Expert: Robert P. Firriolo - 7/22/2008

Question
QUESTION: i was convicted of a non volient crime back in '94 in NC and since moved to new york i was wondering if i'm able to own a rifle? as i'm soon to be moving to washington, dc and the same goes for there. if you could help with this i would be very thankful

ANSWER: You need to specifically identify the crime (felony or type of misdemeanor) for this question to be answered.

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QUESTION: i was convicted of a non violent crime that was a felony and was back in '94 in NC and since moved to NY i was wondering if i'm able to own a rifle? as i'm soon to be moving to DC and the same goes for there

Answer
A felony conviction in any state makes you a "prohibited person," which means you cannot own firearms or ammunition. Somebody in your position likely needs to obtain a Certificate of Relief from Civil Disabilities (CRD) and a Certificate of Good Conduct (CGC) from the sentencing court or the Parole Board in NC.

I am not familiar with NC procedures and do not hold myself out as an expert on such. However, please refer to the following document for specific details about NY procedures, and note closely the contents of paragraph #15:

http://dpca.state.ny.us/pdfs/certificatesofrelieffromforfeituresanddisabilitiesq

I cannot give you legal advice and you would need to consult an attorney for how these provisions of law apply to you specifically. You can also contact the NYS Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives for more information: http://dpca.state.ny.us/contact.htm

Note that as used in NYS law and these references, "firearm" generally means a handgun, and not rifles and shotguns.