State Gun Laws

Possibly. Both federal law and Nebraska state law prohibit certain persons from having and buying guns.

Nebraska state law says that it is illegal for anyone to possess a firearm who:

• has been convicted of a felony,
• is on probation pursuant to a deferred judgment for a felony;
• is a fugitive from justice (any person fleeing to avoid prosecution),
• has been convicted within the past seven years of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; or
• is the subject of a current domestic violence protection order, harassment protection order, or sexual assault protection order and is knowingly violating such order.¹

Also, in order to get a concealed weapons permit in Nebraska, the applicant must meet all the following requirements:

• be at least twenty-one years of age;
• not be prohibited from purchasing or possessing a handgun according to federal law 18 USC § 922, which includes the prohibition against a respondent in a protection order case from possessing a firearm;
• meet certain vision (eyesight) requirements;
• not have been convicted of a felony under the laws of Nebraska or any other state;
• within the past 10 years, not have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of violence under the laws of Nebraska or any other state;
• within the past 10 years, not have been found to be a “mentally ill and dangerous person” under the Nebraska Mental Health Commitment Act or a similar law in another state;
• not be currently adjudged mentally incompetent by a court;
• be a resident of this state for at least the past one hundred eighty days;
• within the past 10 years, not have had a conviction of any Nebraska law relating to firearms, unlawful use of a weapon, or controlled substances (drugs) or of any similar laws of another state;
• not be on parole, probation, house arrest, or work release; and
• provide proof of firearm training.²

In addition, if you have a protection order against the abuser, or if the abuser has been convicted of a felony or of a domestic violence misdemeanor, then federal law states that it is illegal for your abuser him/her to buy or have a gun in his/her possession.³Note: There are certain requirements that your protection order must meet for it to qualify under federal law. See I have a protection order against my abuser. Can s/he keep a gun or buy a new gun? to read more about what those requirements are. If you are not sure if the abuser has been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor, see What crimes are considered domestic violence misdemeanors? To read the definition of a felony, see What is the definition of a felony?

¹ NE ST § 28-1206(1)(a), (1)(b)
² NE ST § 69-2433
³ 18 USC § 922(g)(8), (g)(9)