you.
Minimum Required Information:
- Court Name:
- Case Number:
- Charges:
- Month/Day/Year of Crime:
- Anything Else We Should Know About Your Life:
- Full Legal Name:
- Date of Birth:
- Phone Number:
- Email:
- Mailing Address:
The law firm handles the rest of the motions and court appearances.
Legal Benefits:
- Restores your right to possess and carry firearms in Arizona, with a court order that proves it
- Handled through a set aside, so your other civil rights restore at the same time (see our Set Aside page)
- Gives you the paperwork a licensed dealer’s FBI background check requires, which automatic restoration does not
- Pairs with record sealing to keep the underlying case private (see our Sealing Records page)
Eligible:
- Most felony convictions after the required waiting period
- Generally two years after absolute discharge for a single felony, longer for multiple or serious offenses
- Sentence fully completed, including probation and all fines
Approval Process:
- Filed with the court as part of a set aside; the judge has discretion
- Reviewed for accuracy and commonly filed within 30 days of hiring the firm
- Decision timelines vary by court
Legal Factors:
- Nature and circumstances of the offense
- Completion of probation without issues
- Prior criminal history and/or new cases
- Victim input
- Length of time that has passed since completion of sentence
- Age of defendant at the time of the offense
- Any other relevant helpful information (mitigation)
Limitations:
- Does not seal or erase the record (see our Sealing Records page)
- No effect on driving records or insurance
- After your state firearm rights are restored, the FBI’s records may still need updating separately if they flag you as a prohibited possessor. That is a federal process handled directly with the FBI, not something our firm files.
Not Eligible Cases:
- Dangerous offenses involving a weapon, which generally cannot have firearm rights restored
- Serious offenses until the longer waiting period has passed
Firearm Rights Restoration Attorney
If you already have a set aside, Arizona does have a separate application to restore only firearm rights, but we rarely use it. Judges approve far more readily when firearm rights are one piece of a full set aside than when guns are requested alone, where some judges assume the worst. Folding firearm rights into the broader set aside under A.R.S. § 13-905 is almost always the stronger play.
The Arizona statutes that touch these rights include A.R.S. § 13-904, § 13-906, § 13-907, § 13-908, § 13-910, and § 13-925. The right path depends on your offense, but the set aside is the vehicle that produces proof.
If you are ready to restore your firearm rights, call 602-536-4183 or send us a message to get started at AZ Record Removal today.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I actually get my gun rights back in Arizona?
For most people the reliable path is a set aside under A.R.S. § 13-905, which restores your civil and firearm rights and gives you a documented court order. That paperwork is what a licensed dealer’s background check requires.
Don’t my rights restore automatically after a first offense?
They can, but no court issues you any proof. Not only does a dealer have nothing to verify, police officers cannot check either, so they just see a felony with no proof, and the online docket never shows your rights were restored. That gets people harassed or arrested as suspected prohibited possessors. A set aside produces the order that proves it.
I finished probation, so why am I still a prohibited possessor?
Many people who think they finished probation were actually discharged unsuccessfully, for example ordered 200 volunteer hours but completing only 150. The judge discharges you when the time runs out but marks it unsuccessful, which can leave your rights unrestored. A set aside removes that uncertainty.
What am I actually prohibited from possessing?
More than guns. A prohibited possessor cannot have anything designed for deadly use, which includes hunting knives, bows and arrows, katanas, and throwing stars. Restoring your rights clears this, not just firearms.
Can I restore only my gun rights without a full set aside?
There is a firearm-only application, but it is rarely the best route. Judges approve gun rights far more readily when they are bundled into a full set aside than when guns are requested alone.
What about federal gun rights?
Restoring your Arizona rights does not change federal law, and if the FBI flags you as a prohibited possessor that is a separate federal process. The good news is an approved set aside is your best chance to update your federal records, since the FBI typically accepts set-asides. We do not handle federal matters beyond pointing you to the FBI’s website.