Illinois: New Democrat-Sponsored Bill Proposes Ammo Tax, Serial Number Requirement on Bullets

SPRINGFIELD, IL - Democrats in the state of Illinois have proposed a new tax on hunters and firearm enthusiasts that, if passed, would take effect on January 1, 2027.

Illinois Democrats proposed a five-cent-per-round tax on ammunition and the requirement that each round be registered, according to a Facebook post. If passed, the sport of hunting will become very expensive in Illinois, making hunting and trips to the shooting range much more costly.

Under HB4414, all handgun ammunition sold or possessed in Illinois must be serialized and traceable by the Illinois State Police (ISP), according to another post on Facebook regarding the issue. 

The bill was introduced by Chicago-area State Representative Anne Stava-Murray. The bill will create a centralized registry for transactions, impose a fee of up to five cents per round, and make possession of non-serialized ammunition a misdemeanor. Revenue from the five-cent-per-round tax would go to the state.

Some other key aspects of HB4414 include:

• All handgun ammunition manufactured, imported, or sold in Illinois must have unique identifiers on the packaging and the ammunition itself starting January 1, 2027.
• The ISP will manage a database of handgun ammunition transactions, recording the buyer's identification and the unique identifier of the ammunition.
• Possessing non-serialized handgun ammunition in a public place can result in a Class C misdemeanor.

There are exemptions for law enforcement, military, and specific authorized individuals. The bill is designed for the ISP to track ammunition transactions and is part of the 104th General Assembly's legislation for 2025-2026.