Are nunchucks legal or illegal in Nevada?

Posted on March 8, 2023

In Nevada, it is generally legal to possess nunchucks unless (a) you intend to inflict harm on someone else or (b) you take them on school property. Illegally possessing or using “nunchaku” (which is how Nevada law refers to “nunchucks”) is treated as a gross misdemeanor.

The penalty is:

• up to 364 days in jail, and/or
• up to $2,000 in fines¹

What is the legal definition of nunchaku?

Nunchucks are a weapon consisting of two sticks (usually wood) which are attached at one end by a chain or rope that is short in length. It originates from Okinawan martial arts. There have been popularized by Bruce Lee movies.

You typically hold onto one of the sticks and quickly whip your adversary with the other. Being hit by nunchucks can cause serious harm and possibly fatal injuries.

Other names for nunchaku include:

• chainsticks,
• chuka sticks,
• karate sticks, or
• nunchuks²

Are nunchaku legal in Nevada?

It is perfectly legal in Nevada to possess or even to use nunchucks as long as you have no intention of harming anyone else. (As discussed below, nunchucks are always prohibited at school.)

However, NRS 202.350 makes nunchuck possession a crime if you intend to inflict harm.

Example: Kurt keeps a set of nunchaku in his closet in his Las Vegas home. Once a week he does a solo workout where he practices maneuvering them. Since Kurt is not using the weapon to hurt anyone, Kurt’s actions are lawful in Nevada.

If Kurt in the above example was angry at his neighbor and took the nunchucks with him next door with the intention of hurting the neighbor with them, then Kurt could be prosecuted. It makes no difference if the neighbor never ends up getting hurt. All that matters is Kurt’s intention in possessing the weapon.

A first conviction of unlawfully possessing or using nunchucks is a gross misdemeanor. The punishment is:

• up to 364 days in jail, and/or
• up to $2,000 in fines

A second or subsequent conviction is a category D felony. The punishment is:

• one to four (1 – 4) years in Nevada State Prison, and
• up to $5,000 in fines (at the judge’s discretion)²

Can I bring nunchaku on school or child care grounds?

No. NRS 202.265 completely outlaws nunchucks from school/child care property, including:

• the Nevada System of Higher Education,
• private schools,
• public schools,
• child care facilities,
• in a vehicle of a private or public school or child care facility

It is irrelevant if no one is misusing the nunchucks or if no one gets hurt by them. Nevada law imposes a total prohibition on school grounds.

Possessing nunchucks on school property is a gross misdemeanor. The penalty is:

• up to 364 days in jail, and/or
• up to $2,000 in fines³

Nunchucks as “dangerous weapons”

NRS 393.410 makes it illegal to do either of the following with a “dangerous weapon” (which includes nunchucks):

• commit any nuisance in any public schoolhouse;
• loiter on or near the school grounds; or
• purposely and maliciously commit any trespass upon the grounds attached to a public schoolhouse, or any fixtures placed thereon, or any enclosure or sidewalk near the school

Violating this law is a gross misdemeanor. The penalty is:

• up to 364 days in jail, and/or
• up to $2,000 in fines

Finally, Nevada law makes it a “public offense” for someone to possess a “dangerous weapon” (which includes nunchucks) while

“willfully and maliciously injuring, marking, or defacing any public schoolhouse, its fixtures, books, or appurtenances.”

The value of the property damage determines what you will be charged with:

If the property damage totals less than $250, defacing the school is a misdemeanor. The punishment is:

• up to six (6) months in jail, and/or
• up to $1,000 in fines

If the property damage totals $250 to less than $5,000, defacing the school is a gross misdemeanor. The punishment is:

• up to 364 days in jail, and/or
• up to $2,000 in fines

If the property damage totals $5,000 or higher, defacing the school is a category C felony. The punishment is:

• one to five (1 – 5) years in prison, and
• up to $10,000 in fines (at the judge’s discretion)⁴

If a pupil brings nunchucks to school, they must be expelled for one year. If the pupil does it again, then the expulsion must be permanent.⁵

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Legal References