How do Nevada gun laws apply to out-of-state visitors?

Nevada gun laws apply to both in-state and out-of-state residents. Penalties for violating these laws can be very serious, so it is important you familiarize yourself with the rules before bringing in any guns.

Open Carry Laws

You are permitted to “open-carry” firearms, with certain limitations, whether you are an in-state or out-of-state resident.

Open carry means the gun is “discernible by ordinary observation.” This can include:

• a holstered handgun on a belt
• a rifle sling
• “Virginia Tuck,” which is using an “inside the waistband holster” where the pistol butt is visible
• “Mexican Carry,” which is tucking the gun in the waistband without a holster

In contrast, it is not open carry to cover a gun with a jacket or other clothing.

Conceal Carry Laws

Since Nevada is not a ‘Constitutional Carry’ state, you may not carry a concealed firearm without a current and valid CCW permit. Therefore if you are a non-Nevada resident, you can carry a concealed weapon if you have a CCW from a reciprocal state or from Nevada.

Currently, Nevada’s 29 reciprocal states for concealed carry of handguns are:

Carrying concealed firearms without a concealed carry permit (NRS 202.350) is a category C felony with a penalty of:

• 1 – 5 years in Nevada State Prison, and
• Up to $10,000.²

If you move to Nevada, you must obtain a Nevada state permit within 60 days in order to continue carrying concealed. You should apply at your local county sheriff’s office once you get your Nevada driver’s license. (New Las Vegas residents would apply with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.)³

Note that you must always have your CCW and state-issued ID with you if you are carrying concealed. You must also present them to a police officer if they request it; otherwise, you have no duty to inform police you are carrying if they do not ask.

Therefore, currently Nevada does not have CCW reciprocity with these 20 states:

1. Alabama
2. California
3. Colorado
4. Connecticut
5. Delaware
6. Georgia
7. Hawaii
8. Indiana
9. Iowa
10. Maine
11. Maryland
12. Missouri
13. New Hampshire
14. New Jersey
15. New York
16. Oregon
17. Pennsylvania
18. Rhode Island
19. Vermont
20. Washington

CCW permits from these states are not recognized in Nevada.

Where Guns Are Prohibited in Nevada

The open carry of firearms is largely allowed under Nevada state law. However, the following locations are off-limits to long guns, revolvers, and pistols:

• Federal facilities
• Post offices
• Military bases (with a few exceptions)
• VA facilities
• Legislative buildings
• Planes and airports beyond the secure areas (if you are transporting guns, they must be unloaded, cased, and locked)
• Nevada System of Higher Education property (without written permission)
• Public and charter schools (without written permission)
• Childcare facilities (without written permission)
• Any federal or state facility with “no firearms” signs posted and with metal detectors at the entrances
• Hoover Dam⁴

It does not matter whether the guns are visible or concealed.

Who Cannot Have Guns in Nevada

Whether you live in Nevada or not, you are barred from possessing or owning firearms in Nevada if:

• You are a fugitive;
• You are a convicted felon;
• You have been convicted of domestic violence;
• You are addicted to controlled substances;
• You are a convicted stalker;
• You are an adverse party in a domestic violence restraining order;
• You have been adjudicated mentally ill or have been committed; or
• You are an illegal alien.⁵

Being an ex-felon, fugitive, or drug addict in “possession of a firearm” is a category B felony. The sentence is:

• 1 – 6 years in prison, and
• Up to $5,000.

The maximum prison sentence is reduced to four years if you are:

• Mentally ill or
• An undocumented alien.⁶

Background Checks to Buy a Gun

You must pass a background check to buy a gun. It does not matter whether it is a:

• Commercial sale or
• Private gun sale.

However, if you have a current and valid CCW permit, you should be able to skip the background check.⁷

Gun Laws for Juveniles

In general, minors under 18 may not carry guns in Nevada. There are certain exceptions where minors may have guns for hunting purposes.

Learn more about Nevada juvenile carry laws.⁸

Carrying While Under the Influence

It is a Nevada misdemeanor to possess a gun while impaired by drugs or alcohol or if you have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher. Therefore, it is best to keep your guns at home if you intend to drink while out at a restaurant, bar, or elsewhere.

Misdemeanors carry up to six months in jail and/or up to $1,000 in fines.⁹

Assault Weapons in Nevada

I get a lot of questions about assault weapons, but Nevada law actually makes no mention of them.

However, federal law prohibits machine gun possession. The only exception is if it was lawfully obtained and registered before May 19, 1986.

Unlawful possession of a machine gun is a felony. The penalty is:

• Up to 10 years in federal prison, and/or
• Up to $250,000.

Bump stocks are now also illegal in Nevada. This ban was prompted by the Mandalay Bay Harvest Festival shooting on October 1, 2017.¹⁰