State by State Chart of NFA Restrictions
The data contained within this page is copyrighted by James Bardwell and
is reproduced here with permission.
Quoting James Bardwell:
Here is my attempt to list what state allows what in
terms of NFA weapons. The "Y" indicates state law allows private individuals to
own the weapon in question. Most of the "Y" states require the weapons be
possessed in compliance with federal law to be legal under state law. Some of the
"N" states may allow only police officers to possess them, or dealers, or
neither. Basically if the privileged class was so narrow, by statute, I said
"N". In many states the class of folks able to own NFA weapons is narrow by
practice (California), or because no law enforcement officers will sign the certification
needed for a transfer to an individual.
Some of the "N" states may also have grandfathered weapons, the
"N" applies to a current transaction. Some "N" states may also allow
unserviceable weapons. Some states may regulate one or more of these weapons as handguns.
| State |
Machine
Guns |
Sound
Suppressor |
Short
Rifle |
Short
Shotgun |
AOW |
Large Bore
DD |
Explosive
DD |
Comments |
| AK* |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
| AL |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
Y |
Y |
? |
|
| AR |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
? |
(state registration of pistol cal. MG's over .30) |
| AZ* |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
| CA* |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
(requires discretionary and rarely issued permit for mg, lbdd or expdd
from state Dept. of Justice; no AOW pen guns; C&R sg, sr only) |
| CO |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
(requires state explosives permit for expdd) |
| CT |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
? |
(no select fire mg's-full auto's only, after 1993 assault weapon ban,
state registration of mg's) |
| DE |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
N |
(no smooth bore pistol AOW's) |
| FL |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
| GA |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
(no incendiary expdd's) |
| HI* |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
|
| IA |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
(only si, sr, sg, lbdd and expdd designated as collector's items by the
Comm'r of Public Safety - they use the ATF C&R list) |
| State |
Machine
Guns |
Sound
Suppressor |
Short
Rifle |
Short
Shotgun |
AOW |
Large Bore
DD |
Explosive
DD |
Comments |
| ID* |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
| IL |
N |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
? |
N |
|
| IN |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
N |
|
| KS |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
N |
DEWAT machine guns are OK. |
| KY |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
? |
|
| LA |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
(mg's require a permit to purchase - war relics only; mg's, sr, si, sg
and some expdd's require a permit to purchase) |
| MA |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
(license for mg's required; 1998 law bans covert firearms (AOW's), short
shotguns) |
| MD |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
(mg's must be registered) |
| ME |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
| MI |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
(no incendiary expdd; C&R sr, sg only) |
| MN |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
? |
(C&R mg, sg only, registration required) |
| MO |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
(C&R mg, sr, sg only to non-FFL holders; FFL holders (including
C&R) any mg, sr, sg) |
| State |
Machine
Guns |
Sound
Suppressor |
Short
Rifle |
Short
Shotgun |
AOW |
Large Bore
DD |
Explosive
DD |
Comments |
| MS |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
(as of 7/1/00, silencers are legal, but must be registered with the
state) |
| MT* |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
(state law banning silencers and requiring pistol cal. mg's over .30 be
registered with state repealed 4/23/99) |
| NE |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
|
| NC |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
(sheriff's permit required for mg's; must be FFL holder (including
C&R) for mg, si, sr, sg lbdd and expdd, or fall into another exception,
see comments below) |
| ND |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
(fed. "licensees" required to register all NFA weapons with
state when possessed for "protection or sale") |
| NH |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
| NJ |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
N |
(mg requires discretionary and rarely issued permit from state court) |
| NM |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
| NV* |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
| NY |
N |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
Y |
N |
(AOW smooth bore handguns are allowed, on a state pistol license) |
| OH |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
| OK |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
| State |
Machine
Guns |
Sound
Suppressor |
Short
Rifle |
Short
Shotgun |
AOW |
Large Bore
DD |
Explosive
DD |
Comments |
| OR* |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
(no incendiary expdd's) |
| PA |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
|
| RI |
N |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
Y |
? |
|
| SC |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
? |
In 2001, S.C. law was changed to permit all Federally registered items. |
| SD |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
| TN |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
? |
|
| TX |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
| UT |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
| VA |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
(state registration of all mg's) |
| VT |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
| WA* |
N |
Y |
N |
N |
Y |
Y |
N |
(silencer may not be used on a gun) |
| WI |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
(permit required for expdd, no incendiary expdd's; no pistol caliber mg's
w/o permit) |
| State |
Machine
Guns |
Sound
Suppressor |
Short
Rifle |
Short
Shotgun |
AOW |
Large Bore
DD |
Explosive
DD |
Comments |
| WV |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
? |
|
| WY |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
? |
|
* = This state is part of the Ninth Circuit. See top of page regarding "home made" machine gun ruling.
|
