This section covers Nevada firearm rules that do not fit cleanly into the dedicated sections of this guide: the universal background check (NRS...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
Nevada Firearm Laws - Other Topics
Updated
Nevada Firearm Laws - Other Topics
The Headline
This section covers Nevada firearm rules that do not fit cleanly into the dedicated sections of this guide: the universal background check (NRS 202.2547), dealer-delivery procedures, age limits for purchase and possession, domestic violence prohibitors, ammunition rules, antique firearms, hunting overlays, tribal-land jurisdiction, civil immunity for justified force, and federal preemption interactions. If a question does not belong in OVERVIEW, PERMIT_BASICS, CONCEALED_CARRY, OPEN_CARRY, CONSTITUTIONAL_CARRY, TRAINING_REQUIREMENTS, APPLICATION_PROCESS, FEES_COSTS, RENEWAL_PROCESS, PROHIBITED_PLACES, VEHICLE_CARRY, TRANSPORT, STORAGE, USE_OF_FORCE, CASTLE_DOCTRINE, DUTY_TO_INFORM, UNDER_INFLUENCE, RESTRICTIONS, NFA_ITEMS, RED_FLAG, PREEMPTION, RECIPROCITY, RESOURCES, or FAQ, the short answer is here.
Nevada is a relatively permissive firearms state with a defined set of stricter modifications (universal background check, ghost-gun ban, bump-stock ban) layered over a generally pro-firearm-rights statutory framework.
Universal background check (NRS 202.2547)
Since January 2, 2020, AB 291 has required that most private firearm transfers in Nevada be processed through a licensed dealer for a NICS background check. NRS 202.2547 codifies the rule.
Operative rule: a person transferring a firearm in Nevada (other than an excepted category) must:
Take the firearm to a Nevada-licensed firearm dealer;
The dealer processes a NICS check on the transferee;
The dealer logs the transfer in its FFL records (ATF Form 4473);
The dealer charges a transfer fee (typically $15-50).
Exceptions in NRS 202.2547(4):
Transfers between immediate family members (spouse, domestic partner, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, first cousin);
Temporary transfers at a shooting range while the transferee is on the premises and engaged in lawful target shooting;
Transfers in the home for self-defense purposes when the transferee will use the firearm only at the home;
Transfers to/from a licensed dealer, peace officer in the performance of duty, military member in the performance of duty;
Antique firearms (pre-1899 manufactured) and certain replicas;
Estate transfers under probate.
Penalty for violation (NRS 202.2547(7)):
First offense: gross misdemeanor (up to 364 days county jail, fine up to $2,000).
Second or subsequent: Category C felony (1-5 years prison, fine up to $10,000).
Federal overlay:
18 U.S.C. Section 922(a)(5): federal prohibition on transferring a firearm between residents of different states except through an FFL. Nevada's universal background check is more demanding than the federal floor (federal allows direct intrastate private transfers).
18 U.S.C. Section 922(d): federal felony to transfer to a prohibited person.
18 U.S.C. Section 922(t): federal NICS requirement on all dealer-handled transfers.
Dealer delivery
A Nevada FFL must:
Conduct a NICS background check through the FBI;
Verify the transferee's age (21 for handguns from dealer; 18 for long guns from dealer);
Process the ATF Form 4473 with the transferee's personal information and the firearm's serial number;
Issue the federal gun-storage device with handgun sales (18 U.S.C. Section 922(z));
Confirm Nevada-specific requirements (universal background check for private transfers, age verification, etc.).
Nevada does not have a waiting period for firearm dealer sales. A NICS clear result allows immediate delivery.
If NICS returns a delayed result (no immediate answer), federal law permits the dealer to wait up to 3 business days for a final answer. If no final answer comes, the dealer may deliver the firearm (default-proceed), though many Nevada dealers as a matter of policy hold the firearm until NICS clears. The federal default-proceed period was reaffirmed by the NICS Improvement Amendments Act and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022, which extended the period to 10 days for transferees under 21.
Age limits for purchase and possession
Federal floor (18 U.S.C. Section 922(b), (c), (x)):
18 years old: minimum for purchase of a long gun (rifle, shotgun) from a federal dealer; minimum for general possession of a firearm.
21 years old: minimum for purchase of a handgun or handgun ammunition from a federal dealer.
18 years old: minimum for receiving a handgun via private transfer (the federal Section 922(b) restriction is dealer-specific; private transfers under federal law follow Section 922(x)).
Under 18: federal Section 922(x) prohibits transfer of a handgun to a person under 18 except in narrow exceptions (parent's permission for hunting/target practice, etc.).
Nevada state floor:
NRS 202.310: 18 years old for general possession of a firearm.
NRS 202.310(1)(a): sale or transfer to a minor (under 18) is prohibited unless the transfer is to a parent or guardian for hunting/target practice with the parent's consent.
NRS 202.3657(2): 21 years old for a Nevada CFP (18 for active military).
A 19-year-old purchasing a long gun from a Nevada FFL is permitted under federal law and Nevada law. A 19-year-old purchasing a handgun from a Nevada FFL is not permitted under federal Section 922(b). A 19-year-old receiving a handgun via private transfer in Nevada is permitted federally but must comply with NRS 202.2547 universal background check.
Domestic violence prohibitors
Nevada layers state and federal prohibitors on domestic violence convictions and protective orders.
NRS 200.485: Nevada misdemeanor of battery constituting domestic violence; conviction may create state-level firearm restriction depending on the specific terms.
NRS 200.495: Aggravated battery of a household member (felony); creates state-level firearm prohibition.
NRS 33.030: Protective order against domestic violence; protective orders may include firearm-surrender provisions.
NRS 33.500 - 33.670: Extreme Risk Protection Order (red flag); see RED_FLAG.
Federal overlays:
18 U.S.C. Section 922(g)(8): federal prohibitor for person subject to a qualifying protection order. Affirmed in United States v. Rahimi, 602 U.S. 680 (2024).
18 U.S.C. Section 922(g)(9): federal prohibitor for person convicted of misdemeanor crime of domestic violence (Lautenberg Amendment).
A protective order in Nevada that includes firearm-surrender provisions triggers both federal prohibitor and state-level surrender obligations.
Ammunition rules
Nevada imposes no permit, registration, or background-check requirement on the purchase of ammunition. Federal 18 U.S.C. Section 922(d) still prohibits sale of ammunition to a prohibited person.
Ammunition for any firearm legal in Nevada (including AR-15, AK-47, magazine-fed) is lawful to purchase and possess. There is no state-level magazine-capacity limit, no caliber restriction, and no licensing requirement for ammunition.
A federal age restriction applies: 18 for rifle/shotgun ammunition from a dealer; 21 for handgun ammunition from a dealer (under 18 U.S.C. Section 922(b)(1)).
Ammunition sales by private parties are not subject to NICS or to NRS 202.2547 (which addresses firearm transfers, not ammunition). Private ammunition sales between adults are unrestricted in Nevada.
Antique firearms
Federal 18 U.S.C. Section 921(a)(16) defines an antique firearm as one manufactured in or before 1898, plus certain muzzleloaders and replicas. Antiques are largely exempt from the federal Gun Control Act framework. Nevada state law follows the federal definition for most purposes, meaning antique firearms:
Are not subject to the universal background check under NRS 202.2547;
Are not subject to the federal dealer NICS check under 18 U.S.C. Section 922(t);
Are not subject to the federal storage device requirement (handgun only) under 18 U.S.C. Section 922(z);
Remain subject to the felon-in-possession bar under NRS 202.360 and federal 18 U.S.C. Section 922(g), because the federal "firearm" definition for prohibited-persons purposes excludes antique firearms but state law may apply more broadly.
Curios and relics under ATF Form 4473 conventions are still ordinary firearms for state and most federal purposes. The C&R designation primarily affects FFL acquisition and interstate transfer mechanics for collectors, not state carry or possession rules.
Civil and criminal immunity for justified force
Nevada does not have a Florida-style automatic civil immunity statute for justified force. NRS 41.095 coordinates the criminal and civil standards: the same self-defense standards apply in both contexts. A criminal acquittal on self-defense grounds is admissible as evidence in a civil case, but does not automatically bar the civil action.
Civil practical effect: a defendant acquitted on self-defense grounds may still face a wrongful-death civil suit, with the case tried under the preponderance-of-the-evidence standard.
Nevada does not have a Florida Stand Your Ground pretrial immunity hearing. Self-defense remains an affirmative defense raised at trial. See USE_OF_FORCE.
Hunting overlay
Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) regulates hunting under NRS Title 50 (Wildlife). Firearms used in hunting are subject to species-specific equipment rules (caliber minimums, magazine restrictions, prohibited devices) that are independent of NRS Title 15 (Crimes Against Public Health and Safety).
Key NDOW hunting-firearm rules:
NRS 503.165: prohibits a loaded rifle or shotgun in a vehicle in motion on a public road during hunting season; does not apply to handguns. A misdemeanor under Title 50.
NRS 503.170: hunting at night with artificial light is prohibited.
NAC 503.150: caliber minimums for big game (typically .25 caliber centerfire minimum for deer; varies by species).
A Nevada hunting license does not authorize concealed carry; a CFP or one of the lawful-outdoor-recreation exceptions in NRS 202.350(3)(a) is needed for that.
Hunting on private land requires landowner permission; hunting on tribal land requires tribal authorization. State firearms-possession rules still apply on tribal land for non-Indian persons under most circumstances, but tribal jurisdiction can be primary for tribal members.
Tribal lands
Tribal sovereignty in Nevada means tribal nations may regulate firearms within their reservation boundaries. State firearms law generally applies to non-Indian persons on fee-patent land within a reservation; tribal law governs tribal members and certain on-reservation conduct.
Major Nevada tribes:
Reno-Sparks Indian Colony
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe
Walker River Paiute Tribe
Las Vegas Paiute Tribe
Yerington Paiute Tribe
Duck Valley Shoshone-Paiute Tribe
Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone
Battle Mountain Band
The interplay between state, federal, and tribal law on firearms is fact-specific. CFP holders crossing through reservation land should:
Check tribal regulations for the specific reservation. Some tribal codes mirror state law; others add restrictions.
Treat tribal gaming facilities (casinos) as posted private property where firearms are typically prohibited regardless of CFP status.
Recognize that tribal police may detain and refer to state or federal authorities for prosecution.
Federal preemption and supremacy
Federal firearms law sets a floor that no state can fall below; Nevada has consistently legislated above that floor (universal background check, ghost-gun ban, bump-stock ban). When state and federal rules conflict, federal law generally controls only where the state rule is preempted (e.g., federal supremacy on dealer licensing). On substantive carry, possession, and transfer rules, Nevada's stricter framework governs in-state conduct.
Two federal statutes commonly intersect with Nevada law:
18 U.S.C. Section 926A (FOPA): protects interstate transport of an unloaded firearm in a locked container, with ammunition stored separately, when the person is traveling between two states where the possession is lawful. The protection is an affirmative defense, not pretrial immunity. See TRANSPORT.
18 U.S.C. Section 926C (LEOSA): authorizes qualified active and qualified retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed nationwide. LEOSA preempts most state location restrictions but does not override NRS 202.3673 prohibitions on the State Capitol grounds or in courthouses for non-judicial business.
Pending and recent legislation worth tracking
AB 286 (2021) - Ghost gun ban, bump stock ban (NRS 202.3625).
NRS 200.495 - Aggravated battery of household member.
NRS 41.095 - Civil-criminal coordination.
NRS 33.030 - Protective orders.
NRS 33.500 - 33.670 - ERPO.
NRS 503.165 - Loaded long gun during hunting.
NRS 207.200 - Trespass.
NRS 268.418, NRS 244.364 - Preemption.
18 U.S.C. Section 921(a)(16) - Antique firearm.
18 U.S.C. Section 922(a)(5) - Federal interstate transfer.
18 U.S.C. Section 922(b), (c) - Dealer age limits.
18 U.S.C. Section 922(d) - Transfer to prohibited person.
18 U.S.C. Section 922(g) - Federal prohibitors.
18 U.S.C. Section 922(t) - NICS.
18 U.S.C. Section 922(x) - Handgun to minor.
18 U.S.C. Section 922(z) - Dealer storage device.
18 U.S.C. Section 926A - FOPA.
18 U.S.C. Section 926C - LEOSA.
This catch-all reflects Nevada law as of May 2026. Universal background check enforcement, ERPO frequency, and tribal-jurisdiction interactions continue to evolve. Confirm current status before relying on any provision affected by pending appellate review or pending agency rulemaking.
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