Last Updated: Tuesday, March 31, 2026

Nebraska Gun Laws

STATE CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION - Nebraska Constitution art. 1, sec. 1.

“All persons ... have certain ... rights, among these are ... the right to keep and bear arms for security or defense of self, family, home, and others, and for lawful common defense, hunting, recreational use, and all other lawful purposes, and such rights shall not be denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof.”

Gun Laws Overview

	RIFLES & SHOTGUNS	HANDGUNS
Permit to Purchase	No	Yes
Registration of Firearms	No	No
Licensing of Owners	No	Yes*
Permit to Carry	No	No*
Nebraska is a constitutional carry state allowing permitless carry of firearms for individuals legally allowed to possess a firearm. Nebraska permits to carry are available for purposes of concealed carry in other states that offer permit reciprocity. The list and map below are included as a tool to assist you in validating your information. We have made every effort to report the information correctly, however reciprocity and recognition agreements are subject to frequent change. The information is not intended as legal advice or a restatement of law and does not include: restrictions that may be placed on non-resident permits, individuals under the age of 21, qualifying permit classes, and/or any other factor which may limit reciprocity and/or recognition. For any particular situation, a licensed local attorney must be consulted for an accurate interpretation. YOU MUST ABIDE WITH ALL LAWS: STATE, FEDERAL AND LOCAL..

	STATE STATUS
Castle Doctrine	No Law
Right to Carry Confidentiality	Provisions Enacted
Right To Carry Laws	Shall Issue
Right To Carry Reciprocity and Recognition	Conditional Recognition

Concealed Carry Reciprocity

Laws on Purchase, Possession and Carrying of Firearms

Hardware Bans & Equipment Restrictions

Nebraska has no laws regulating semi-automatic firearms or so-called "assault weapons," "large capacity magazines," "ghost guns," bump stocks, or similar items. Machine guns are legal as long as possessed under applicable federal statutes.

Ammunition

Nebraska does not generally regulate or restrict the sale, purchase, or possession of ammunition.

Licensing/Permitting & Possession/Acquisition of Firearms

A handgun purchase permit (HPP) or a concealed carry permit is required for the purchase of a handgun in Nebraska.
Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 69-2403, 69-2409, 69-2410.

To obtain a HPP, an applicant must apply to the local chief of police or sheriff. The permit application will be granted if the applicant is at least age 21 and is not prohibited from purchasing or possessing a handgun under federal or state law.

A HPP authorizes the holder to acquire any number of handguns during the period that the certificate is valid for three years.

A HPP is not required if: The person acquiring the handgun is a licensed firearms dealer; The handgun is an antique; The person acquiring the handgun is authorized to do so on behalf of a law enforcement agency; The transfer is temporary and the transferee remains within In the line of sight of the transferor Within the premises of an established shooting facility; or The transfer is between a person and his or her spouse, sibling, parent, child, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or grandparent.

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Registration

The state of Nebraska does not require the registration of firearms.

Right to Carry

Nebraska is a permitless carry state allowing a person, other than a minor or a prohibited person, to carry a concealed handgun anywhere in Nebraska, with or without a permit under the Concealed Handgun Permit Act.

Open carry of a handgun without a permit is permissible subject to local restrictions.

Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 28-1202.01

Nebraska State Patrol offers concealed carry permits for reciprocity purposes to carry in states that require concealed carry permits and offer reciprocity to Nebraska’s permit. The minimum age to obtain a Nebraska Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) is 21 years old. Applicants must also complete a firearms training course.

Nebraska’s concealed carry permit may also be used to purchase a firearm from a federally licensed gun dealer without a point-of-sale background check.

Nebraska does not issue permits to non-residents

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 69-2430(3)

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Prohibited Places

In Nebraska, the following places are prohibited for carrying a concealed handgun under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-1202.01(3):

Police, sheriff, or Nebraska State Patrol stations or offices
Detention facilities, prisons, or jails
Courthouses or buildings containing a courtroom
Polling places during bona fide elections
Meetings of the governing body of a county, public school district, municipality, or other political subdivision
Meetings of the Legislature or a committee of the Legislature
Financial institutions
Professional or semiprofessional athletic events
Schools (public or private, vocational or secondary, community college, or university)
Places of worship
Hospitals, emergency rooms, or trauma centers
Political rallies or fundraisers
Establishments with a license issued under the Nebraska Liquor Control Act that derive over one-half of their total income from the sale of alcoholic liquor
Places where the possession or carrying of a firearm is prohibited by state or federal law
Any other place or premises where handguns are prohibited by state law

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Firearm Preemption

The regulation of the ownership, possession, storage, transportation, sale, and transfer of firearms and other weapons is a matter of statewide concern and notwithstanding the provisions of any home rule charter, counties, cities, and villages shall not have the power to: Regulate the ownership, possession, storage, transportation, sale, or transfer of firearms or other weapons, except as expressly provided by state law; or Require registration of firearms or other weapons.
Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 18-1703

Private Transfers

Private transferees must obtain either a handgun purchase permit or a concealed handgun permit and are therefore subject to a background check. Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 69-2403, 69-2404, 69-2431.

A transferee is not required to obtain a handgun purchase permit if:

The transferee is a licensed firearms dealer under federal law;
The handgun is an antique;
The transferee is authorized to do so on behalf of a law enforcement agency;
The transfer is temporary and the transferee remains: (i) in the line of sight of the transferor; or (ii) within the premises of an established shooting facility; or
The transfer is between a person and his or her spouse, sibling, parent, child, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or grandparent;
The transferee is a peace officer; or
The transferee is a holder of a valid Concealed Handgun Permit holder