The sections requiring rifle and shotgun permits and certificates and prohibiting the possession or disposition of assault weapons shall not apply as follows:
a. Minors. Any person under the age of twenty-one years may carry, fire, or use any rifle or shotgun in the actual presence or under the direct supervision of any person who is a holder of a rifle or shotgun permit, or for the purpose of military drill under the auspices of a legally recognized organization and under competent supervision or for the purpose of competition or target practice in and upon a firing range approved by the police commissioner or any other governmental agency authorized to provide such approval, or the national rifle association, which is under competent supervision at the time of such competition or target practice, provided that the rifle or shotgun is otherwise properly registered or exempt from registration by virtue of some other provision of this chapter. This exemption shall not apply to assault weapons.
b. Antiques and ornaments. The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to antique rifles and shotguns which are incapable of being fired or discharged or which do not fire fixed ammunition, or those weapons manufactured prior to eighteen hundred ninety-four and those weapons whose design was patented and whose commercial manufacture commenced prior to eighteen hundred ninety-four and whose manufacture continued after eighteen hundred ninety-four without any substantial alteration in design or function, and for which cartridge ammunition is not commercially available and are possessed as curiosities or ornaments or for their historical significance and value. This exemption shall not apply to assault weapons.
c. Persons in the military service in the state of New York, when duly authorized by regulations issued by the chief of staff to the governor to possess the same, and police officers, provided that such police officers shall not be exempt from the sections prohibiting the possession or disposition of assault weapons except during the performance of their duties as police officers, and other peace officers as defined in section 2.10 of the criminal procedure law, provided that such peace officers (1) are authorized pursuant to law or regulation of the state or city of New York to possess either (a) a firearm within the city of New York without a license or permit therefor, or (b) a rifle, shotgun or assault weapon within the city of New York without a permit therefor; and (2) are authorized by their employer to possess such rifle, shotgun or assault weapon; and (3) shall not possess such rifle, shotgun or assault weapon except during the performance of their duties as peace officers.
d. Persons in the military or other service of the United States, in pursuit of official duty or when duly authorized by federal law, regulation or order to possess the same.
e. Persons employed in fulfilling defense contracts with the government of the United States or agencies thereof when possession of the same is necessary for manufacture, transport, installation and testing under the requirements of such contract. Any such person exempted by subdivisions c, d and e above, may purchase a rifle or shotgun only from a licensed dealer, and must submit to the dealer full and clear proof of identification, including shield number, serial number, military or governmental order or authorization, and military or other official identification. Any dealer who disposes of a rifle or shotgun to any exempt person without securing such identification shall be in violation of these sections.
f. A person may voluntarily surrender a rifle, shotgun or assault weapon to the police commissioner, provided, that the same shall be surrendered by such person only after he or she gives notice in writing to the police commissioner, stating such person's name, address, the type of gun to be surrendered, and the approximate time of day and the place where such surrender shall take place and such time of day and place have been approved in writing by the police commissioner. Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed as granting immunity from prosecution for any crime or offense except that of unlawful possession of such rifle, shotgun or assault weapon.
g. The regular and ordinary transport of rifles, shotguns or assault weapons as merchandise provided that the person transporting such rifles, shotguns or assault weapons where he or she knows or has reasonable means of ascertaining what such person is transporting, notifies, in writing, the police commissioner of the name and address of the consignee and the place of delivery, and withholds delivery to the consignee for such reasonable period of time designated in writing by the police commissioner as the police commissioner may deem necessary for investigation as to whether the consignee may lawfully receive and possess such rifles, shotguns or assault weapons.
h. Possession by retail customers for the purpose of firing at duly licensed rifle target concessions at amusement parks, piers, and similar locations provided that the rifles to be so used by firmly chained or affixed to the counter and that the individual rifles are registered by the proprietor and that the proprietor is in possession of a rifle and shotgun permit. This exemption shall not apply to assault weapons.
i. (1) Non-residents in transit. Any other provision of this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding, a non-resident of the city of New York who, without a rifle and shotgun permit issued hereunder, enters the city of New York possessing a rifle or shotgun in the course of transit to a destination outside the city of New York, or a non-resident of the city of New York who enters the city of New York possessing an assault weapon in the course of transit to a destination outside the city of New York, shall have a period of twenty-four hours subsequent to such entering to be exempt from penalty under this chapter for the unlawful possession of a rifle, shotgun or assault weapon, provided that such rifle, shotgun or assault weapon shall at all times be unloaded and in a locked case, or locked automobile trunk, and that said non-resident is lawfully in possession of said rifle, shotgun or assault weapon according to the laws of his or her place of residence.
(2) Non-residents purchasing a rifle or shotgun from a licensed dealer. Any other provision of this chapter notwithstanding, a non-resident of the city of New York may purchase a rifle or shotgun from a licensed dealer provided that he or she presents the dealer with documentary evidence of his or her identity and place of residence, and the rifle or shotgun purchased is either personally delivered to the purchaser or transmitted by the dealer directly to the purchaser's residence. In the event the purchaser is traveling from the city by rail, ship or plane, the dealer is hereby authorized to deliver such rifle or shotgun at the appropriate terminal to a representative of the railroad, airline or shipping company, for placement aboard such train, plane or ship. If the rifle or shotgun is personally delivered to the non-resident purchaser within the city of New York, the purchaser shall have the rifle or shotgun removed from the city no later than twenty-four hours after the time of purchase. This exemption shall not apply to assault weapons.
j. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to be a prohibition of the conduct of business by manufacturers, wholesale dealers, interstate shippers, or any other individuals or firms properly licensed by the federal government, where such prohibition would be preempted by federal law.
k. Special theatrical permit. Nothing herein contained is intended to prevent the possession or utilization of any rifle, shotgun or assault weapon during the course of any television, movie, stage or other similar theatrical production, or by a professional photographer in the pursuance of his or her profession, provided however, that the rifle or shotgun so used shall be properly registered and a special theatrical permit shall have been issued for the rifle, shotgun or assault weapon pursuant to rules established by the commissioner.
l. Persons in possession of, using or transporting rifles which have been issued by the director of civilian marksmanship of the department of the army, pursuant to the provisions of 10 U.S.C. §§ 4307-4309, unto a civilian rifle club, or unto a rifle team representing an educational institution, provided that such persons are members in good standing of an accredited civilian rifle club, or are connected as students or coaches with such educational institution, shall not be required to obtain a certificate of registration for such rifle. This exemption shall not apply to assault weapons.
m. Any resident of the city of New York acquiring a rifle or shotgun outside the city of New York shall within seventy-two hours after bringing such weapon into the city make application for a rifle and shotgun permit, if such person does not already possess such permit, and for a certificate of registration. Pending the issuance of such permit and/or certificate of registration such resident shall deposit such weapon with a designated officer, at the police precinct in which such person resides, who shall issue a receipt therefor and said weapon shall be retained at the precinct until the resident shall produce the proper permit and registration certificate. This exemption shall not apply to assault weapons.
n. The provisions of section 10-303 of this chapter shall not apply to persons who are members of units of war veterans organizations, which organizations are duly recognized by the veterans administration, pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 3402, and who are specifically designated to carry rifles or shotguns by the commanders of said units, while actually participating in, going to or returning from, special events authorized by the commissioner. Said rifles or shotguns, to be carried, must be the property of the unit of the war veterans organization, must be registered with the police commissioner pursuant to section 10-304 of this chapter and must be kept at the unit's headquarters or some central place as registered.
o. Nothing herein shall exempt a member of a unit of a war veterans organization from possessing a permit issued pursuant to section 10-303, to carry rifles or shotguns which are not the property of a war veterans organization; nor shall that member be exempt from registering such rifles or shotguns, pursuant to section 10-304, which said member may personally own, possess or purchase.
p. Any gunsmith licensed pursuant to section 10-302 may engage in the business of gunsmith as authorized by such license.
q. Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter prohibiting the possession or disposition of assault weapons, a special theatrical dealer may possess such weapons exclusively for the purpose of leasing such weapons to special theatrical permittees within the city and for theatrical purposes outside the city and may, in addition, with the written approval of the commissioner, permanently remove one or more assault weapons from the city.
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 1991/078.