Definitions. Whenever used in this chapter the following terms shall mean and include:
1. "Firearm."
(a) Any pistol or revolver;
(b) a shotgun having one or more barrels less than eighteen inches in length; or
(c) a rifle having one or more barrels less than sixteen inches in length; or
(d) any weapon made from a shotgun or rifle whether by alteration, modification, or otherwise if such weapon as altered, modified, or otherwise has an overall length of less than twenty-six inches. For the purpose of this subdivision the length of the barrel on a shotgun or rifle shall be determined by measuring the distance between the muzzle and the face of the bolt, breech, or breechlock when closed and when the shotgun or rifle is cocked; the overall length of a weapon made from a shotgun or rifle is the distance between the extreme ends of the weapon measured along a line parallel to the center line of the bore. Firearm does not include an antique firearm. The provisions of this chapter relating to firearms shall not apply to assault weapons except as specifically provided.
2. "Rifle." A weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder, and, even if not designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder, is not a firearm as defined in subdivision one of this section, and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed metallic cartridge to fire only a single projectile through a rifled bore for each pull of the trigger. The provisions of this chapter relating to rifles shall not apply to assault weapons except as specifically provided.
3. "Shotgun." A weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder, and, even if not designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder, is not a firearm as defined in subdivision one of this section, and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell, to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger. The provisions of this chapter relating to shotguns shall not apply to assault weapons except as specifically provided.
4. "Gunsmith." Any person, firm, partnership, corporation, or company who engages in the business of repairing, altering, assembling, manufacturing, cleaning, polishing, engraving, or trueing, or who in the course of such business performs any mechanical operation on any rifle, shotgun, firearm, assault weapon or machine gun.
5. "Dealer in firearms." Any person, firm, partnership, corporation or company who engages in the business of purchasing, selling, keeping for sale, loaning, leasing, or in any manner disposing of any pistol or revolver or other firearms which may be concealed upon the person. Dealer in firearms shall not include a wholesale dealer.
6. "Dealer in rifles and shotguns." Any person, firm, partnership, corporation or company who engages in the business of purchasing, selling, keeping for sale, loaning, leasing, or in any manner disposing of any rifle, or shotgun. Dealer in rifles and shotguns shall not include a wholesale dealer.
7. "Ammunition." Explosives suitable to be fired from a firearm, machine gun, pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun, assault weapon or other dangerous weapon.
8. "Dispose of." To dispose of, give away, give, lease, loan, keep for sale, offer, offer for sale, sell, transfer and otherwise dispose of.
9. "Deface." To remove, deface, cover, alter, or destroy the manufacturer's serial number or any other distinguishing number or identification mark.
10. "Commissioner." The police commissioner of the city of New York or the commissioner's designee.
11. "Permit." The permit for purchase and possession of rifles and shotguns issued by the commissioner.
12. "Certificate." The certificate of registration for possession of rifles and shotguns.
13. "Serious offense." A serious offense as defined in subdivision seventeen of section 265.00 of the penal law.
14. "Business enterprise." Any proprietorship, company, partnership, corporation, association, cooperative, nonprofit organization or other entity engaged or seeking to engage in the activities regulated pursuant to section 10-302 of this chapter.
15. "Semiautomatic." Any firearm, rifle or shotgun that uses part of the energy of a fired cartridge to expel the case of the fired cartridge and load another cartridge into the firing chamber, and which requires a separate pull of the trigger to fire each cartridge.
16. "Assault weapon."
(a) Any semiautomatic centerfire or rimfire rifle or semiautomatic shotgun which has one or more of the following features:
1. folding or telescoping stock or no stock;
2. pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon;
3. bayonet mount;
4. flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor;
5. barrel shroud;
6. grenade launcher; or
7. modifications of such features, or other features, determined by rule of the commissioner to be particularly suitable for military and not sporting purposes. In addition, the commissioner shall, by rule, designate specific semiautomatic centerfire or rimfire rifles or semiautomatic shotguns, identified by make, model and/or manufacturer's name, as within the definition of assault weapon, if the commissioner determines that such weapons are particularly suitable for military and not sporting purposes. The commissioner shall inspect such specific designated semiautomatic centerfire or rimfire rifles or semiautomatic shotguns at least three times per year, and shall revise or update such designations as he or she deems appropriate.
(b) Any shotgun with a revolving-cylinder magazine.
(c) Any part, or combination of parts, designed or redesigned or intended to readily convert a rifle or shotgun into an assault weapon.
(d) "Assault weapon" shall not include any rifle or shotgun modified to render it permanently inoperative.
17. "Ammunition feeding device." Magazines, belts, feedstrips, drums or clips capable of being attached to or utilized with firearms, rifles, shotguns or assault weapons.
18. "Antique firearm." Any unloaded muzzle loading pistol or revolver with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap, or similar type of ignition system, or a pistol or revolver which uses fixed cartridges which are no longer available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade.
19. "Special theatrical dealer." Any person, firm, partnership, corporation or company who possesses assault weapons exclusively for the purpose of leasing such assault weapons to special theatrical permittees within the city and for theatrical purposes outside the city.
20. "Acquire." To gain possession of or title to a weapon through purchase, gift, lease, loan, or otherwise.
21. "Frame or receiver." Part of a firearm, rifle, shotgun or assault weapon that provides housing for the hammer, bolt or breechblock, and firing mechanism, and that is usually threaded at its forward portion to receive the barrel.
22. "Unfinished frame or receiver." A piece of any material that does not constitute the frame or receiver of a firearm, rifle, shotgun or assault weapon but that has been shaped or formed in any way for the purpose of becoming the frame or receiver of a firearm, rifle, shotgun or assault weapon with modification by the user and that is not engraved with a serial number that meets or exceeds requirements pursuant to subsection (i) of section 923 of title 18 of the United States code and regulations issued pursuant thereto.
(Am. L.L. 2019/187, 10/26/2019, eff. 2/23/2020)
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 1991/078 and L.L. 2006/031.