How to Buy a Gun in Nevada: Requirements & Process Explained

How to Buy a Gun in Nevada: A Step-by-Step Guide

According to SCLG, purchasing a firearm in Nevada involves three main steps: verifying eligibility, visiting a licensed dealer, and completing the necessary paperwork [1].

Step 1: Verify Your Eligibility
Not everyone is eligible to buy firearms in Nevada. The following individuals are disqualified from purchasing guns:

• Convicted felons
• Individuals convicted of domestic violence
• Those charged with crimes carrying over one year in prison
• Fugitives
• Subjects of restraining orders for stalking, harassment, or threats
• Veterans dishonorably discharged
• Drug addicts or users, including marijuana users
• Individuals involuntarily committed to a mental institution
• Persons adjudicated as mental defectives
• Illegal aliens
• Non-immigrant visa holders
• Individuals who have renounced U.S. citizenship

Step 2: Visit a Licensed Gun Dealer

People can purchase guns from a licensed gun dealer. This sale may be done online or in person at the store. If this is a private sale, the parties must meet at a licensed gun dealer.

Step 3: Complete ATF Form 4473
Buyers must fill out ATF Form 4473, after which the dealer will conduct a NICS background check. This typically costs $25 and takes a few minutes.

For private sales, while there is no background check fee, dealers may charge for the service. If the background check is approved, the buyer can proceed with the purchase. If denied, the purchase is prohibited. If delayed, the buyer will receive a final decision within three days.

Firearm Eligibility Requirements in Nevada

Federal law sets a national baseline for who can legally acquire and possess firearms, prohibiting those with felony convictions, certain domestic violence misdemeanors, or specific court orders related to domestic violence or serious mental conditions.

However, federal regulations have notable gaps, allowing some individuals with significant risk factors for violence or self-harm to legally obtain guns.

In addition to federal restrictions, Nevada law further prohibits firearm possession for individuals who [2]:

• Have been convicted of a felony in Nevada, another state, or under federal law.
• Have been convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence crime, as defined by federal law, in Nevada or any other state.
• Have been convicted of stalking under Nevada law or similar laws in other states.
• Are currently subject to an extended order for protection against domestic violence in Nevada or a similar order in another state.
• Are fugitives from justice.
• Are unlawful users of or addicted to controlled substances.
• Are otherwise prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms.
• Have been adjudicated mentally ill or committed to a mental health facility by a court in Nevada, another state, or the United States.
• Have entered a plea of guilty but mentally ill in a court in Nevada, another state, or the United States.
• Have been found guilty but mentally ill by a court in Nevada, another state, or the United States.
• Have been acquitted by reason of insanity in a court in Nevada, another state, or the United States.
• Are illegally or unlawfully present in the United States.

Ammunition Laws in Nevada

In Nevada, all types of firearm ammunition are legal with the exception of metal-penetrating bullets, which are prohibited from manufacture or sale [3].

Federal law also restricts the production, importation, sale, or delivery of armor-piercing ammunition, defined as:

• Any projectile or core usable in a handgun made entirely or partially from materials like tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium.
• A full-jacketed projectile larger than .22 caliber designed for handgun use, with a jacket weight exceeding 25% of the projectile’s total weight.

In general, any ammunition made by Winchester, Remington, Federal Premium, Hornaday, Nosler, CCI, and Speer Ammunition are lawful. Note there is no limit to the amount of ammunition a person can buy in Nevada

Open Carry Laws in Nevada

Open carry is legal throughout Nevada, and the state legislature prohibits cities and counties from enacting their own firearm regulations. Any local laws restricting weapon carrying are invalid if they conflict with state law.

No municipality can enforce regulations stricter than those established by the state (refer to NRS 244.364 for counties, NRS 268.418 for cities, NRS 269.222 for towns, and NRS 407.0475(c) for state parks).

State-Prohibited Places for Open Carry
While open carry is generally allowed, certain locations are exceptions:

• Public or private school properties, Nevada System of Higher Education campuses, and child care facilities, unless written permission is obtained from the college president, school principal, or head of the child care facility. This restriction includes firearms in cars, even if they are locked in a safe (NRS 202.265).
• Private in-home child care facilities, unless carried by the homeowner(s) or residents (NRS 202.265).
• Secure areas of airports, such as employee-only zones or beyond TSA checkpoints.
• The legislative building or any location where the legislature is conducting business (NRS 218A.905).
• Library facilities with rules prohibiting firearms or open carry (refer to Flores v. LVCCLD for case-specific information).

Understanding these restrictions ensures compliance with Nevada’s open carry laws while respecting designated firearm-free zones.

Related Articles:

• Colorado Gun Registration
• Open Carry in California
• Nevada Felon: Can You Own a Crossbow?

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References:
1. https://www.shouselaw.com/nv/blog/gun-laws/how-to-buy-a-gun-in-nevada-3-steps/
2. https://giffords.org/lawcenter/state-laws/firearm-prohibitions-in-nevada/