CGS 53-202:
Machine Gun Registration and Restrictions

Connecticut General Statutes Section 53-202 establishes the legal framework governing machine guns in the state, including definitions, registration requirements, penalties, and exceptions.^[1]

Definition

"Machine gun" applies to any weapon of any description, by whatever name known, that shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot automatically more than one projectile without manual reloading by a single function of the trigger. The definition includes any part or combination of parts designed for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun and any combination of parts from which a machine gun can be assembled if those parts are in the possession of or under the control of a person.^[1]

Registration Requirements

Each machine gun in Connecticut adapted to use projectiles of any caliber must be registered with the office of the Commissioner of DESPP, except guns registered under the manufacturer's register provision and still in the manufacturer's actual possession.^[1]

• Initial registration: Within 24 hours of acquisition
• Annual renewal: On July 1 of each year

The registration application must include the model and serial number of the gun, the name, address, and occupation of the person in possession, and from whom and the purpose for which the gun was acquired.

Confidentiality

Registration data is not subject to inspection by the public.^[1]

Presumption of Offensive Purpose

Any person who fails to register a machine gun as required shall be presumed to possess the weapon for an offensive or aggressive purpose. Possession or use for an offensive or aggressive purpose is punishable by 5 to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.^[1]

Penalties

CGS 53-202 sets these penalties for machine gun offenses.^[1]

• Possession or use for an offensive or aggressive purpose: 5 to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both
• Possession or use in the perpetration or attempted perpetration of a crime of violence: 10 to 20 years imprisonment

Exceptions

The machine gun restrictions do not apply to:^[1]

• Manufacture of machine guns for sale or transfer to the United States government, to any state, territory or possession of the United States or to any political subdivision thereof or to the District of Columbia
• Machine guns rendered inoperable by welding all critical functioning parts and possessed as curiosities, ornaments or keepsakes
• Machine guns acquired, transferred or possessed in accordance with the National Firearms Act (26 USC Chapter 53), subject to the state registration provisions of CGS 53-202(g)

Interaction With Federal Law

Under the federal Firearms Owners' Protection Act of 1986 (FOPA), transferring or possessing a machine gun is prohibited unless it falls within the government-authority exception or was lawfully possessed before May 19, 1986. Civilian possession generally requires a machine gun that was lawfully possessed before May 19, 1986, and compliance with the National Firearms Act. Connecticut treats a selective-fire firearm capable of fully automatic, semiautomatic or burst fire at the user's option as an assault weapon.^[2]

ATF revised the federal regulatory definition of "machinegun" under 27 CFR 478.11 and 27 CFR 479.11 effective May 6, 2026, in response to the Supreme Court's 2024 decision in Garland v. Cargill.^[3][4] The federal rule amends 27 CFR parts 447, 478 and 479 and does not amend CGS 53-202, which has its own definition of machine gun. CGS 53-202 covers weapons that shoot, are designed to shoot or can be readily restored to shoot automatically more than one projectile without manual reloading by a single function of the trigger, including convertible pistols equipped with pistol converters. It also includes parts designed for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun. A pistol converter installed in or attached to the rear of a semiautomatic pistol's slide interferes with the trigger mechanism, enabling rapid or automatic fire with one continuous trigger pull. Forced-reset triggers are separately included in Connecticut's rate of fire enhancement definition under CGS 53-206g. Federal NFA registration remains required for items federally classified as machine guns. State registration under CGS 53-202(g) applies to machine guns adapted to use projectiles of any caliber, except guns registered under subsection (f) and still in the manufacturer's actual possession.^[1]