2025 Georgia Codes – Page 158

A person commits the offense of unlawful possession of firearms or weapons when he or she knowingly has
in his or her possession any sawed-off shotgun, sawed-off rifle, machine gun, dangerous weapon, or silencer,
and, upon conviction thereof, he or she shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of five years.

Amended 2024
This part shall not apply to:
(1) A peace officer of any duly authorized police agency of this state or of any political subdivision thereof, or
a law enforcement officer of any department or agency of the United States who is regularly employed and
paid by the United States, this state, or any such political subdivision, or an employee of the Department of
Corrections of this state who is authorized in writing by the commissioner of corrections to transfer or pos-
sess such firearms while in the official performance of his duties;
(2) A member of the National Guard or of the armed forces of the United States to wit: the army, navy, marine
corps, air force, space force, or coast guard who, while serving therein, possesses such firearm in the line of
duty;
(3) Any sawed-off shotgun, sawed-off rifle, machine gun, dangerous weapon, or silencer which has been
modified or changed to the extent that it is inoperative. Examples of the requisite modification include weap-
ons with their barrel or barrels filled with lead, hand grenades filled with sand, or other nonexplosive materi-
als;
(4) Possession of a sawed-off shotgun, sawed-off rifle, machine gun, dangerous weapon, or silencer by a per-
son who is authorized to possess the same because he has registered the sawed-off shotgun, sawed-off rifle,
machine gun, dangerous weapon, or silencer in accordance with the dictates of the National Firearms Act,
68A Stat. 725 (26 U.S.C. Sections 5841-5862); and
(5) A security officer employed by a federally licensed nuclear power facility or a licensee of such facil-
ity, including a contract security officer, who is trained and qualified under a security plan approved by the
United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission or other federal agency authorized to regulate nuclear facility
security; provided, however, that this exemption shall apply only while such security officer is acting in con-
nection with his or her official duties on the premises of such nuclear power facility or on properties outside
the facility property pursuant to a written agreement entered into with the local law enforcement agency
having jurisdiction over the facility. The exemption under this paragraph does not include the possession of
silencers.