Nevada assault weapons laws generally allow eligible adults age 18 and older to buy and possess semiautomatic rifles, including ordinary AR-15-style rifles.
Nevada does not generally prohibit rifles merely because they are described as assault weapons. The phrase is used differently in different states.
However, separate laws restrict machine guns, bump stocks, certain firearm modifications, and possession by people who are legally barred from having guns.
Main Rules:
- Semiautomatic rifles: Are not considered machine guns, even with a pistol grip or detachable magazine.
- Age: At least 18 to purchase rifles or shotguns. At least 21 for handguns.
- Machine guns: Must be registered before May 19, 1986, plus in compliance with federal transfer and registration requirements.
- Bump stocks and conversion devices: Are prohibited under Nevada law even though there is no federal ban on them.
- Carrying and transportation: Open carry is generally legal subject to location restrictions. Concealed carry of handguns require a CCW permit. Loaded rifles and shotguns are generally prohibited in or on vehicles on public roads.
- Background checks: Most private firearm sales and transfers must go through a licensed dealer for a background check.
- Red flag orders: A court may order a person to surrender firearms and temporarily prohibit possession under Nevada’s high-risk protection-order law.1
In this article, our Las Vegas criminal defense attorneys address the following key issues regarding Nevada assault weapon laws.
- 1. Semiautomatic Rifles
- 2. Age and Background Checks
- 3. Machine Guns
- 4. Bump Stocks and Conversion Devices
- 5. Carrying and Transportation
- 6. Prohibited Owners and Protection Orders
- 7. Ammunition and Magazines
- 8. Penalties and Defenses
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Additional Reading
1. Semiautomatic Rifles
Semiautomatic firearms fire one round for each trigger function, then automatically load the next round.
An ordinary semiautomatic AR-15-style rifle is generally legal for an eligible person in Nevada. However, Nevada prohibits short-barreled rifles and shotguns.2
2. Age and Background Checks
Federal law generally allows licensed dealers to sell rifles and shotguns to eligible buyers age 18 or older. Handguns, standalone frames or receivers, and other firearms that are not rifles or shotguns generally require the buyer to be at least 21.
In 2025, Governor Joe Lombardo vetoed AB 245, which would have raised Nevada’s purchase age for certain guns.3
Under NRS 202.2547, most private transfers require the parties to use a licensed dealer for a background check. Exceptions under NRS 202.2548 include specified family transfers, certain transfers after an owner’s death, and qualifying temporary transfers. An informal sale between friends is not automatically exempt.4
3. Machine Guns
Machine guns fire, are designed to fire, or can readily be restored to fire more than one round automatically through a single trigger function, without manual reloading.
Federal law generally prohibits transferring or possessing machine guns, subject to limited exceptions. For ordinary civilian buyers, the main exception concerns transferable machine guns lawfully possessed and registered before May 19, 1986. You personally did not need to own the gun before that date.5
A typical tax-paid civilian transfer requires an approved ATF Form 4, registration to the new owner, and a $200 transfer tax. Individual applicants generally submit identifying information, fingerprints, and a photograph. Trusts and other entities have responsible-person requirements. Do not take possession before the required approval.6
Private owners generally also need advance ATF approval before moving a machine gun across state lines. However, federal approval does not override a destination state’s restrictions.7
4. Bump Stocks and Conversion Devices
Bump stocks remain prohibited in Nevada under NRS 202.274. The statute covers specified devices, parts, and modified semiautomatic firearms that eliminate a separate operator movement for each trigger function and materially increase the firing rate or approximate machine-gun action. It prohibits possession, receipt, transfer, manufacture, sale, and importation, with limited official-duty exceptions.
A violation is a category D felony, carrying one to four years in prison and a possible fine of up to $5,000.8
What about the U.S. Supreme Court?
In the 2024 case Garland v. Cargill, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the semiautomatic rifles equipped with bump stocks at issue did not meet the federal machine-gun definition. Therefore, the ATF stopped enforcing its federal bump stock rule. However, the decision did not invalidate Nevada’s separate ban.9
What about Glock switches and auto sears?
A device designed solely to convert a firearm into a machine gun can itself qualify as a machine gun under federal law, even when it is not installed. Glock switches and qualifying auto sears therefore remain subject to federal machine gun restrictions.
Do not assume an accessory is lawful because a website sells it or calls it a trigger upgrade. Its actual design and operation are what matter.10
5. Carrying and Transportation
Eligible adults generally may openly carry firearms in Nevada. Concealed carry of handguns on your person generally requires a current and valid permit issued in Nevada or that has reciprocity with Nevada.
Note that schools, child care facilities, and certain other locations have separate weapons restrictions and exceptions. Federal facilities such as courthouses and post offices are generally gun-free zones.11
Vehicle Carry
Under NRS 503.165, you generally may not carry a loaded rifle or shotgun in or on a vehicle standing or traveling on a public highway or another way open to the public. For this statute, a conventional rifle or shotgun is loaded when a live cartridge or shell is in the firing chamber. Ammunition only in the magazine does not make it loaded under this definition.
The statute has specified disability and official-duty exceptions. It does not impose this particular loaded-firearm restriction on handguns, though other handgun laws still apply.12
Before traveling out of Nevada, check the destination’s rules for your firearm and magazines. A rifle that is lawful here may be restricted elsewhere.
6. Prohibited Owners and Protection Orders
Certain people are prohibited in Nevada from possessing otherwise lawful firearms. Common examples include convicted felons, people with qualifying domestic violence convictions, or people subject to certain domestic violence restraining orders.13
How do Nevada’s red flag orders work?
If someone appears at high risk of self-harm or hurting others, Nevada’s red flag law permits police or certain family members to ask the court for a protection order preventing the high-risk person from having guns.
An emergency order may issue without advance notice and last a week. An extended order can last up to one year.14
If you are served, follow the surrender instructions and seek legal help promptly. Keep the order and proof of compliance so your attorney can evaluate the restrictions and prepare for any hearing.
7. Ammunition and Magazines
Nevada has no general magazine-capacity limit. A magazine holding more than 10 rounds does not, by itself, make an otherwise lawful rifle illegal. Separate hunting rules can limit firearm capacity for particular activities.
Federal law does not impose a blanket ban on an otherwise eligible person’s purchase or possession of armor-piercing ammunition. Meanwhile, Nevada separately prohibits manufacturing or selling certain handgun-capable metal-penetrating bullets under NRS 202.273, with an exception for qualifying law enforcement agreements. A violation is a gross misdemeanor.15
8. Penalties and Defenses
There is no general Nevada offense of possessing an ordinary assault-style rifle. The charge and punishment depend on the specific restriction allegedly violated.
| Alleged Firearm Offense | Potential Punishment in Nevada |
|---|---|
| Nevada bump-stock or covered modification violation – NRS 202.274 | Category D felony: 1 to 4 years in prison and a possible fine up to $5,000. |
| Knowing federal machine-gun possession or transfer violation – 18 U.S.C. § 922(o) | Up to 10 years in federal prison and generally up to $250,000 in fines. |
| Concealed firearm on your person without required authorization – NRS 202.350 | Category C felony: 1 to 5 years in prison and a possible fine up to $10,000. |
Additional charges may apply if the person is prohibited from possessing firearms or allegedly used the weapon in another crime.16
Fighting Gun Charges
With every Nevada criminal case, the prosecution must prove the elements of the charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt to win a conviction at trial. Depending on the evidence, potential defenses may include:
- Incorrect classification: The firearm or accessory does not meet the definition used by the charged statute.
- Lack of possession or knowledge: The defendant did not have control over the firearm and/or lacked the mental state required for that offense.
- A lawful exception or authorization: Transfer records, registration, permit records, or other documents show that the defendant abided by the law.17
- An unlawful search: Police obtained evidence in violation of your constitutional rights, potentially supporting a motion to suppress where the court excludes the evidence from trial.
Typical evidence in Nevada assault weapons cases includes laboratory reports, police body-camera footage, search paperwork, receipts, and ownership records.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are AR-15 rifles legal in Nevada?
Yes. Eligible people generally may own and purchase ordinary semiautomatic AR-15-style rifles in Nevada. A rifle can still be restricted because of its configuration, modifications, or the owner’s legal status.
If police seized your rifle, an attorney can compare the alleged violation with the firearm’s actual features. The label “assault weapon” does not establish a crime.
Do I have to be 21 to buy a semiautomatic rifle in Nevada?
Generally, no. Eligible buyers may ordinarily purchase rifles and shotguns from licensed dealers at age 18. Federal dealer-sale rules generally require age 21 for handguns and standalone receivers.
Check how the item is legally classified before assuming the rifle rule applies. An AR-style pistol or a receiver is not treated the same as a completed rifle for dealer-sale age requirements.
Are bump stocks legal in Nevada after the Supreme Court ruling?
No. Nevada’s separate bump stock prohibition remains in place. Garland v. Cargill rejected the federal machine gun classification of the bump-stock-equipped semiautomatic rifles at issue; it did not strike down Nevada’s law.
Can I legally own a machine gun in Nevada?
Some eligible civilians can own transferable machine guns that were lawfully possessed and registered before May 19, 1986. Federal transfer approval and registration requirements still apply, and a typical tax-paid transfer carries a $200 tax.
Keep the approved transfer and registration records. A receipt alone does not establish compliance with federal machine-gun requirements.
Can I keep a loaded AR-15 rifle in my car?
Generally, you cannot keep a loaded rifle in or on a vehicle on a public highway or another way open to the public. Under NRS 503.165, a conventional rifle is loaded when a live cartridge is in the firing chamber; ammunition only in the magazine does not meet that definition. Statutory exceptions apply.
Does a private rifle sale require a background check?
Most private firearm sales and transfers in Nevada must go through a licensed dealer for a background check. Specific exceptions include certain family transfers and qualifying temporary transfers.
Additional Reading
Read our Las Vegas criminal defense attorneys’ informational articles:
- Nevada gun laws
- Firearm background checks
- Nevada open carry laws
- Obtaining a concealed carry permit
- Carrying a concealed weapon without a permit
- Out-of-state guns and permit recognition
- Nevada red flag laws
- Silencers and suppressors
- Altering a firearm’s serial number
- Possessing a firearm while under the influence
- Weapons on school property
Legal References
- NRS Chapter 202; 18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(1), (o); NRS 503.165; NRS 33.500–33.670; Governor’s 2025 veto messages (AB 245, June 2, 2025).
- 26 U.S.C. § 5845(a), (b); NRS 202.274; NRS 202.275.
- 18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(1); ATF, Federal Firearms Licensee Quick Reference and Best Practices Guide; Governor’s 2025 veto messages (AB 245).
- NRS 202.2547; NRS 202.2548.
- 18 U.S.C. § 922(o); 27 C.F.R. § 479.105.
- 26 U.S.C. § 5811; 26 U.S.C. § 5812; ATF, Final Rule 41F; Removing CLEO Notification Under the National Firearms Act (proposed rule, May 6, 2026).
- 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(4); ATF Form 5320.20.
- NRS 202.274; NRS 193.130(2)(d).
- Garland v. Cargill (2024) 602 U.S. 406 (holding the bump-stock-equipped semiautomatic rifles at issue were not machine guns under the federal statutory definition).
- 26 U.S.C. § 5845(b); 18 U.S.C. § 922(o); ATF, Richmond Man Sentenced for Possession and Sale of Machinegun Conversion Devices.
- NRS 202.350; NRS 202.3653–202.3657; NRS 202.3688; NRS 202.265; NRS 202.3673; NRS 202.320; 18 U.S.C. § 930.
- NRS 503.165.
- NRS 202.360; 18 U.S.C. § 922(g).
- NRS 33.560–33.600.
- 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(17); 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(7)–(8); NRS 202.273; NRS 503.150.
- NRS 193.130; NRS 202.274; NRS 202.350; 18 U.S.C. § 924(a)(2); 18 U.S.C. § 3571(b)(3), (d) (general individual felony fine and alternative gain-or-loss-based fine).
- Staples v. United States (1994) 511 U.S. 600 (in the National Firearms Act prosecution at issue, the government had to prove the defendant knew the characteristics that made the gun a regulated firearm; that is different from proving the defendant knew the law.); U.S. Constitution, Amendment IV.
