Penal Law § 265.17

Criminal purchase or disposal of a weapon  ·  as in force on May 31, 2026

§ 265.17 Criminal purchase or disposal of a weapon.

A person is guilty of criminal purchase or disposal of a weapon when:

1. Knowing that he or she is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm, rifle or shotgun because of a prior conviction or because of some other disability which would render him or her ineligible to lawfully possess a firearm, rifle or shotgun in this state, or knowing that he or she is the subject of an outstanding warrant of arrest issued upon the alleged commission of a felony or serious offense, such person purchases or otherwise acquires a firearm, rifle or shotgun from another person; or

2. Knowing that it would be unlawful for another person to possess a firearm, rifle or shotgun, or knowing that another person is the subject of an outstanding warrant of arrest issued upon the alleged commission of a felony or serious offense, he or she purchases or otherwise acquires a firearm, rifle or shotgun for, on behalf of, or for the use of such other person; or

3. Knowing that another person is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm, rifle or shotgun because of a prior conviction or because of some other disability which would render him or her ineligible to lawfully possess a firearm, rifle or shotgun in this state, or knowing that another person is the subject of an outstanding warrant of arrest issued upon the alleged commission of a felony or serious offense, a person disposes of a firearm, rifle or shotgun to such other person.

Criminal purchase or disposal of a weapon is a class D felony.

Official sourcehttps://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/265.17

In plain English

A person commits criminal purchase or disposal of a weapon by:

The offense is a class D felony. ★

Marked in the text: penalties, time limits, sums of money. Editorial emphasis added by this edition; it does not appear in the statute as enacted.

In print

This provision appears in Volume 4 — The Court Clerk: Penal Law; Volume 1 — The Court Officer in Plain English; Volume 3 — The Court Officer: Penal Law; Volume 3 — Your Career: Penal Law in Plain English.