1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a child under the age of 18 years shall not handle or have in his or her possession or under his or her control, except while accompanied by or under the immediate charge of his or her parent or guardian or an adult person authorized by his or her parent or guardian to have control or custody of the child, any firearm of any kind for hunting or target practice or for other purposes. A child who violates this subsection commits a delinquent act and the court may order the detention of the child in the same manner as if the child had committed an act that would have been a felony if committed by an adult.

2. A person who aids or knowingly permits a child to violate subsection 1:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b), for the first offense, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(b) For a first offense, if the person knows or has reason to know that there is a substantial risk that the child will use the firearm to commit a violent act, is guilty of a category C felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130.

(c) For a second or any subsequent offense, is guilty of a category B felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for a minimum term of not less than 1 year and a maximum term of not more than 6 years, and may be further punished by a fine of not more than $5,000.

3. A person does not aid or knowingly permit a child to violate subsection 1 if:

(a) The firearm was stored in a securely locked container or at a location which a reasonable person would have believed to be secure;

(b) The child obtained the firearm as a result of an unlawful entry by any person in or upon the premises where the firearm was stored;

(c) The injury or death resulted from an accident which was incident to target shooting, sport shooting or hunting; or

(d) The child gained possession of the firearm from a member of the military or a law enforcement officer, while the member or officer was performing his or her official duties.

4. The provisions of subsection 1 do not apply to a child who is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States.

5. Unless a greater penalty is provided by law, a person is guilty of a misdemeanor who:

(a) Negligently stores or leaves a firearm at a location under his or her control; and

(b) Knows or has reason to know that there is a substantial risk that a child prohibited from handling or having in his or her possession or under his or her control any firearm pursuant to this section may obtain such a firearm.

6. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 9, a child who is 14 years of age or older, who has in his or her possession a valid license to hunt, may handle or have in his or her possession or under his or her control, without being accompanied by his or her parent or guardian or an adult person authorized by his or her parent or guardian to have control or custody of the child:

(a) A rifle or shotgun that is not a fully automatic firearm, if the child is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing the rifle or shotgun and the child has the permission of his or her parent or guardian to handle or have in his or her possession or under his or her control the rifle or shotgun; or

(b) A firearm capable of being concealed upon the person, if the child has the written permission of his or her parent or guardian to handle or have in his or her possession or under his or her control such a firearm and the child is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such a firearm,

and the child is traveling to the area in which the child will be hunting or returning from that area and the firearm is not loaded, or the child is hunting pursuant to that license.

7. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 9, a child who is 14 years of age or older may handle or have in his or her possession or under his or her control a rifle or shotgun that is not a fully automatic firearm if the child is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing the rifle or shotgun, without being accompanied by his or her parent or guardian or an adult person authorized by his or her parent or guardian to have control or custody of the child, if the child has the permission of his or her parent or guardian to handle or have in his or her possession or under his or her control the rifle or shotgun and the child is:

(a) Attending a course of instruction in the responsibilities of hunters or a course of instruction in the safe use of firearms;

(b) Practicing the use of a firearm at an established firing range or at any other area where the discharge of a firearm is permitted;

(c) Participating in a lawfully organized competition or performance involving the use of a firearm;

(d) Within an area in which the discharge of firearms has not been prohibited by local ordinance or regulation and the child is engaging in a lawful hunting activity in accordance with chapter 502 of NRS for which a license is not required;

(e) Traveling to or from any activity described in paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d), and the firearm is not loaded;

(f) On real property that is under the control of an adult, and the child has the permission of that adult to possess the firearm on the real property; or

(g) At his or her residence.

8. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 9, a child who is 14 years of age or older may handle or have in his or her possession or under his or her control, for the purpose of engaging in any of the activities listed in paragraphs (a) to (g), inclusive, of subsection 7, a firearm capable of being concealed upon the person, without being accompanied by his or her parent or guardian or an adult person authorized by his or her parent or guardian to have control or custody of the child, if the child:

(a) Has the written permission of his or her parent or guardian to handle or have in his or her possession or under his or her control such a firearm for the purpose of engaging in such an activity; and

(b) Is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing such a firearm.

9. A child shall not handle or have in his or her possession or under his or her control a loaded firearm if the child is:

(a) An occupant of a motor vehicle;

(b) Within any residence, including his or her residence, or any building other than a facility licensed for target practice, unless possession of the firearm is necessary for the immediate defense of the child or another person; or

(c) Within an area designated by a county or municipal ordinance as a populated area for the purpose of prohibiting the discharge of weapons, unless the child is within a facility licensed for target practice.

10. For the purposes of this section, a firearm is loaded if:

(a) There is a cartridge in the chamber of the firearm;

(b) There is a cartridge in the cylinder of the firearm, if the firearm is a revolver; or

(c) There is a cartridge in the magazine and the magazine is in the firearm or there is a cartridge in the chamber, if the firearm is a semiautomatic firearm.

[1911 C&P § 345; RL § 6610; NCL § 10293] — (NRS A 1963, 3; 1991, 1154; 1995, 1152; 1997, 516, 1181; 2019, 4180)