Ohio allows NFA-registered firearms - suppressors, short-barreled rifles (SBRs), short-barreled shotguns (SBSs), machine guns, any-other-weapons...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
Ohio allows NFA-registered firearms - suppressors, short-barreled rifles (SBRs), short-barreled shotguns (SBSs), machine guns, any-other-weapons (AOWs), and destructive devices - when properly registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) under the federal National Firearms Act. Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.17(A) makes it an offense to "knowingly acquire, have, carry, or use any dangerous ordnance," and Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.11(K) sweeps automatic firearms, sawed-off firearms, suppressors, explosive devices, and military-pattern weapons into the "dangerous ordnance" category. But § 2923.17(C)(5) writes the federal-registration carve-out directly into the statute: the prohibition does not apply to "owners of dangerous ordnance registered in the national firearms registration and transfer record pursuant to the act of October 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1229, 26 U.S.C. 5841, and any amendments or additions thereto or reenactments thereof, and regulations issued thereunder." Federal P.L. 119-21 (signed July 4, 2025) eliminated the $200 transfer tax and making tax for suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs effective for calendar quarters beginning more than 90 days after enactment; machine guns and destructive devices remain at the historical $200 rate.
Bottom line for Ohio residents: if your NFA item is registered in your name (or a qualifying trust or entity) on an ATF Form 1 or Form 4, and you are a person allowed to possess it under federal law, you are not committing an Ohio crime by owning it. Ohio does not run its own NFA registry, does not impose a state-level NFA tax, and does not require a separate state permit beyond proper federal registration. If federal compliance is missing or has lapsed, every day of possession is a fifth-degree felony in Ohio under Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.17(D), and a separate federal felony under the federal NFA's possession-of-unregistered-firearm offense (26 U.S.C. § 5861(d)).
Section 2923.17 of the Ohio Revised Code is titled "Unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance." Subsection (A) provides: "No person shall knowingly acquire, have, carry, or use any dangerous ordnance." Subsection (B) separately prohibits the manufacturing or processing of explosives without a license, certificate of registration, or permit from a fire official or the office of the fire marshal. The mental state for the (A) offense is "knowingly" - the prosecution must prove the defendant was aware that the item in question was dangerous ordnance.
The reach of § 2923.17(A) is fixed by the definition of "dangerous ordnance" in Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.11(K). That definition pulls in six categories: (1) any automatic firearm, sawed-off firearm, zip-gun, or ballistic knife; (2) any explosive device or incendiary device; (3) high explosives, blasting agents, and military-grade explosive substances; (4) any firearm, rocket launcher, mortar, artillery piece, grenade, mine, bomb, torpedo, or similar weapon "designed and manufactured for military purposes," and the ammunition for that weapon; (5) any firearm muffler or suppressor; and (6) any combination of parts intended by the owner for use in converting a firearm or other device into a dangerous ordnance.
A § 2923.17(A) violation - unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance - is a fifth-degree felony under § 2923.17(D), punishable under Ohio Rev. Code § 2929.14 by a definite prison term of six to twelve months and a fine up to $2,500. A § 2923.17(B) violation - illegally manufacturing or processing explosives - is a second-degree felony under § 2923.17(E). Where dangerous ordnance is used in the commission of another felony, the underlying offense's grading and any firearm specification controls; the dangerous-ordnance possession charge is layered on top of, not consumed by, that prosecution.
Ohio defines the regulated items in Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.11. The definitions are technical and do not always line up cleanly with federal NFA categories:
What § 2923.11(L) takes back out of "dangerous ordnance" matters as much as what (K) sweeps in. Section 2923.11(L)(2) excludes "any pistol, rifle, or shotgun, designed or suitable for sporting purposes, including a military weapon as issued or as modified, and the ammunition for that weapon, unless the firearm is an automatic or sawed-off firearm." That carve-out keeps ordinary semi-automatic rifles, shotguns, and pistols - including AR-15s, AK-pattern rifles, and modern pistol-caliber carbines - outside the dangerous-ordnance definition entirely. Section 2923.11(L)(7) excludes ATF-approved pistol-grip firearms over twenty-six inches that ATF has determined are not NFA-regulated. The remaining (L) carve-outs cover obsolete-ignition and black-powder firearms, pre-1887 cannons used with black powder, smokeless and black powder for small-arms use, inoperable trophy/curio/museum pieces, and devices excepted from the federal destructive-device definition at 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(4).
What § 2923.17 does not cover by category is just as important. AOWs under 26 U.S.C. § 5845(e) - pen guns, smooth-bore handguns, cane guns, certain disguised firearms - are not separately defined in Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.11. An AOW with an approved Form 4 reaches Ohio law only if its specific configuration independently meets the Ohio "dangerous ordnance" definition (for example, an AOW that is also a sawed-off firearm or that is reached by § 2923.11(K)(4) as a weapon "designed and manufactured for military purposes"). If it does, the § 2923.17(C)(5) NFRTR carve-out applies on the same terms as for any other dangerous ordnance.
Because § 2923.17(C)(5) writes the federal-registration carve-out into the statute, the route to lawful possession is straightforward:
If those three conditions are met, the § 2923.17(A) prohibition does not reach the item - the NFRTR-registration carve-out at § 2923.17(C)(5) is satisfied by its own terms. If any one of them is missing, the prohibition snaps back into effect: the item is contraband under Ohio law and possession is a fifth-degree felony in addition to the federal NFA's possession-of-unregistered-firearm offense at 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d).
Other § 2923.17(C) exceptions are narrower. Section 2923.17(C)(1) covers officers, agents, and employees of state or federal government, members of the armed forces or organized militia, and law enforcement officers acting within the scope of their duties. Section 2923.17(C)(7) covers holders of a § 2923.18 license or temporary permit issued by the state for specified purposes. Section 2923.17(C)(8), added in 2014, exempts "persons who own a dangerous ordnance that is a firearm muffler or suppressor attached to a gun that is authorized to be used for hunting" under Ohio Rev. Code § 1533.16 and who are authorized to use that ordnance under § 1533.04 - Ohio's hunting-suppressor authorization. The § 2923.17(C)(8) exemption sits on top of the § 2923.17(C)(5) NFRTR carve-out, not in place of it; the suppressor must still be NFA-registered to be lawful federally.
Suppressors remain NFA-regulated weapons. They are registered to a specific person, trust, or entity, require an ATF Form 4 transfer, and go through a federal background check that includes fingerprints and passport-style photographs. Federal control comes from 26 U.S.C. § 5845(a)(7), which makes any silencer (as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 921) a "firearm" for NFA purposes.
In Ohio, a firearm muffler or suppressor is "dangerous ordnance" by direct listing at Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.11(K)(5). Possession is therefore a § 2923.17(A) offense unless one of the § 2923.17(C) exceptions applies. The principal exception for civilian owners is § 2923.17(C)(5) - NFRTR registration. With an approved Form 4 in your name (or your trust or entity), the suppressor falls within the carve-out and is not an Ohio-law contraband item. The § 2923.17(C)(8) hunting-suppressor exception, added in 2014, separately confirms that a suppressor attached to a hunting firearm authorized under Ohio Rev. Code § 1533.16 by a hunter authorized under Ohio Rev. Code § 1533.04 is outside the prohibition; that exemption assumes the suppressor is NFA-registered and adds an additional layer of state authorization for the specific hunting use.
What changed at the federal level: under P.L. 119-21 (the budget reconciliation law signed July 4, 2025), the federal making and transfer tax for NFA firearms that are not machine guns or destructive devices was set to $0 effective for calendar quarters beginning more than 90 days after enactment. Suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs now move on a $0 tax stamp. Machine guns and destructive devices remain at the historical $200 rate. P.L. 119-21 did not change the registration requirement, the background check, the fingerprinting, the photograph, or the responsible-person paperwork for trusts. Confirm the current tax treatment with your dealer at the time of transfer.
Machine guns - what Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.11(E) calls "automatic firearms" and § 2923.11(K)(1) sweeps into "dangerous ordnance" - sit at the intersection of state prohibition and an additional federal limit. Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(o), civilians cannot lawfully possess a machine gun manufactured after May 19, 1986. The federal registry was closed to new civilian transferable machine guns on that date. Machine guns lawfully registered before May 19, 1986 may continue to be possessed and may be transferred to other qualified civilians, subject to ATF approval on a Form 4.
Applying this framework to Ohio:
Machine guns continue to carry the NFA's $200 transfer tax under 26 U.S.C. § 5811(a)(1) and the $200 making tax under 26 U.S.C. § 5821(a)(1); the P.L. 119-21 $0 tax does not apply to them.
Both SBRs and SBSs fall within the Ohio "sawed-off firearm" definition at Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.11(F) and are therefore "dangerous ordnance" under § 2923.11(K)(1), reached by § 2923.17(A) absent federal NFA compliance. The Ohio thresholds - rifle barrel under sixteen inches, shotgun barrel under eighteen inches, or any rifle or shotgun under twenty-six inches overall length - track 26 U.S.C. § 5845(a)(1)-(4) on the rifle and shotgun side. Both § 2923.11(F) and § 2923.11(L)(7) preserve the same exception for ATF-approved pistol-grip firearms over twenty-six inches overall that ATF has determined are not NFA-regulated under 26 U.S.C. § 5845(a).
To possess an SBR or SBS in Ohio, you need:
Ohio does not impose a separate state-issued SBR or SBS permit, does not require additional state paperwork, and does not require a record of transaction beyond the federal Form 1 or Form 4. Keep the approved Form with the firearm. If you build an SBR or SBS yourself on a Form 1, federal engraving requirements at 27 C.F.R. Part 479 apply; have a qualified gunsmith or engraver complete the maker, city, and state markings before you take possession of the assembled item.
"Any other weapon" under 26 U.S.C. § 5845(e) - pen guns, smooth-bore handguns, cane guns, certain disguised firearms - is registered on a Form 4. Under P.L. 119-21 the AOW transfer tax is $0 (down from the historical $5). Ohio does not name AOWs as a category in Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.11. An AOW reaches Ohio law only when its configuration independently meets the Ohio "dangerous ordnance" definition - for example, an AOW that is also a sawed-off firearm under § 2923.11(F) or that is a weapon "designed and manufactured for military purposes" under § 2923.11(K)(4). Where it does, the § 2923.17(C)(5) NFRTR carve-out controls.
Destructive devices under 26 U.S.C. § 5845(f) split into two branches. The explosive-device branch (bombs, grenades, mines, rockets above the charge threshold, similar devices) overlaps directly with the Ohio "explosive device" definition at § 2923.11(H) and the "weapon, designed and manufactured for military purposes" reach of § 2923.11(K)(4). NFA-registered explosive destructive devices on an approved Form 4 are within the § 2923.17(C)(5) carve-out. The large-bore branch (bore diameters over half an inch, with sporting exceptions) is reached on the federal side by NFA registration and the federal possession-of-unregistered-firearm offense at 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d), and on the Ohio side by § 2923.11(K)(4) where the weapon is military-pattern. Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.11(L)(6) excludes from "dangerous ordnance" any device expressly excepted from the federal destructive-device definition at 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(4) - items such as antique firearms and devices not designed as weapons. Destructive devices continue to carry the $200 transfer and making tax under 26 U.S.C. § 5811(a)(1) and § 5821(a)(1); P.L. 119-21 left both rates in place.
| Offense | Statute | Classification | Maximum prison | Maximum fine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unlawful possession of dangerous ordnance | Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.17(A), § 2923.17(D) | Fifth-degree felony | 12 months | $2,500 |
| Illegally manufacturing or processing explosives | Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.17(B), § 2923.17(E) | Second-degree felony | 8 years | $15,000 |
| Federal possession of any unregistered NFA firearm | 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d) | Federal felony | 10 years | $250,000 |
| Possess machine gun manufactured after May 19, 1986 (civilian) | 18 U.S.C. § 922(o) | Federal felony | 10 years | $250,000 |
State and federal charges are separate sovereigns. A single act of unlawful NFA possession in Ohio can produce both a state § 2923.17 prosecution and a federal § 5861(d) prosecution.
If you are an Ohio resident buying an NFA item from an Ohio FFL or Class III dealer:
Ohio has no state-issued NFA tax stamp, no state NFA permit (other than the unrelated explosive-manufacturing licensing under § 2923.18 referenced by § 2923.17(C)(7)), and no state NFA registry beyond what federal law already requires.
NFA gun trusts are legal in Ohio and widely used: they offer shared access for co-trustees, simplified inheritance, and a single entity that can hold multiple NFA items over time. Since the 41F rule, every "responsible person" listed on the trust must complete fingerprints, photographs, and the CLEO notification. Ohio does not impose state-specific trust formalities for NFA ownership, although Ohio trust law generally governs the trust instrument itself.
Federal rules in 27 C.F.R. Part 479 govern out-of-state movement of NFA items. Machine guns, SBRs, SBSs, and destructive devices require advance ATF approval (Form 5320.20) before interstate transport. Suppressors and AOWs generally do not require Form 5320.20 approval, although you should still verify the destination state's law because some states prohibit suppressors regardless of federal registration. Within Ohio, an NFA-compliant owner may transport a registered suppressor, SBS, SBR, machine gun, or AOW under the same Ohio carry rules that apply to any other firearm.
The operative state authority for NFA items in Ohio is Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.17, with the federal-registration carve-out written into § 2923.17(C)(5) itself and the hunting-suppressor exception at § 2923.17(C)(8). Related state authorities are Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.11 (definitions of "automatic firearm" at (E), "sawed-off firearm" at (F), "explosive device" at (H), "dangerous ordnance" at (K), and the carve-outs at (L)), Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.18 (state license or temporary permit), Ohio Rev. Code §§ 1533.04 and 1533.16 (hunting-suppressor authorization), and Ohio Rev. Code § 2929.14 (felony prison terms). The federal authorities that control NFA registration are the federal National Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. § 5801 et seq.), including the transfer tax (26 U.S.C. § 5811), the making tax (26 U.S.C. § 5821), the NFA registration record (26 U.S.C. § 5841), the NFA definitions including the machine-gun definition (26 U.S.C. § 5845(b)), the AOW definition (26 U.S.C. § 5845(e)), and the destructive-device definition (26 U.S.C. § 5845(f)), and the prohibition on possession of unregistered NFA firearms (26 U.S.C. § 5861(d)). The federal silencer reference is 18 U.S.C. § 921. The federal machine-gun cutoff is 18 U.S.C. § 922(o). Implementing regulations are at 27 C.F.R. Part 479. The 2025 federal tax change is in P.L. 119-21.
<!-- federal-context-block:added-2026-05-20 -->Bump stocks - Garland v. Cargill (2024). In Garland v. Cargill, 602 U.S. ___ (2024), the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal regulation classifying bump stocks as machineguns under the National Firearms Act. As a matter of FEDERAL law, bump stocks are no longer NFA-regulated. State law may still independently restrict bump stocks; consult your state's RESTRICTIONS section for any state-level bump-stock prohibition.
P.L. 119-21 NFA tax (2026). Effective January 1, 2026, P.L. 119-21 (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025) reduced the federal NFA making and transfer tax to $0 for silencers, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs. Machine guns and destructive devices retain the $200 tax. The federal registration requirements (Form 1 / Form 4, fingerprints, photographs, CLEO notice) remain unchanged.
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