What to Know About Buying Guns in Nevada

Before you purchase a firearm while living in Nevada, you should familiarize yourself with the applicable laws that govern gun ownership and the process of buying firearms. Violating these laws and regulations can lead to severe criminal liability, which could lead to a lengthy prison term and fines in the event of a conviction. Here’s what you need to know about your obligations under applicable state and federal firearms laws.

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Eligibility Criteria for Purchasing a Firearm in Nevada

Nevada gun purchase laws impose various eligibility criteria for someone who wishes to purchase a firearm in the state. A person seeking to buy a firearm in Nevada must be at least 18 years old (21 to purchase a handgun), present a valid photo ID issued by the state of Nevada, and pass a background check. Background checks for firearm purchases will determine whether a person has a disqualification from purchasing a firearm. Some of the most common grounds for disqualification include:

  • Having a felony conviction
  • Having a domestic violence conviction (including both misdemeanor and felony offenses)
  • Being a fugitive from justice
  • Having a restraining order taken out against them
  • Having been dishonorably discharged from the military
  • Having a drug addiction or habitually using drugs (including marijuana)
  • Having been adjudicated as mentally incompetent
  • Having been involuntarily committed to a mental institution
  • Unlawfully being in the U.S.
  • Being a non-immigrant visa holder
  • Having renounced one’s U.S. citizenship

The process of buying a firearm in Nevada involves several steps. First, purchasers must determine whether they meet the eligibility criteria for buying a firearm in Nevada. Next, a purchaser must decide whether to purchase a firearm from a licensed firearm dealer or a private party. Purchases from licensed gun dealers can occur online or in person at the dealer’s store. Purchases from private parties must occur on the premises of a licensed firearms dealer.

Firearm Safety

When purchasing from a licensed firearm dealer, the purchaser must complete ATF Form 4473. The dealer will also conduct a NICS background check; the background check will cost the purchaser approximately $25 and will take several minutes to complete. However, dealers do not have to run background checks for certain purchasers, including:

  • Valid concealed carry weapons permitholders
  • Licensed gun dealers
  • Police officers or security officers buying weapons for official duties
  • Buyers of antique (pre-1899) firearms
  • Executors, administrators, or representatives of the deceased gun owner’s estate
  • Buyers purchasing from a relative, including parents, children, spouses/domestic partners, siblings, grandparents, or grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews

When the background check returns as “approved,” the purchaser may lawfully purchase the firearm. If the check comes back as “denied,” the purchaser may not buy the firearm. When a check comes back “delayed,” the purchaser will have to wait up to three days to obtain an “approved” or “denied” response.

Carrying Firearms in Nevada: Open Carry, Concealed Carry, and Reciprocity

Nevada gun owners may carry their firearms in an “open carry” or “concealed carry” manner. Open carry means a firearm remains visible to other people, including carried in a holster at the hip. Concealed carry means a person has concealed the firearm from view, including under clothing or in a bag. Nevada permits gun owners to open carry their firearms. However, if gun owners wish to conceal carry, they must obtain a CFP/CCW permit from the police department.

Concealed carry of a firearm without a valid CCW permit constitutes a felony offense in Nevada that can impose a penalty of one to five years in prison and a potential fine of up to $10,000. However, even with a CCW permit, state or federal laws prohibit concealed carry of firearms in various locations, such as law enforcement facilities, jails/prisons, courthouses, public airports, and any public building with signs prohibiting firearms. Furthermore, state law prohibits carrying a firearm, whether open or concealed, while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Nevada also grants reciprocity to valid CCW permits issued by various states, including:

  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • Florida
  • Idaho (Enhanced Permit)
  • Illinois
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi (Enhanced Permit)
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • New Mexico
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota (Class 1 only)
  • Ohio
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota (Enhanced Permit)
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming

This reciprocity allows a resident of one of these states who has a valid CCW permit to conceal carry while in Nevada. However, a person may not rely on a CCW permit from another state if they become a resident of Nevada.

Regulations and Considerations When Owning a Firearm in Nevada

Nevada gun owners should also familiarize themselves with other state regulations governing firearms ownership. First, the law prohibits ownership of certain types of firearms except with federal authorization, such as machine guns, short-barreled rifles and shotguns, or silencers. The law also prohibits possessing a firearm with a missing, altered, or obliterated serial number. State law also requires gun owners to have secure storage to prevent access to firearms when living with children under 18 or when a child likely will have access to the firearm.

Nevada has an extreme risk that allows law enforcement officers or family/household members to petition a court to issue a temporary order authorizing the seizure of a person’s firearms and prohibiting that person from purchasing or possessing firearms; courts can issue these orders if they find the person poses an extreme risk to themselves or others. Finally, state law prohibits people from discharging firearms in public or pointing a firearm at another person, whether loaded or not.

Contact Our Firearms Offense Attorneys Today

If you’ve been charged with violating Nevada gun ownership laws, you need experienced legal counsel to help you understand your rights and options. Contact De Castroverde Law Group today for a confidential consultation with a weapons charges attorney to learn how our firm will fight to protect your reputation, freedom, and future from the harshest consequences of an arrest or conviction.