---
kind: "section"
citation: "27 C.F.R. § 478.36"
title: "27"
number: "478.36"
heading: "Transfer or possession of machine guns."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/27/478.36"
---

# §478.36. Transfer or possession of machine guns.


No person shall transfer or possess a machine gun except:

- (a) A transfer to or by, or possession by or under the authority of, the United States, or any department or agency thereof, or a State, or a department, agency, or political subdivision thereof. (See [Part 479](/cfr/27/part479.md) of this chapter); or
- (b) Any lawful transfer or lawful possession of a machine gun that was lawfully possessed before May 19, 1986 (See [Part 479](/cfr/27/part479.md) of this chapter).

## Notes

### Amendments

[T.D. ATF-270, 53 FR 10494, Mar. 31, 1988]

### Authority

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 18 U.S.C. 847, 921-931; 44 U.S.C. 3504(h).

### Source

Source: 33 FR 18555, Dec. 14, 1968, unless otherwise noted. Redesignated at 40 FR 16835, Apr. 15, 1975, and further redesignated by T.D. ATF-487, 68 FR 3750, Jan. 24, 2003.

### Amendments

[T.D. ATF-270, 53 FR 10494, Mar. 31, 1988]