Nevada regulates specific firearm types and accessories more strictly than the general carry framework. Key restrictions include the ban on unfinished...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
Nevada regulates specific firearm types and accessories more strictly than the general carry framework. Key restrictions include the ban on unfinished frames and receivers ("ghost guns") under NRS 202.3625 (AB 286, 2021), the bump stock prohibition under AB 291 (2019), the 18-21 age restriction on long-gun purchases under federal law (which Nevada has not modified), and the universal background check for private transfers under NRS 202.2544-202.2549 (SB 143, 2019). Nevada does not have an assault weapon ban or magazine-capacity limit at the state level.
A CFP holder remains subject to all weapon-type restrictions regardless of CFP status.
AB 286 (2021) added NRS 202.3625, banning the manufacture, sale, possession, and transfer of unfinished frames and receivers ("80% lowers" or "ghost gun" components) and related items. The statute prohibits:
"Unfinished frame or receiver" is defined as a frame or receiver that requires further machining or finishing to become a functional firearm. The statute's intent is to prevent the manufacture of untraceable firearms.
Exceptions include:
Penalty (NRS 202.3625(2)):
The federal ATF rule 2021R-05F (effective August 2022) substantially overlaps with NRS 202.3625, requiring serialization and background checks for the same categories of items at the federal level. Nevada residents purchasing 80%-style components must comply with both rules.
AB 291 (2019) banned bump stocks and similar rate-of-fire enhancement devices. The statute prohibits:
The Nevada bump-stock ban followed the 2017 Las Vegas Route 91 Harvest mass shooting, which used bump-stock-equipped firearms. Federal ATF rule banning bump stocks (the 2018 final rule, codified at 27 C.F.R. Section 478.11) was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in Garland v. Cargill, 602 U.S. ___ (2024), but the Nevada statutory ban remains in effect and is unaffected by Cargill (the federal challenge addressed only the federal regulatory interpretation, not state criminal law).
Penalty: gross misdemeanor first offense; Category C felony for subsequent offenses.
SB 143 (2019) enacted "The Background Check Act," codified at NRS 202.2544-202.2549 (with NRS 202.2547 as the operative requirement), requiring background checks on most private firearm transfers. Signed February 15, 2019; effective January 2, 2020. A person who transfers a firearm in Nevada must process the transfer through a licensed firearms dealer (FFL) for a background check. Exceptions (NRS 202.2548) include:
Penalty (NRS 202.2549):
The dealer typically charges a transfer fee of $15-50 for processing a private transfer.
Nevada does not have a statewide assault-weapon ban. AR-15-pattern rifles, AK-pattern rifles, and other semi-automatic rifles defined as "assault weapons" in California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and other restrictive states are legal in Nevada subject to federal limits:
Nevada does not have a statewide magazine-capacity limit. Magazines holding any number of rounds (10, 20, 30, 50, 75, 100) are legal to manufacture, sell, possess, transfer, and use in Nevada. The federal Assault Weapons Ban (which expired in 2004) had imposed a 10-round limit; that expired and Nevada has not enacted a parallel state limit.
A magazine that is legal in Nevada may be illegal when carried into California, New York, Massachusetts, or other states with magazine-capacity restrictions. See TRANSPORT for interstate considerations.
Nevada follows the federal National Firearms Act (NFA) framework for:
See NFA_ITEMS for the detailed framework.
A firearm manufactured before 1899 (or a replica meeting the federal antique standard at 18 U.S.C. Section 921(a)(16)) is generally exempt from Nevada's universal background check requirement and from the NFA framework. The federal Gun Control Act felon-in-possession bar still applies, however; an antique-classified firearm is still a "firearm" for federal prohibited-persons purposes.
NRS 202.310 prohibits the sale, transfer, or gift of a firearm to a person under 18 years of age, with exceptions for:
Federal 18 U.S.C. Section 922(x) prohibits a handgun transfer to a person under 18 except in similar narrow exceptions (parent permission, hunting, target practice with adult supervision, employment, farm/ranch work).
Nevada has enacted several provisions related to suicide prevention:
NRS 202.350(1)(a) prohibits possession of an explosive or incendiary device. NRS 202.350(1)(b) prohibits possession of a machine gun, "Other Weapons" (sawed-off shotguns or other unregistered AOWs), and silencers - except in compliance with the federal NFA registration framework. NRS 202.350(1)(c) prohibits switchblade knives, sandclubs, billies, blackjacks, dirks, daggers, slingshots, etc., except in compliance with state and federal law.
A firearm registered under federal NFA is lawful in Nevada for the registered owner.
A non-resident bringing a firearm into Nevada (e.g., a traveler from California carrying a magazine over 10 rounds, which is legal in Nevada but illegal in California) faces the return-trip problem: the magazine is legal in Nevada but the carrier may be charged on re-entry to California. Plan transit carefully.
For travelers from other restrictive states, the items legal in Nevada but illegal at the origin/destination include:
A Nevada-resident CFP holder may freely possess any of the above in Nevada. The federal FOPA (18 U.S.C. Section 926A) provides transit protection only when the firearm is lawful at both origin and destination.
See NFA_ITEMS for NFA items in detail, RED_FLAG for emergency protective orders that affect firearm possession, and OTHER for civil liability for misuse.
This page covers one part of our Nevada concealed carry guide.
Read the complete Nevada guideBrowse local instructors offering state-approved training in your area. Book online, complete your training, and get one step closer to your concealed carry permit.