Short answer: in California and New York, a semi-automatic rifle that takes a detachable magazine is an "assault weapon" if it has any one of a list of features, so a "featureless" AR-15 is simply a rifle built without any of them. The lists differ: California has six rifle features and its own definition of each; New York has seven and counts muzzle brakes and compensators. New Jersey works differently: it bans named models (including the Colt AR-15 and CAR-15 series) and anything "substantially identical", so a feature checklist is not enough there. All three also limit magazines to ten rounds. Court cases in 2026 may change this, but until a court rules the laws are enforced.
Legal status checked 12 October 2026 against the statutes, the Third Circuit opinion and the Supreme Court docket. We re-check this guide every six months (next: April 2027). It is information, not legal advice: confirm with your state attorney general, state police or a firearms attorney before you buy or build.
What changed in 2026
- The Supreme Court took an assault-weapon case. On 30 June 2026 it agreed to hear Viramontes v. Cook County (No. 25-238), consolidated with a Connecticut case (No. 25-566). Respondents' briefs are due 21 October and oral argument is set for 2 December 2026. A decision is likely in 2027.
- The Third Circuit struck down New Jersey's bans, then paused its own ruling. Sitting en banc on 17 July 2026 it held that New Jersey's ban on semi-automatic rifles and its ten-round magazine limit violate the Second Amendment. News reports say it stayed that ruling on 4 August while the state seeks Supreme Court review, so New Jersey's laws remain in force.
- California amended Penal Code 30515 (AB 191, effective 20 September 2026). The rifle test below is the text now in force.
Where the rifle-ban cases stand
How California, New York and New Jersey define a banned rifle
| California | New York | New Jersey | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feature test for a rifle with a detachable magazine | Any one of six: protruding pistol grip, thumbhole stock, folding or telescoping stock, grenade or flare launcher, flash suppressor, forward pistol grip (PC 30515(a)(1)) | Any one of seven: folding or telescoping stock, protruding pistol grip, thumbhole stock, second or protruding handgrip, bayonet mount, flash suppressor, muzzle brake, compensator or threaded barrel for one, grenade launcher (PL 265.00(22)(a)) | No standalone feature list for rifles. The Attorney General's 1996 guidance treats a rifle as "substantially identical" to a banned one if it takes a detachable magazine and has at least two listed features |
| Named models | Yes. Includes the "Colt AR-15 series", and "series" covers variations with minor differences regardless of manufacturer (PC 30510) | Not part of the rifle test above | Yes. A list of over thirty models, including the "Colt AR-15 and CAR-15 series", plus any "substantially identical" firearm (2C:39-1(w)) |
| Fixed-magazine rifles | Banned if the fixed magazine holds more than 10 rounds; length under 30 in is also banned (PC 30515(a)(2), (3)) | A rifle that cannot accept a detachable magazine holding more than five rounds is excluded (PL 265.00(22)(g)(ii)) | A semi-automatic rifle with a fixed magazine over 10 rounds is covered (2C:39-1(w)(4)) |
| Magazines | More than 10 rounds is a "large-capacity magazine" (PC 16740, 32310) | More than 10 rounds (PL 265.00(23)) | More than 10 rounds (the Third Circuit calls them LCMs) |
Statutes read 12 October 2026: California Penal Code 30515 and 30510, 11 CCR 5471, New York Penal Law 265.00 (revision dated 28 August 2026), and New Jersey's N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(w) as quoted in the Third Circuit's opinion. This guide is about rifles; pistols and shotguns have separate lists.
California: what the rifle test says
California's main rifle test is Penal Code 30515(a)(1): a semi-automatic centerfire rifle without a fixed magazine is an assault weapon if it has any one of six features. California's regulations define several of them:
- Fixed magazine. One that "cannot be removed without disassembly of the firearm action". The regulations say "permanently attached" means welded, epoxied or riveted into the magazine well, and that rifles with bullet-button-style releases do not have a fixed magazine.
- Protruding pistol grip. A grip that allows a pistol-style grasp in which the web of the trigger hand, between thumb and index finger, can sit beneath or below the top of the exposed part of the trigger.
- Flash suppressor. Any device on the end of the barrel designed, intended or functioning to perceptibly reduce or redirect muzzle flash from the shooter's field of vision. A hybrid device, or one its maker labels a flash hider, counts.
- Thumbhole stock. A stock with a hole that lets the trigger-hand thumb pass into or through it.
- Length. A centerfire rifle under 30 inches overall, measured with a folding or telescoping stock collapsed, is also covered.
That is why a "featureless" California rifle is built with a fixed stock, no protruding grip and no flash-suppressing muzzle device. But the statute has a second path: Penal Code 30510 lists named rifles, including the "Colt AR-15 series", and says "series" includes other models that are only variations with minor differences, regardless of manufacturer. Whether a particular AR-15-pattern rifle falls under that list is a legal question we cannot answer for you, so ask the California Department of Justice or a California firearms attorney before you buy.
New York: what the rifle test says
Penal Law 265.00(22)(a) covers a semi-automatic rifle that "has an ability to accept a detachable magazine" and has at least one of seven features. Two details matter for AR-15 builds: a "second handgrip or a protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand" counts, and so does a "flash suppressor, muzzle break, muzzle compensator, or threaded barrel designed to accommodate" one. A rifle that cannot accept a detachable magazine holding more than five rounds is excluded. Magazines that hold more than ten rounds are "large capacity".
New Jersey: what the law says
New Jersey bans "assault firearms" by name, with a list of over thirty models that includes the "Colt AR-15 and CAR-15 series", and adds any firearm "substantially identical" to one on the list. The Attorney General's 1996 guidance describes a rifle as substantially identical if it takes a detachable magazine and has at least two features such as a folding or telescoping stock, a protruding pistol grip, a bayonet mount, a flash suppressor or a grenade launcher. The statute also covers a part or combination of parts "from which an assault firearm may be readily assembled" in one person's possession. Possessing an operable assault firearm without a license is a crime carrying up to ten years in prison and a $150,000 fine, and in the Third Circuit case the plaintiffs said, and the state did not dispute, that no one has ever received such a license.
In July 2026 the Third Circuit sitting en banc held the ban unconstitutional as to all semi-automatic rifles and held the ten-round magazine limit unconstitutional too, sending the other weapon types back to the district court. News reports say it stayed that decision on 4 August while New Jersey asks the Supreme Court to review it, and that the laws remain enforced. Do not rely on the ruling until the stay ends and a lawyer tells you it applies to you.
What this means for the parts you buy
We are not telling you how to configure a rifle for any state, only which parts the statutes name:
- Stock. California and New York name folding and telescoping stocks. See our best AR-15 stocks and browse AR-15 stocks to see which are adjustable.
- Grip. Both name a protruding pistol grip, and New York also names a second or protruding grip the non-trigger hand can hold. Browse AR-15 grips.
- Muzzle device. California names flash suppressors, including hybrids. New York names flash suppressors, brakes, compensators and threaded barrels. Our muzzle device guide explains each, and you can browse muzzle devices.
- Magazines. California, New York and New Jersey all use a ten-round line. Check the capacity before you buy.
- Pistols and lowers. Pistols have different lists: see how to build an AR pistol, and 80% lowers explained for the rules on unfinished lowers.
Plan your parts in the AR-15 builder, and check the accessories checklist.
Frequently asked questions
What is a featureless AR-15?
It is a common name, not a legal term: an AR-15 built without any of the features a state's statute lists, such as a telescoping stock, protruding pistol grip or flash suppressor. What counts depends on the state.
Is a featureless AR-15 legal in California?
A rifle with none of the six features in Penal Code 30515(a)(1) falls outside that test, but California also lists named rifles in Penal Code 30510, including the "Colt AR-15 series", and says series includes variations with minor differences. Confirm a specific rifle with the California Department of Justice or a firearms attorney.
Is a featureless AR-15 legal in New York?
New York's test for a rifle is a detachable magazine plus any one of seven features, which include a muzzle brake, compensator, or a threaded barrel designed for one. A rifle with none of the features is outside that test. New York also limits magazines to ten rounds. Check with the State Police or a New York attorney.
Can you own an AR-15 in New Jersey?
New Jersey lists the Colt AR-15 and CAR-15 series and any "substantially identical" firearm, and possession without a license is a crime. The Third Circuit struck the ban down in July 2026, but news reports say that ruling is stayed, so the law is still enforced. Talk to a New Jersey firearms attorney before you buy or build.
Does a bullet button make an AR-15 legal in California?
No. California's regulations say a rifle whose magazine can be removed with a tool, such as a bullet button, does not have a fixed magazine.
Will the Supreme Court change these laws?
It agreed on 30 June 2026 to hear challenges to assault-weapon bans from Cook County and Connecticut, with argument on 2 December 2026. A decision is likely in 2027. Until the Court rules, state laws stay in force.
