Nevada Gun Laws as to Automatic Weapons

Nevada gun law does not prohibit possessing machine guns (automatic weapons). However, federal law prohibits the possession of machine guns unless they were lawfully possessed and registered prior to May 19, 1986.

In order to lawfully transfer a legally-owed machine gun in Nevada, you must obtain a permit from ATF (the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives). This typically requires a $200 excise tax.

In order to transfer a machine gun between states, the ATF has to give approval.¹ Also, some states such as California ban machine guns completely.²

In this article I answer frequently-asked-questions about Nevada automatic weapons laws. Also listen to our informative podcast on the topic:

What is the penalty for unlawfully having a machine gun?

The illegal possession of a machine gun is a federal felony. The sentence is:

• Up to 10 years in federal prison, and/or
• A fine of up to $250,000.³

It does not matter if you are an otherwise lawful and careful firearms owner.

What qualifies as machine guns?

Federal law describes a machine gun as:

[A]ny weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The term shall also include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun, and any combination of parts from which a machine gun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.⁴

Machine guns release more than one bullet with one trigger pull.

Are semi-automatic guns legal in Nevada?

Yes, semi-automatic firearms are legal in Nevada. Note that bump stocks – which essentially convert semi-automatic weapons into automatic firearms – are no longer illegal under federal law. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the bump stock ban on June 14, 2024.⁵

A federal bump stock ban had been implemented in reaction to the October 1, 2017 Las Vegas shooting by Stephen Paddock. The gunman shot from the Mandalay Bay on the Las Vegas Strip. This mass shooting killed 60 concertgoers.⁶

Also note that Nevada has no laws concerning high-capacity magazines.⁷

Who is prohibited from having machine guns?

Nevada state law forbids the following people from carrying, possessing, or owning any type of firearm in the state of Nevada:

1. People convicted of domestic violence (even as a misdemeanor) in the U.S.
2. People convicted of stalking a family member or current or former intimate partner in the U.S.
3. Convicted felons in the U.S. unless the person received a pardon restoring the right to bear arms.
4. People subject to an extended protection against domestic violence, and the order prohibits them from possessing firearms.
5. Fugitives.
6. Drug addicts or unlawful users of controlled substances.
7. People prohibited by federal law from having a gun (this includes anyone dishonorably discharged from the armed forces as well as anyone who renounced their American citizenship).
8. People adjudicated as mentally ill or committed to a mental health facility by a court in the U.S.
9. People who pleaded guilty but mentally ill in the U.S.
10. People found guilty but mentally ill in the U.S.
11. People acquitted of a crime by reason of insanity in the U.S.
12. Undocumented aliens.

The prohibited possession of a firearm is a felony carrying up to six years in Nevada State Prison.⁸

Additional Resources

For more information, refer to the following:

• Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence – A nonprofit advocating for stricter gun laws.
• Gun Control Act of 1968 – A federal law regulating firearm sales and ownership.
• 1994 Assault Weapons Ban – A federal law prohibiting certain semi-automatic firearms.
• National Rifle Association – A lobbying group promoting gun rights.
• Gun Owners for Responsible Ownership – An advocacy group supporting balanced gun regulations.
• Nevada Attorney General – The state’s top legal officer overseeing law enforcement.

See also our related articles on concealed firearms/concealed weapons, assault weapons, background checks, open carry state laws, obtaining a conceal carry permit for handguns (“shall issue”), short-barreled long guns and shot guns, and silencers.

Legal References