Nevada Firearm Storage Requirements

Nevada Firearm Storage Requirements

The Headline

Nevada has no mandatory safe-storage law for adults. A firearm owner is not required to store firearms in a safe, lockbox, or with a trigger lock when at home. There are, however, negligent-storage and child-access exposure under NRS 202.300 (negligent storage of firearms accessible to minors), and federal storage and locking-device requirements at the point of sale under 18 U.S.C. Section 922(z) that affect dealer transactions.

For a CFP holder, sensible at-home storage is a best practice, not a legal requirement. For households with children, storage that prevents minor access is both prudent and reduces criminal exposure under NRS 202.300.

NRS 202.300 - Negligent storage of firearm where child can access

NRS 202.300(1) provides that a person who is the owner or person in charge of a residence is guilty of a misdemeanor if:

"The person knows or has reasonable cause to know that a child under 18 years of age has gained or is likely to gain access to a firearm, and the person negligently stores or leaves the firearm in a manner that allows the child to gain access to the firearm without the permission of the owner or person in charge of the residence."

The statute is negligent-storage rather than strict safe-storage: a person is liable only if they:

• Knew or had reasonable cause to know that a child under 18 was likely to access the firearm; and
• Stored the firearm in a manner that allowed access; and
• The child gained access without permission.

Penalty (NRS 202.300(2)):

• First offense: gross misdemeanor (up to 364 days county jail, fine up to $2,000).
• Second or subsequent offense: Category C felony (1-5 years state prison, fine up to $10,000).
• Enhanced penalty if the child uses the firearm and causes death or great bodily injury.

Affirmative defenses to NRS 202.300

NRS 202.300(3) provides several affirmative defenses:

1. The firearm was kept in a locked container or in a location that a reasonable person would believe to be secure.
2. The firearm was kept in a location which a child could not reasonably gain access.
3. The firearm was affixed with a trigger lock or other locking device designed to prevent unauthorized use.
4. The child gained access by illegal entry or unauthorized use of force against the person or property of the firearm owner.
5. The child used or possessed the firearm pursuant to lawful activity (e.g., supervised hunting with the parent or guardian, lawful target practice at a supervised range).

The "reasonable person" standard is fact-specific. A handgun in a bedroom drawer with a 3-year-old in the house is likely not "reasonable"; the same handgun in a bedroom drawer with no children in the household and a 12-year-old who has been trained on firearm safety and lives there may meet the reasonable standard, depending on the facts.

What "child" means

NRS 202.300 applies to access by a person under 18 years of age. This is broader than the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act (which uses school-age children) and broader than some other state child-access statutes (which use 14 or 16).

Federal storage requirement at point of sale - 18 U.S.C. Section 922(z)

Federal law requires a federally licensed firearm dealer to provide, with the sale of any handgun, a "secure gun storage or safety device" to the buyer. 18 U.S.C. Section 922(z) defines a secure storage device as a safe, lockbox, gun cabinet, or trigger lock that prevents the firearm from being operated.

This obligation falls on the dealer at the point of sale. A buyer purchasing a handgun from a Nevada FFL receives the storage device at no additional cost beyond the listed retail price.

The federal requirement applies only to handgun sales; long-gun sales are not subject to the federal storage-device-at-sale rule.

Private transfer storage device

Under Nevada's universal background check rule (NRS 202.2547), most private firearm transfers must be processed through a licensed dealer. The dealer applies the federal 18 U.S.C. Section 922(z) storage-device-at-sale rule for handguns. For long guns transferred privately through an FFL, no federal storage device is required.

Storage for CFP holders - best practices

A CFP holder typically chooses between:

1. On-body carry: the firearm is on the person when not in immediate use. This is the most common pattern.
2. In-vehicle storage: the firearm is in the vehicle in a quick-access compartment (glove box, center console) or in a vehicle-mounted lockbox. Nevada does not require a locked container in a vehicle; a quick-access lockbox is a best practice for theft prevention.
3. At-home storage: in a quick-access safe, gun cabinet, or lockable drawer. Many CFP holders use a biometric or combination quick-access safe in the bedroom for night-time defensive readiness.

For a household with children, the at-home safe must be child-resistant. Combination safes, biometric safes, and key-locked safes generally qualify. A firearm left loose in a nightstand drawer with children in the house exposes the owner to NRS 202.300 liability.

Vehicle break-ins and stolen firearms

Nevada saw a significant increase in vehicle break-ins targeting firearms in 2023-2024 (per LVMPD and Reno Police Department reports). Best practices to reduce risk:

• Do not leave firearms in unattended vehicles overnight or in parking lots. Take the firearm with you if practical.
• If the firearm must remain in the vehicle, use a vehicle-mounted lockbox (e.g., a bolt-attached steel box accessible only via key, combination, or biometric).
• Report stolen firearms to local police immediately. Nevada does not require firearm registration, but reporting a stolen firearm creates a record that protects the original owner if the firearm is later used in a crime.

Nevada does not have a statutory duty to report a stolen firearm. A few states (notably Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts) require reporting within a defined timeframe (often 24-72 hours). Nevada has no such statute.

Storage of firearms at a recreational shooting range

When at a public or club shooting range, firearms should be:

• Holstered when not in active use on the firing line;
• Cased when transporting between the parking lot and the firing line, in accordance with range rules;
• Unloaded with action open when on the firing line and not actively engaged in shooting (e.g., during cease-fires).

Range-specific rules supplement state law; violation of range rules is a contract violation between the shooter and the range operator, not a state-law offense.

Storage in commercial premises

A licensed firearms dealer (FFL) in Nevada must comply with federal storage requirements at the FFL premises under 27 C.F.R. Section 478.99. State law does not impose additional storage requirements on the FFL beyond those federal rules.

A person storing a firearm in a commercial storage unit (e.g., a Public Storage facility) should review the unit operator's policy. Most unit operators have policies addressing firearm storage; some prohibit it. State law does not regulate firearm storage in commercial storage units beyond the general rules above.

Storage during travel

When traveling, see TRANSPORT. The general rule: a firearm in transit through Nevada is subject to FOPA (18 U.S.C. Section 926A) requirements (unloaded, in a locked container, in a compartment separate from the driver/passenger area). For air travel, TSA rules at 49 C.F.R. Section 1540.111 apply (hard-sided locked container, unloaded, declared at check-in).

For a CFP holder traveling within Nevada, no locked-container requirement applies during the period of vehicle transit; the firearm may be loaded and accessible. However, when leaving the vehicle in a parking lot, the firearm should be secured to reduce theft risk.

Storage in firearm-prohibited locations

A CFP holder visiting a prohibited location (school grounds, posted government building, secured airport area) must secure the firearm outside the prohibited area. This typically means:

• Locking the firearm in the trunk or other compartment of the vehicle parked outside the prohibited area;
• Returning the firearm to the home before visiting the prohibited location;
• Using a long-term secure storage option (e.g., a vehicle lockbox in the parking lot, an off-site storage facility).

The CFP holder is responsible for ensuring the firearm is not in their possession or on their person when entering the prohibited area. Storage of the firearm in the parking lot is a common solution but creates theft exposure.

Federal storage rules - Form 4473 and ATF inspection

A federal firearms dealer maintains records of all firearm transfers (ATF Form 4473) and must retain those records for the life of the FFL plus 20 years after surrender. Dealers must also secure inventory firearms in a manner consistent with ATF compliance inspections (typically a safe, vault, or locked room with limited access).

A private firearm owner is not subject to ATF inspection of storage practices for personal use.

Key statutory references

• NRS 202.300 - Negligent storage of firearm accessible to minors.
• NRS 202.2547 - Universal background check (AB 291); private transfer through FFL.
• 18 U.S.C. Section 922(z) - Dealer's storage-device-at-sale requirement for handguns.
• 27 C.F.R. Section 478.99 - FFL premises storage requirements.
• 49 C.F.R. Section 1540.111 - TSA aircraft transport storage rules.
• 18 U.S.C. Section 926A - FOPA interstate transport storage rules.

See VEHICLE_CARRY for in-vehicle storage, TRANSPORT for travel storage, RED_FLAG for protective-order firearm relinquishment storage, and OTHER for negligent-storage-related civil liability.