Gun laws in Nevada

Location of Nevada in the United States

Gun laws in Nevada regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of Nevada in the United States.^[1][2]

Summary table

Concealed carry

Nevada is a "shall issue" state for concealed carry. The county sheriff shall issue a concealed firearms permit to applicants who qualify under state and federal law, who submit an application in accordance with the provisions of section NRS 202.3657.^[8][9] To apply for a Concealed Firearm Permit, a person must complete an approved course in firearm safety and demonstrate competence (qualify) with any handgun. Previously, a single permit applied to only those firearms the applicant qualified with. Under revised legislation, a single permit is valid for all handguns the person owns or may thereafter own.^[10][11] Holders of previous permit iterations are grandfathered per current law and are no longer constrained to their qualified firearms, nor qualified firearm action.

Note: The change in the law regarding competence with semi-automatic handguns is effective July 1, 2011 through Nevada Assembly Bill AB 282.^[12] This change is retroactive meaning that permits issued prior to July 1, 2011, that have specific semiautomatic firearms listed is the equivalent to having all semiautomatic firearms authorized.^[13]

States that honor a Nevada permit: Alaska, Arizona, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas*, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan*, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah (*Residential permits only).

As of 1 July 2012, other state permits that Nevada honors: Alaska, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Rhode Island, South Carolina, West Virginia.^[14] The law allows holders of valid permits from these states to carry a concealed weapon while in the State of Nevada. The valid permit along with current photo I.D. must be in the possession of the person at all times while carrying a concealed firearm.

On February 28, 2013, the Nevada Sheriffs’ and Chiefs' association voted unanimously to end the recognition of Arizona concealed weapon permits.

Effective June 23, 2015 Nevada once again recognizes Arizona concealed weapon permits. ^[15]

The concealed firearm permit cost differs depending on which county you apply in. The application must be turned in to the county in which the applicant resides. The permit is valid for five years.^[16]

Open carry

Nevada is a traditional open carry state with seemingly complete state preemption of firearms laws. However, several localities have passed and are enforcing "Deadly Weapons" laws which conflict with the preemption laws, and whose legality is therefore at issue. Effective Oct 1, 2007 is legislation that prohibits counties/cities/towns from enacting ordinances more restrictive than state law. The legislature reserves for itself the right to legislate firearms law.

Registration of firearms

Nevada state law does not require the registration of firearms. However, handgun owners in Clark County must register (at no charge) their concealable firearms (essentially any firearm with a barrel 12" or less) at a law enforcement agency within an incorporated city of Clark County (this registration is informally called the 'Blue Card'). The ordinance provides a period of at least 60 days of residency in the county before registration of such a firearm is required, and a period of at least 72 hours for the registration of a pistol by a resident of the county upon transfer of title to the pistol to the resident by purchase, gift or any other transfer.^[17]

Recent Update: Following the passage of SB 175, handgun registration (or registration of any kind), will no longer be required in Clark County or anywhere in the state of Nevada for handguns or longarms (which already did not require registration). Governor Brian Sandoval signed this bill into law on June 2, 2015.

Other laws

AB 217, allows residents of non-contiguous states to purchase long guns in Nevada. It also allows Nevada residents to purchase long guns in non-contiguous states. This legislation brings Nevada in line with the protections provided by the Firearms Owners Protection Act, which allows for the interstate sale of long guns by federally licensed firearms dealers.

AB 282 ensures that concealed firearm permit holders’ names and addresses remain confidential; revise Nevada state law to allow carrying of any semi-automatic pistol, as with revolvers, once qualified for a CCW permit with a semi-automatic pistol; allows carrying of firearms in Nevada state parks; and statutorily mandates a background investigation (which is currently being done by all Nevada sheriffs) for CCW permit renewals for the purpose of reinstating the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) exemption for Nevada, thus ensuring that permit holders do not have to go through a point-of-contact check for every firearm purchased, as long as the CCW permit is valid.

Assembly Bills 217 and 282 went into effect on July 1, 2011.

References