NY CLS Penal _ 265.00.PDF

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NY CLS Penal § 265.00Current through 2015 released chapters 1-589

New York Consolidated Laws Service > Penal Law > Part THREE Specific Offenses > Title P Offenses

Against Public Safety > Article 265 Firearms and Other Dangerous Weapons

§ 265.00. Definitions

As used in this article and in article four hundred, the following terms shall mean and include:

1. “Machine-gun” means a weapon of any description, irrespective of size, by whatever name known, loaded or

unloaded, from which a number of shots or bullets may be rapidly or automatically discharged from a

magazine with one continuous pull of the trigger and includes a sub-machine gun.

2. “Firearm silencer” means any instrument, attachment, weapon or appliance for causing the firing of any gun,

revolver, pistol or other firearms to be silent, or intended to lessen or muffle the noise of the firing of any gun,

revolver, pistol or other firearms.

3. “Firearm” means (a) any pistol or revolver; or (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; or (e) an assault weapon. 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.

4. “Switchblade knife” means any knife which has a blade which opens automatically by hand pressure applied

to a button, spring or other device in the handle of the knife.

5. “Gravity knife” means any knife which has a blade which is released from the handle or sheath thereof by the

force of gravity or the application of centrifugal force which, when released, is locked in place by means of a button, spring, lever or other device.

5-a. “Pilum ballistic knife” means any knife which has a blade which can be projected from the handle by hand

pressure applied to a button, lever, spring or other device in the handle of the knife.

5-b. “Metal knuckle knife” means a weapon that, when closed, cannot function as a set of plastic knuckles or

metal knuckles, nor as a knife and when open, can function as both a set of plastic knuckles or metal knuckles

as well as a knife.

5-c. “Automatic knife” includes a stiletto, a switchblade knife, a gravity knife, a cane sword, a pilum ballistic

knife, and a metal knuckle knife.

6. “Dispose of” means to dispose of, give, give away, lease-loan, keep for sale, offer, offer for sale, sell, transfer

and otherwise dispose of.

7. “Deface” means to remove, deface, cover, alter or destroy the manufacturer’s serial number or any other

distinguishing number or identification mark.

8. “Gunsmith” means any person, firm, partnership, corporation or company who engages in the business of

repairing, altering, assembling, manufacturing, cleaning, polishing, engraving or trueing, or who performs any

mechanical operation on, any firearm, large capacity ammunition feeding device or machine-gun.

9. “Dealer in firearms” means 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 assault weapon,

large capacity ammunition feeding device, pistol or revolver.

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10. “Licensing officer” means in the city of New York the police commissioner of that city; in the county of

Nassau the commissioner of police of that county; in the county of Suffolk the sheriff of that county except

in the towns of Babylon, Brookhaven, Huntington, Islip and Smithtown, the commissioner of police of that

county; for the purposes of section 400.01 of this chapter the superintendent of state police; and elsewhere in

the state a judge or justice of a court of record having his office in the county of issuance.

11. “Rifle” means a weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder

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 single pull of the trigger.

12. “Shotgun” means a weapon designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the

shoulder 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.

13. “Cane Sword” means a cane or swagger stick having concealed within it a blade that may be used as a sword

or stilletto.

“Chuka stick” means any device designed primarily as a weapon, consisting of two or more lengths of a rigid

material joined together by a thong, rope or chain in such a manner as to allow free movement of a portion

of the device while held in the hand and capable of being rotated in such a manner as to inflict serious injury

upon a person by striking or choking. These devices are also known as nunchakus and centrifugal force sticks.

“Antique firearm” means:

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.

15. “Loaded firearm” means any firearm loaded with ammunition or any firearm which is possessed by one who,

at the same time, possesses a quantity of ammunition which may be used to discharge such firearm.

15-a. “Electronic dart gun” means any device designed primarily as a weapon, the purpose of which is to

momentarily stun, knock out or paralyze a person by passing an electrical shock to such person by means of

a dart or projectile.

15-b. “Kung Fu star” means a disc-like object with sharpened points on the circumference thereof and is designed

for use primarily as a weapon to be thrown.

15-c. “Electronic stun gun” means any device designed primarily as a weapon, the purpose of which is to stun,

cause mental disorientation, knock out or paralyze a person by passing a high voltage electrical shock to such

person.

16. “Certified not suitable to possess a self-defense spray device, a rifle or shotgun” means that the director or

physician in charge of any hospital or institution for mental illness, public or private, has certified to the

superintendent of state police or to any organized police department of a county, city, town or village of this

state, that a person who has been judicially adjudicated incompetent, or who has been confined to such

institution for mental illness pursuant to judicial authority, is not suitable to possess a self-defense spray

device, as defined in section 265.20 of this article, or a rifle or shotgun.

17. “Serious offense” means

(a) any of the following offenses defined in the former penal law as in force and effect immediately prior

to September first, nineteen hundred sixty-seven: illegally using, carrying or possessing a pistol or other

dangerous weapon; making or possessing burglar’s instruments; buying or receiving stolen property;

unlawful entry of a building; aiding escape from prison; that kind of disorderly conduct defined in

subdivisions six and eight of section seven hundred twenty-two of such former penal law; violations of

sections four hundred eighty-three, four hundred eighty-three-b, four hundred eighty-four-h and article

one hundred six of such former penal law; that kind of 1 criminal sexual act or rape which was designated

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as a misdemeanor; violation of section seventeen hundred forty-seven-d and seventeen hundred

forty-seven-e of such former penal law; any violation of any provision of article thirty-three of the public

health law relating to narcotic drugs which was defined as a misdemeanor by section seventeen hundred

fifty-one-a of such former penal law, and any violation of any provision of article thirty-three-A of the

public health law relating to depressant and stimulant drugs which was defined as a misdemeanor by

section seventeen hundred forty-seven-b of such former penal law.

(b) [As amended, L 2010, ch 232, § 2] any of the following offenses defined in the penal law: illegally using,

carrying or possessing a pistol or other dangerous weapon; possession of burglar’s tools; criminal

possession of stolen property in the third degree; escape in the third degree; jostling; fraudulent accosting;1 endangering the welfare of a child; the offenses defined in article two hundred thirty-five; issuing

abortional articles; permitting prostitution; promoting prostitution in the third degree; stalking in the

fourth degree; stalking in the third degree; the offenses defined in article one hundred thirty; the offenses

defined in article two hundred twenty.

(b) [As amended, L 2010, ch 232, § 3] any of the following offenses defined in the penal law: illegally using,

carrying or possessing a pistol or other dangerous weapon; possession of burglar’s tools; criminal

possession of stolen property in the third degree; escape in the third degree; jostling; fraudulent accosting;1 endangering the welfare of a child; the offenses defined in article two hundred thirty-five; issuing

abortional articles; permitting prostitution; promoting prostitution in the third degree; stalking in the third

degree; stalking in the fourth degree; the offenses defined in article one hundred thirty; the offenses

defined in article two hundred twenty.

18. “Armor piercing ammunition” means any ammunition capable of being used in pistols or revolvers containing

a projectile or projectile core, or a projectile or projectile core for use in such ammunition, that is constructed

entirely (excluding the presence of traces of other substances) from one or a combination of any of the

following: tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or uranium.

19. “Duly authorized instructor” means (a) a duly commissioned officer of the United States army, navy, marine

corps or coast guard, or of the national guard of the state of New York; or (b) a duly qualified adult citizen

of the United States who has been granted a certificate as an instructor in small arms practice issued by the

United States army, navy or marine corps, or by the adjutant general of this state, or by the national rifle

association of America, a not-for-profit corporation duly organized under the laws of this state; or (c) by aperson duly qualified and designated by the department of environmental conservation under paragraph d of

subdivision six of section 11-0713 of the environmental conservation law as its agent in the giving of

instruction and the making of certifications of qualification in responsible hunting practices.

20. “Disguised gun” means any weapon or device capable of being concealed on the person from which a shot

can be discharged through the energy of an explosive and is designed and intended to appear to be something

other than a gun.

21. “Semiautomatic” means any repeating rifle, shotgun or pistol, regardless of barrel or overall length, which

utilizes a portion of the energy of a firing cartridge or shell to extract the fired cartridge case or spent shell

and chamber the next round, and which requires a separate pull of the trigger to fire each cartridge or shell.

22. “Assault weapon” means

(a) a semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least one of the

following characteristics:

(i) a folding or telescoping stock;

(ii) a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon;

(iii) a thumbhole stock;

(iv) a second handgrip or a protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand;

(v) a bayonet mount;

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(vi) a flash suppressor, muzzle break, muzzle compensator, or threaded barrel designed to accommodate

a flash suppressor, muzzle break, or muzzle compensator;

(vii) a grenade launcher; or

(b) a semiautomatic shotgun that has at least one of the following characteristics:

(i) a folding or telescoping stock;(ii) a thumbhole stock;

(iii) a second handgrip or a protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand;

(iv) a fixed magazine capacity in excess of seven rounds;

(v) an ability to accept a detachable magazine; or

(c) a semiautomatic pistol that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least one of the

following characteristics:

(i) a folding or telescoping stock;

(ii) a thumbhole stock;

(iii) a second handgrip or a protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand;

(iv) capacity to accept an ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip;

(v) a threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or

silencer;

(vi) a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel and that permits the

shooter to hold the firearm with the non-trigger hand without being burned;

(vii) a manufactured weight of fifty ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded; or

(viii) a semiautomatic version of an automatic rifle, shotgun or firearm;

(d) a revolving cylinder shotgun;

(e) a semiautomatic rifle, a semiautomatic shotgun or a semiautomatic pistol or weapon defined in

subparagraph (v) of paragraph (e) of subdivision twenty-two of section 265.00 of this chapter as added

by chapter one hundred eighty-nine of the laws of two thousand and otherwise lawfully possessed

pursuant to such chapter of the laws of two thousand prior to September fourteenth, nineteen hundred

ninety-four;

(f) a semiautomatic rifle, a semiautomatic shotgun or a semiautomatic pistol or weapon defined in paragraph

(a), (b) or (c) of this subdivision, possessed prior to the date of enactment of the chapter of the laws of

two thousand thirteen which added this paragraph;

(g) provided, however, that such term does not include:

(i) any rifle, shotgun or pistol that (A) is manually operated by bolt, pump, lever or slide action; (B)has been rendered permanently inoperable; or (C) is an antique firearm as defined in 18 U.S.C.

921(a)(16);

(ii) a semiautomatic rifle that cannot accept a detachable magazine that holds more than five rounds of

ammunition;

(iii) a semiautomatic shotgun that cannot hold more than five rounds of ammunition in a fixed or

detachable magazine; or

(iv) a rifle, shotgun or pistol, or a replica or a duplicate thereof, specified in Appendix A to 18 U.S.C.

922 as such weapon was manufactured on October first, nineteen hundred ninety-three. The mere

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fact that a weapon is not listed in Appendix A shall not be construed to mean that such weapon is

an assault weapon;

(v) any weapon validly registered pursuant to subdivision sixteen-a of section 400.00 of this chapter.

Such weapons shall be subject to the provisions of paragraph (h) of this subdivision;

(vi) any firearm, rifle, or shotgun that was manufactured at least fifty years prior to the current date, but

not including replicas thereof that is validly registered pursuant to subdivision sixteen-a of section400.00 of this chapter;

(h) Any weapon defined in paragraph (e) or (f) of this subdivision and any large capacity ammunition

feeding device that was legally possessed by an individual prior to the enactment of the chapter of the

laws of two thousand thirteen which added this paragraph, may only be sold to, exchanged with or

disposed of to a purchaser authorized to possess such weapons or to an individual or entity outside of the

state provided that any such transfer to an individual or entity outside of the state must be reported to the

entity wherein the weapon is registered within seventy-two hours of such transfer. An individual who

transfers any such weapon or large capacity ammunition device to an individual inside New York state

or without complying with the provisions of this paragraph shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor

unless such large capacity ammunition feeding device, the possession of which is made illegal by the

chapter of the laws of two thousand thirteen which added this paragraph, is transferred within one year

of the effective date of the chapter of the laws of two thousand thirteen which added this paragraph.

23. “Large capacity ammunition feeding device” means a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device, 1 that

(a) has a capacity of, or that can be readily restored or converted to accept, more than ten rounds of

ammunition , or [pars (b) and (c) are suspended and not effective as stated in Laws 2013, ch 1, § 58, sub b note

below] (b) contains more than seven rounds of ammunition, or (c) is obtained after the effective date of the

chapter of the laws of two thousand thirteen which amended this subdivision and has a capacity of, or that

can be readily restored or converted to accept, more than seven rounds of ammunition; provided, however, that

such term does not include an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with,

.22 caliber rimfire ammunition or a feeding device that is a curio or relic. A feeding device that is a curio or

relic is defined as a device that (i) was manufactured at least fifty years prior to the current date, (ii) is only

capable of being used exclusively in a firearm, rifle, or shotgun that was manufactured at least fifty years prior

to the current date, but not including replicas thereof, (iii) is possessed by an individual who is not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a firearm and (iv) is registered with the division of state police

pursuant to subdivision sixteen-a of section 400.00 of this chapter, except such feeding devices transferred into

the state may be registered at any time, provided they are registered within thirty days of their transfer into

the state. Notwithstanding paragraph (h) of subdivision twenty-two of this section, such feeding devices may

be transferred provided that such transfer shall be subject to the provisions of section 400.03 of this chapter

including the check required to be conducted pursuant to such section.

24. “Seller of ammunition” means any person, firm, partnership, corporation or company who engages in the

business of purchasing, selling or keeping ammunition.

25. “Qualified retired New York or federal law enforcement officer” means an individual who is a retired police

officer as police officer is defined in subdivision thirty-four of section 1.20 of the criminal procedure law, a

retired peace officer as peace officer is defined in section 2.10 of the criminal procedure law or a retiredfederal law enforcement officer as federal law enforcement officer is defined in section 2.15 of the criminal

procedure law, who: (a) separated from service in good standing from a public agency located in New York

state in which such person served as either a police officer, peace officer or federal law enforcement officer;

and (b) before such separation, was authorized by law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection,

investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law, and had statutory

powers of arrest, pursuant to their official duties, under the criminal procedure law; and (c) (i) before such

separation, served as either a police officer, peace officer or federal law enforcement officer for five years or

more and at the time of separation, is such an officer; or (ii) separated from service with such agency, after

completing any applicable probationary period of such service, due to a service-connected disability, as

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determined by such agency at or before the time of separation; and (d)(i) has not been found by a qualified

medical professional employed by such agency to be unqualified for reasons relating to mental health; or (ii)

has not entered into an agreement with such agency from which the individual is separating from service in

which that individual acknowledges he or she is not qualified for reasons relating to mental health; and (e) is

not otherwise prohibited by New York or federal law from possessing any firearm.

History

Add, L 1965, ch 1030, § 1, eff Sept 1, 1967, with substance derived from § 1896; amd, L 1967, ch 791, § 46; L 1969,

ch 123, § 1, eff Sept 1, 1969; L 1972, ch 588, § 1; L 1972, ch 605, § 1; L 1974, ch 179, § 1, eff Sept 1, 1974; L

1974, ch 986, §§ 1, 2; L 1974, ch 1041, § 1, eff Sept 1, 1974; L 1976, ch 217, § 1, eff Sept 1, 1976; L 1982, ch 492,

§ 1; L 1985, ch 61, § 1, eff Nov 1, 1985; L 1986, ch 328, § 2, eff Nov 1, 1986; L 1986, ch 646, § 1, eff Nov 1, 1986;

L 1988, ch 264, § 1; L 1990, ch 264, § 1, eff Nov 1, 1990; L 1995, ch 219, § 2, eff Nov 1, 1995; L 1996, ch 354, § 2,

eff Nov 1, 1996; L 1997, ch 446, § 2, eff Aug 25, 1997 (see 1997 note below); L 1998, ch 378, § 1, eff Nov 1, 1998;

L 1999, ch 210, § 1, eff Nov 1, 1999; L 1999, ch 635, §§ 11, 15, eff Dec 1, 1999 (see 1999 note below); L 2000, ch 189,

§§ 8–10, eff Nov 1, 2000 (see 2000 note below); L 2008, ch 257, § 3, eff Nov 1, 2008; L 2010, ch 232, §§ 2, 3, eff

July 30, 2010; L 2013, ch 1, § 37 , eff Jan 15, 2013,38, eff April 15, 2013, except sub 23, par (a) eff Jan 15, 2013,

except sub 23, pars (b) and (c), suspended and not effective as stated in 2013 note below,39, eff March 16, 2013 (see2013 note below); L 2013, ch 98, § 1, eff July 5, 2013.

Annotations

Notes

Editor’s Notes:

Laws 1997, ch 446, §§ 1, 7, eff Aug 25, 1997, provide as follows:

Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Westchester county handgun record-keeping and accountability

act”. (Amd, L 1997, ch 447, § 1, eff Aug 25, 1997.).

§ 7. This act shall take effect immediately and in Westchester county shall apply to licenses issued on or after such date.

(Amd, L 1997, ch 447, § 4, eff Aug 25, 1997.).

Laws 1997, ch 447, § 5, eff Aug 25, 1997, provides as follows:

§ 5. This act shall take effect on the same date as a chapter of the laws of 1997, amending the penal law enacting the

Westchester county handgun record-keeping and accountability act, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 5498-A and

A. 8311-A, takes effect, and nothing contained in such chapter shall be construed as abridging the five year period

applicable within Suffolk county with respect to the expiration of licenses to carry or possess a revolver.

Laws 1999, ch 635, §§ 1, 2 and 17, eff Dec 1, 1999, provide as follows:

Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the “clinic access and anti-stalking act of 1999.”

§ 2. Legislative intent. The legislature finds and declares that criminal stalking behavior, including threatening, violent or

other criminal conduct has become more prevalent in New York state in recent years. The unfortunate reality is that stalking

victims have been intolerably forced to live in fear of their stalkers. Stalkers who repeatedly follow, phone, write, confront,

threaten or otherwise unacceptably intrude upon their victims, often inflict immeasurable emotional and physical harm

upon them. Current law does not adequately recognize the damage to public order and individual safety caused by these

offenders. Therefore, our laws must be strengthened to provide clear recognition of the dangerousness of stalking.

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The high correlation between stalking behavior and the infliction of physical violence or sexual assault is demonstrated by

two federal studies. A recent FBI crime report shows that thirty percent of all murdered women are killed by their husbands

or boyfriends who stalked them. A November 1997 National Institute of Justice study of stalking found that eighty percent

of stalking victims who were stalked by their current or former intimate partner had, at some point in their relationship,

been physically assaulted by their partner and thirty-one percent had been sexually assaulted by their partner. In recognition

of the real and substantial risk of harm associated with stalking behavior, 49 states have enacted anti-stalking laws.

In 1992, the Legislature took an important step towards recognizing that stalking requires stronger enforcement measures

by amending New York’s menacing and harassment sections to include stalking behavior within the definition of these

crimes. With this act, New York creates the separate crime of stalking. This act will protect victims by providing real and

effective sanctions for stalking conduct even at its earliest stages. It will also provide increased penalties for repeat

offenders, for those offenders who stalk children, for those offenders who possess weapons when stalking, and for those

offenders who commit stalking in violation of an order of protection.

The legislature also finds that criminal acts involving violence and intolerance at health care facilities and places of

religious worship have become more prevalent in recent years. Medical clinics, physicians’ offices and other facilities

throughout the state have become targets in a campaign of obstruction and terrorism aimed at closing the facilities and

intimidating those who seek to obtain or provide reproductive health services. In addition, places of religious worship have

regrettably been targets of vandals thereby threatening these havens of peaceful prayer and meditation. Despite the passageof a 1994 federal law that makes it a federal crime for a person to deny access to or vandalize health care facilities and

places of religious worship, state legislation is necessary to supplement federal law by empowering state and local officials

to assist in combating violence and acts of vandalism at health care facilities and places of religious worship. It is therefore

the intent of the legislature to provide state criminal penalties against anyone who, by force or threat of force or by physical

obstruction, intentionally injures, intimidates or interferes with another person or attempts to injure, intimidate or interfere

with another person, because such other person was or is seeking to obtain or provide or assist in the provision of

reproductive health services or exercise the right of religious freedom.

§ 17. Nothing contained in this act shall be construed to eliminate, limit or impair any sanction or remedy not provided

by the provisions of this act which is otherwise available to punish or prohibit the criminal interference with health care

services or religious worship.

Laws 2000, ch 189, §§ 26 and 28, sub 1, eff Aug 8, 2000, provide as follows:

§ 26. Nothing in this act shall be construed to prohibit a municipality or other unit of local government from adopting or

maintaining a stricter standard regulating the subject matters contained in sections three, ten or the amendments made to

paragraph (a) of subdivision 1 of section 400.00 of the penal law by section eighteen of this act by local law or ordinance.

§ 28. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that:

1. Sections one through three, six through nineteen and twenty-three and twenty-four of this act shall take effect on the first

day of November next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law; provided, further, however, that effective

immediately the division of state police is authorized and directed to promulgate such rules and regulations as may be

necessary to effectuate the provisions of sections three and four of this act; provided, further, that the amendments to

subdivision 3 of section 265.00 of the penal law made by section eight of this act shall apply to offenses committed in

violation of article 265 or 400 of the penal law on or after the first day of November next succeeding the date on which

this act shall have become a law; and.

Laws 2007, ch 510, §§ 1, 5, eff Feb 11, 2008, provides as follows:

Section 1. Legislative intent. It is the intent of the legislature to facilitate the establishment of certain museums that are

dedicated to cataloging, inventorying, exhibiting or displaying cutlery and knives made in New York state. This act will

particularly help municipalities and interested groups located in the Hudson valley, which has a long history of

manufacturing knives, to establish a cutlery and knife museum to offer for public display or exhibition of, among other

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Brandon Okano

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exhibits, certain automatic knives. During the early twentieth century, the counties of Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster

manufactured approximately fifty percent of all knives manufactured in the United States. There are persons who are

interested in local history and are planning to establish a local museum to display all the various kinds of cutlery and knives

that were manufactured in the Hudson valley and throughout the United States. However, while certain military and police

personnel and those who hold a hunting or fishing license are able to legally possess certain automatic knives, museums

and other institutions, incorporated for the promotion of art, education, history, and science, are not legally permitted to

possess or own such artifacts. This act remedies this situation in a way that still places these knives in a secure environmentand out of general circulation.

§ 5. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law; provided that any and all

rules and regulations and any other measures necessary to implement any provision of this act on its effective date may

be promulgated and taken, respectively, on or before the effective date of such provision.

Laws 2013, ch 1, § 58, sub b, eff Jan 15, 2013, provides as follows:

§ 58. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that:

b. The amendments to subdivision 23 of section 265.00 of the penal law made by section thirty-eight of this act shall take

effect on the ninetieth day after this act shall have become a law, except that the amendments designating paragraph (a)

of subdivision 23 shall take effect immediately; and provided further that the effective date of the amendments adding

paragraphs (b) and (c) to such subdivision shall be suspended and not effective; (Amd, L 2013, ch 57, § 4 (Part FF), eff

March 29, 2013, deemed in full force and eff March 16, 2013.).

Amendment Notes:

2013. Chapter 1, § 37 amended:

By deleting former sub 22, pars (a)–(e).

By adding sub 22, pars (a)–(h).


Sub 23 by deleting at fig 1 “manufactured after September thirteenth, nineteen hundred ninety-four,” and adding the matter

in italics.


By adding sub 24.


By adding sub 25.


Sub 17, par (b) [first setout] by deleting at fig 1 “that kind of loitering defined in subdivision three of section 240.35;”.


Sub 17, par (b) [second setout] by deleting at fig 1 “that kind of loitering defined in subdivision three of section 240.35;”.


By adding sub 5-c.

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Brandon Okano

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Notes to Decisions

1. In general

2. Firearms, generally

3. —Pistols and revolvers

4. —Shotguns

5. —Rifles

6. Knives, generally

7. Deface

8. Antique firearm

9. Preemption of local laws

10. Possession of dangerous weapon

11. Licensing requirement

12. Under former § 1896

1. In general

Possession of weapons vis-a-vis the arresting officers was independent of and not a lesser included offense of robbery

charge. People v Reynolds, 53 A.D.2d 877, 385 N.Y.S.2d 337, 1976 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 13707 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d

Dep’t 1976).

Application for firearm license is properly denied where applicant has prior conviction for serious offense, as defined

in CLS Penal § 265.00, of unlawful entry into building and has also been convicted of driving while impaired and

of driving while intoxicated, with latter conviction stemming from arrest occurring only several weeks prior to

submission of license application. Schnell v Spano, 120 A.D.2d 669, 502 N.Y.S.2d 263, 1986 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS

56774 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep’t 1986).

Defendant’s conviction of fourth degree weapon possession would be reversed, in interest of justice, since trial court’s

refusal to present weapon charge to jury at first trial warranted inference that charge was dismissed for insufficient

evidence, and therefore defendant should not have been retired on that charge. People v Kluck, 131 A.D.2d 590, 516

N.Y.S.2d 298, 1987 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 48053 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep’t 1987).

Dealer in firearms cannot lawfully possess or dispose of firearm silencers and machine guns, and gunsmith cannot

lawfully dispose of machine guns and cannot lawfully possess or dispose of firearm silencers. Oefinger v New York

State Police, 146 A.D.2d 186, 540 N.Y.S.2d 360, 1989 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 4881 (N.Y. App. Div. 3d Dep’t 1989).

CLS Penal § 265.00 is definitional in nature and thus could not be read to provide applicable standard of care such

that violation of it would constitute negligence. McDonald v Cook, 252 A.D.2d 302, 681 N.Y.S.2d 900, 1998 N.Y. App.

Div. LEXIS 13874 (N.Y. App. Div. 3d Dep’t 1998), app. denied, 93 N.Y.2d 812, 695 N.Y.S.2d 540, 717 N.E.2d 699, 1999

N.Y. LEXIS 1870 (N.Y. 1999).

The State has the power to dispense with the element of scienter in defining a crime if it is necessary to do so in the

public interest where the offenses prohibited and made punishable are capable of inflicting widespread injury, and

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Brandon Okano

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where the requirement of proof of the offender’s guilty knowledge and wrongful intent would render enforcement of

the prohibition difficult if not impossible, tending to nullify the statute; accordingly, the fact that a loaded firearm is

capable of inflicting widespread injury furnishes a justifiable basis for eliminating the need to prove intent or guilty

knowledge as elements of the crime of illegally possessing a loaded firearm and no different rule should be applied

where the possession of a loaded firearm merely raises the degree of the crime or mandates increased punishment.

People v A., 97 Misc. 2d 1053, 413 N.Y.S.2d 92, 1979 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2035 (N.Y. County Ct. 1979).

A police commissioner would be compelled to accept petitioner’s application for a target pistol license, notwithstanding

that the application had been refused on the basis that the applicant was under 21 years of age, since the controlling

provisions of Penal Law §§ 265.00, 400.00, do not set forth a minimum age for handgun license applicants and a

judicial determination has been made prohibiting the denial of target pistol licenses solely on the grounds for age. De

Vito v McGuire, 124 Misc. 2d 65, 475 N.Y.S.2d 730, 1984 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3149 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1984) .

State was required to prove that stud gun was operable instrument capable of inflicting harm so as to be classified as

weapon for purposes of revoking parole on basis of possession of dangerous weapon in violation of conditions of

parole. People ex rel. Spann v Rodriguez, 130 Misc. 2d 1077, 498 N.Y.S.2d 957, 1986 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2469 (N.Y.

Sup. Ct. 1986).

Weapon found in defendant’s possession was “gravity knife” within meaning of CLS Penal § 265.00(5), justifying hisconviction of fourth degree weapon possession, since knife, in its folded position, had hinge on one end connecting

2 narrow handles and locking or safety device on other end, with blade concealed between handles, so that if locking

device were in place, knife became operational by merely pushing locking lever, whereby blade became exposed either

by force of gravity or centrifugal force; further, if knife were carried without safety lever in position, blade could be

similarly exposed by force of gravity or centrifugal force. People v Dolson, 140 Misc. 2d 240, 530 N.Y.S.2d 427, 1987

N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2827 (N.Y. City Ct. 1987).

Counts of indictment charging burglary and weapon possession were not barred on double jeopardy grounds based on

prior Family Court disposition imposed against defendant for violating order of protection based on allegation that he

forced his way into his wife’s home and menaced her with knife, as violation of protective order did not include

elements of burglary or weapons statutes (namely, unlawful entry into building with intent to commit crime or

possession of weapon with intent to use unlawfully against another). People v Arnold, 174 Misc. 2d 585, 664 N.Y.S.2d

1008, 1997 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 488 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1997).

Verdict finding defendant guilty of menacing in the second degree was not against the weight of the evidence because

the evidence was legally sufficient to establish that defendant displayed what appeared to be a pistol or firearm. People

v Colon, 116 A.D.3d 1234, 984 N.Y.S.2d 438, 2014 NY Slip Op 2626, 2014 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 2566 (N.Y. App. Div.

3d Dep’t), app. denied, 24 N.Y.3d 959, 996 N.Y.S.2d 219, 2014 NY Slip Op 98604(U), 20 N.E.3d 999, 2014 N.Y. LEXIS

2974 (N.Y. 2014).

2. Firearms, generally

Definition of “firearm” in Penal Law § 265.00 is limited to the possession, use and purchase of firearms and the

licensing and destruction of weapons; and, because neither is related in any way to a prosecution for perjury, § 265.00by its express language precludes reliance upon its firearm definition in such a prosecution, except as a question or

answer may have been specifically addressed to that definition. People v Neumann, 51 N.Y.2d 658, 435 N.Y.S.2d 956,

417 N.E.2d 69, 1980 N.Y. LEXIS 2778 (N.Y. 1980), reh’g denied, 52 N.Y.2d 1073, 1981 N.Y. LEXIS 5955 (N.Y. 1981),

cert. denied, 452 U.S. 918, 101 S. Ct. 3056, 69 L. Ed. 2d 423, 1981 U.S. LEXIS 2436 (U.S. 1981).

In prosecution for attempted second degree weapon possession and related offenses, allegation that respondent carried

weapon on public street, and that weapon was loaded, was sufficient to support inference that respondent believed and

intended firearm to be operable. In re Lavar D., 90 N.Y.2d 963, 665 N.Y.S.2d 612, 688 N.E.2d 486, 1997 N.Y. LEXIS

3215 (N.Y. 1997).

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Brandon Okano

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Defendant’s plea of guilty to first degree robbery was inappropriate where gun which he displayed during robbery was

“beebee” gun; however, display of “beebee” gun would support conviction of second degree robbery. People v

Bowman, 133 A.D.2d 701, 519 N.Y.S.2d 951, 1987 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 51736 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep’t 1987), app.

denied, 70 N.Y.2d 953, 525 N.Y.S.2d 836, 520 N.E.2d 554, 1988 N.Y. LEXIS 304 (N.Y. 1988).

Evidence at trial on charges of second degree weapon possession and second degree assault was legally sufficient to

establish that weapon possessed and employed by defendant in course of assault was “firearm” within meaning of CLS

Penal § 265.00(3), even though victim was unable to describe weapon (which went unrecovered) with which

defendant shot him, where his detailed account of shooting, and reenactment in which he demonstrated defendant’s

stance and manner in which defendant held weapon, together with bullet recovered at hospital, supported reasonable

inference that defendant employed firearm in shooting victim. People v McGrew, 150 A.D.2d 729, 541 N.Y.S.2d 597,

1989 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 6994 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep’t 1989).

Phrase “as defined in section 265.00” under CLS Penal § 140.17(2) requires operability of firearm, rifle, or shotgun.

People v Cruz, 272 A.D.2d 922, 709 N.Y.S.2d 717, 2000 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 5294 (N.Y. App. Div. 4th Dep’t 2000),

aff’d, 96 N.Y.2d 857, 730 N.Y.S.2d 29, 754 N.E.2d 1112, 2001 N.Y. LEXIS 1870 (N.Y. 2001).

Court was not required to define “firearm”(CLS Penal § 265.00(3)) with respect to length of barrel of sawed-off

shotgun in trial for attempted first degree robbery, since robbery statute requires only display of what appears to be

firearm, and testimony was clear that weapon displayed by defendant appeared to complainant to be pistol. People v

Jennings, 279 A.D.2d 284, 720 N.Y.S.2d 4, 2001 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 149 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dep’t), app. denied, 96

N.Y.2d 830, 729 N.Y.S.2d 451, 754 N.E.2d 211, 2001 N.Y. LEXIS 2201 (N.Y. 2001).

Legally sufficient evidence supported defendant’s conviction for criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree

under N.Y. Penal Law § 265.03(3) because there was evidence at trial that the shotgun barrel had been sawed off to

less than 18 inches (a firearm under N.Y. Penal Law § 265.00(3)), the gun was operable, the ammunition in defendant’s

pocket could be used in that weapon (a loaded firearm under N.Y. Penal Law § 265.00(15)), and the police saw

defendant possessing the toy alligator in which the weapon had been placed. . New York v Tillery, 60 A.D.3d 1203,

875 N.Y.S.2d 343 (3d Dept 2009).

Trial court erred in dismissing an owner’s action pursuant to N.Y. C.P.L.R. art. 78 seeking to compel police to return

firearms seized from the owner’s home; although continued police custody of the firearms was proper, the trial court

erred by not holding a hearing as required by Trial court erred in dismissing an owner’s action seeking to compelpolice to return firearms seized from the owner’s home; although continued police custody of the firearms was proper,

the trial court erred by not holding a hearing as required by N.Y. Penal Law § 265.00(16). Caso v Nassau County

Police Dep’t, 306 A.D.2d 473, 761 N.Y.S.2d 303, 2003 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 7412 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep’t 2003).

Second count of the indictment was properly dismissed because, by test-firing defendant’s weapon two days after his

arrest, with ammunition belonging to the State Police and not with that found with the weapon, the People failed to

present sufficient evidence to the grand jury to charge defendant with possession of a loaded firearm, under N.Y. Penal

Law § 265.00(15). A necessary element of that crime was that the ammunition be live. People v Colon, 15 A.D.3d 777,

790 N.Y.S.2d 288, 2005 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 1919 (N.Y. App. Div. 3d Dep’t 2005), app. denied, 6 N.Y.3d 811, 812

N.Y.S.2d 450, 845 N.E.2d 1281, 2006 N.Y. LEXIS 746 (N.Y. 2006), app. denied, 6 N.Y.3d 811, 812 N.Y.S.2d 451, 845

N.E.2d 1282, 2006 N.Y. LEXIS 747 (N.Y. 2006).

Verdict on second degree robbery was not against the weight of the evidence because, although the witness’s testimonywas somewhat inconsistent or unclear as to whether he believed that defendant had an actual firearm as opposed to

a BB gun, the evidence was legally sufficient to establish that defendant displayed what appeared to be a pistol or

firearm while in immediate flight from the commission of a robbery. People v Colon, 116 A.D.3d 1234, 984 N.Y.S.2d

438, 2014 NY Slip Op 2626, 2014 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 2566 (N.Y. App. Div. 3d Dep’t), app. denied, 24 N.Y.3d 959,

996 N.Y.S.2d 219, 2014 NY Slip Op 98604(U), 20 N.E.3d 999, 2014 N.Y. LEXIS 2974 (N.Y. 2014) .

3. —Pistols and revolvers

Reversal of defendant’s conviction of criminal possession of a weapon was mandated, where the prosecution presented

no evidence at trial that the .22 caliber gun found in defendant’s glove compartment was operable, and thereby failed

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Brandon Okano

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to prove that defendant was in possession of “firearm” within the meaning of Pen Law § 265.00(3). People v Actie,

99 A.D.2d 815, 472 N.Y.S.2d 147, 1984 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 17207 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep’t 1984).

Conviction of third degree criminal possession of weapon (revolver) would not be reversed on defendant’s assertion

that jury had not been properly instructed on issue of whether revolver was operable where trial court initially gave

no instruction on operability, but after defendant’s exception, charged that gun which cannot be fired does not fit

within statute; trial court should have included charge on operability in its initial instructions, but jury was able togather correct rules on basis of entire charge. People v Ramsey, 124 A.D.2d 835, 508 N.Y.S.2d 553, 1986 N.Y. App.

Div. LEXIS 62169 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep’t 1986).

Term “handgun” in indictment constituted sufficient factual support for subject element of first and second degree

robbery, and first and second degree criminal use of firearm, as well as sufficiently specific description of what

implement allegedly displayed by defendant appeared to be, even though term is not specifically included within

definition of “firearm” under CLS Penal § 265.00 and is not among any of enumerated implements contained in

statutes defining crimes with which defendant was charged, since CLS CPL § 200.50 requires simply that defendant

be notified of crime of which he stands indicted. People v Singleton, 130 A.D.2d 598, 515 N.Y.S.2d 307, 1987 N.Y.

App. Div. LEXIS 46612 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep’t 1987), aff’d, 72 N.Y.2d 845, 531 N.Y.S.2d 798, 527 N.E.2d 281, 1988

N.Y. LEXIS 1643 (N.Y. 1988).

Penal Law contemplates “imitation pistol” in reality of its use, while Administrative Code contemplates same in reality

of its appearance; under either statute, “imitation pistol” is not actual firearm which can discharge projectile or which

acts by force of gunpowder, nor is it an inoperable pistol which can be readily made operable. People v Webb, 78 Misc.

2d 253, 356 N.Y.S.2d 494, 1974 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1376 (N.Y. City Crim. Ct. 1974).

4. —Shotguns

Sawed-off shotgun which had overall size of 27 inches in length with padded stock or butt measuring 12 inches in

circumference was not a “firearm” as defined in Penal Law section defining firearm as any pistol, revolver, sawed-off

shotgun or other firearm of a size which may be concealed under the person; thus, its possession did not constitute

the crime of possession of a firearm. People v Eldridge, 53 A.D.2d 1037, 385 N.Y.S.2d 912, 1976 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS

15848 (N.Y. App. Div. 4th Dep’t 1976).

Sawed off shotgun 23 ½ inches in length was not “firearm” within the meaning of Penal Law § 265.00, subdivision

3, as it was not of a size that could be concealed upon the person. People v Roberts, 73 Misc. 2d 500, 342 N.Y.S.2d

757, 1973 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2020 (N.Y. Dist. Ct. 1973), app. dismissed, 79 Misc. 2d 243, 360 N.Y.S.2d 151, 1974 N.Y.

Misc. LEXIS 1637 (N.Y. App. Term 1974).

With regard to offense of possession of a firearm, sawed-off shotgun, which was 22 ½ inches long, was not a

“concealed weapon” within meaning of statute which provides that the term “firearm” means any pistol, revolver,

sawed-off shotgun or other firearm of a size which may be concealed upon the person. In re Peabody, 86 Misc. 2d

520, 382 N.Y.S.2d 934, 1976 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2478 (N.Y. Fam. Ct. 1976).

The issue of whether a sawed-off shotgun measuring 27 inches in length is a “firearm” within the meaning of

subdivision 3 of section 265.00 of the Penal Law, which defines “firearm” as a “sawed-off shotgun or other firearmof a size which may be concealed upon the person”, is a factual question as to whether it is concealable upon the

person to be resolved by the jury and is not a legal matter to be resolved by the court. People v Ahern, 104 Misc. 2d

13, 427 N.Y.S.2d 549, 1980 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2383 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1980).

A 22 inch sawed-off shotgun was a firearm capable of concealment within the meaning of Penal § 265(3) where the

defendant had actually concealed the weapon in his back pocket covered by his outer clothes. People v Davis, 107

Misc. 2d 1, 433 N.Y.S.2d 56, 1980 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2816 (N.Y. City Crim. Ct. 1980).

Where a sawed-off shotgun, possession of which by defendants resulted in their indictment for criminal possession

of a weapon in the third degree, was 26 and 3 / 8

inches long, approximately half the heighth of each of the defendants,

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Brandon Okano

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8/19/2019 NY CLS Penal _ 265.00.PDF

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and where there was no evidence presented to the grand jury indicating that the defendants on the summer night of

their arrest were garbed in a manner to aid, rather than hinder, concealment of the weapon, the grand jury minutes were

therefore legally insufficient to establish concealability of the guns, presumptions that any sawed-off shotgun up to 18

inches in length is concealable, any sawed-off shotgun between 18 and 24 inches in length creates a fact question for

judge or jury as to its concealability, and any sawed-off shotgun in excess of 24 inches would be considered not

concealable in the absence of special circumstances relating to dress, or other factor which would manifest

concealability; when given its common sense meaning the controlling statute was not subject to a constitutional attack for vagueness. People v Cortez, 110 Misc. 2d 652, 442 N.Y.S.2d 873, 1981 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3137 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1981).

In a prosecution for possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, defendant’s motion to set aside his conviction based

upon the alleged error of the court in submitting to the jury the issue of whether the sawed-off shotgun in question

was a concealable weapon was denied, since it was proper for the jury in the instant prosecution to determine whether

a shotgun measuring 27 and one-quarter incles in length is concealable and therefore a proscribed “firearm” as

statutorily defined. People v Davis, 112 Misc. 2d 138, 446 N.Y.S.2d 159, 1981 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3413 (N.Y. City Crim.

Ct. 1981).

In the prosecution of defendant, who had been arrested while lying on a bed, apparently asleep, with a sawed-off

shotgun cradled in his arms, for criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree ( Penal Law, § 265.01, subd [1]),

the trial court properly refused to instruct the jury that subd 1 of § 265.01 should be construed as defining a crimerequiring the elements of scienter or mental culpability, since scienter, guilty knowledge or intent, was not a necessary

element of the crime; moreover, although criminal liability required proof of a voluntary act, there was no necessity

that an instruction as to an involuntary act or an innocent act, which would have had an effect on defendant’s

possession of a weapon (Penal Law, § 10.00, subd 8), be given in the absence of any evidence of intoxication or other

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NY CLS Penal _ 265.00.PDF