State SBR law

Are short-barreled rifles legal in Minnesota? (2026)

By Cole Harlan, EditorUpdated Oct 28, 2026How we verifyEditorial standards

Minnesota's main law on these weapons, Minn. Stat. 609.67, covers machine guns and short-barreled shotguns. We found no short-barreled rifle provision in the sections we read, so the state text doesn't ban an SBR by name or tie one to NFA registration. Federal rules still apply, and shotguns are a different story. Here is what the statute says.

Not legal advice. This page summarizes Minnesota statutes and federal guidance as of the date above. Local rules and your own circumstances can matter. Check with your dealer or a Minnesota attorney if you're unsure.

The short answer

No SBR provision found. Section 609.67 is titled for machine guns and short-barreled shotguns and has no rifle language. Confirm with an attorney.
Short-barreled shotguns are banned. Owning, possessing or operating one is a felony under subd. 2(b), with only narrow exceptions.
Penalty for an SBR under 609.67: none found, because the section doesn't name SBRs. The shotgun penalty is up to five years and $10,000.
Federal law still applies. See Federal process in 2026 below.

The statute

Minn. Stat. 609.67 is headed machine guns and short-barreled shotguns. We found no SBR provision in the sections we read. The provision that shows what is covered is subdivision 2(b), which deals with shotguns, and subdivision 3 lists who may own them:

Subd. 2(b): "Except as otherwise provided herein, whoever owns, possesses, or operates a short-barreled shotgun may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than five years or to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both."

Subd. 3: "The following persons may own or possess a machine gun or short-barreled shotgun provided the provisions of subdivision 4 are complied with:"

The listed groups are law enforcement officers, corrections officials, people holding items the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has determined to be collector's items, ammunition manufacturers testing for government sales, certain federally licensed dealers and manufacturers, and National Guard security guards. Subdivision 4 requires written reports to the BCA. Those are all shotgun and machine gun rules, not rifle rules.

How Minnesota defines an SBR

The state statutes we read have no SBR definition. Section 609.67 defines only a short-barreled shotgun:

Subd. 1(c): "means a shotgun having one or more barrels less than 18 inches in length and any weapon made from a shotgun if such weapon as modified has an overall length less than 26 inches."

Federal law (26 U.S.C. 5845) draws the SBR lines at a barrel under 16 inches, or an overall length under 26 inches for a weapon made from a rifle.

Penalty

None found for an SBR, since 609.67 doesn't name one. For a short-barreled shotgun, the section allows imprisonment of not more than five years, a fine of not more than $10,000, or both (subd. 2(b)). Machine guns carry a much higher maximum under subd. 2(a). We haven't verified how a prosecutor or court would treat a rifle with a short barrel, so confirm with an attorney.

Is legality tied to federal registration?

Not in 609.67 as far as we can tell, because it has no SBR rule to attach registration to. The only federal reference we found is in subd. 3(5), which covers "dealers and manufacturers who are federally licensed to buy and sell, or manufacture machine guns or short-barreled shotguns" when they meet the training or government-sale conditions. We found no NFA-registration exception for owners of short-barreled shotguns.

ATF's October 9, 2026 open letter says it stopped enforcing Form 1 and Form 4 approval and registration for SBRs, SBSs, suppressors and AOWs. Voluntary forms are still processed. For SBRs, that doesn't change the Minnesota text we read. How Minnesota would treat an unregistered SBR: Not yet verified. We found no Minnesota Attorney General opinion or BCA guidance on SBRs.

Suppressors are different. Minnesota's suppressor law is written around federal lawfulness, and ATF says it "cannot opine" on how states treat unregistered items. Our Minnesota suppressor guide covers that open question.

Hunting

SBR-specific hunting rules: Not yet verified. Per our suppressor guide, hunting with a suppressor has been legal in Minnesota since the 2015 repeal of 97B.031, subd. 4.

Other laws that interact

Short-barreled shotguns. Don't confuse a rifle with a shotgun. A gun that meets the shotgun definition in 609.67 and is under 18 inches (barrel) or 26 inches (overall) falls under the felony in subd. 2(b).
Machine guns and conversion parts. Subd. 2(a) also covers trigger activators and machine gun conversion kits. Keep those separate from any SBR build.
Local rules. Subd. 6 says "Laws 1977, chapter 255, supersedes all local ordinances, rules, and regulations." We haven't verified what that covers for rifles.
Chapter 624. The firearms chapter lists sections on carry permits, certain persons not to possess firearms and rifles and shotguns in public places. We haven't read them for SBR effects. Not yet verified.
Suppressors. See Minn. Stat. 609.66 and our suppressor guide.

Braced pistols

The state statutes cited here don't mention pistol braces. See our pistol brace guide for the federal picture.

Federal process in 2026

The making and transfer tax on SBRs has been $0 since January 1, 2026.
ATF stopped Form 1 and Form 4 enforcement on October 9. Voluntary forms are still processed. See NFA wait times.
Dealers use a Form 4473 and NICS check. ATF won't enforce 18 U.S.C. 922(b)(4) "Until final rules are issued."
"For now," interstate transport still needs an approved Form 20 (18 U.S.C. 922(a)(4)).
A dealer can't sell where state law forbids it (18 U.S.C. 922(b)(2)).

ATF says there is no automatic grandfathering if enforcement resumes. Full detail is on our SBR rules 2026 page, and you can compare states with the state NFA checker.

Checked against the official statute text on October 28, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Are short-barreled rifles legal in Minnesota?

We found no SBR provision in Minn. Stat. 609.67, which covers machine guns and short-barreled shotguns only. Short-barreled shotguns are banned with narrow exceptions. Federal rules still apply, and you should confirm with an attorney.

Does Minnesota define a short-barreled rifle?

Not in the sections we read. Section 609.67 defines only a short-barreled shotgun, as one with a barrel under 18 inches or a weapon made from a shotgun under 26 inches overall. Federal law in 26 U.S.C. 5845 uses 16 inches and 26 inches for SBRs.

What is the penalty for a short-barreled shotgun in Minnesota?

Under Minn. Stat. 609.67 subd. 2(b), up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. We found no penalty for an SBR in that section.

Does Minnesota require NFA registration for an SBR?

We found no SBR provision that mentions federal registration. How Minnesota treats an SBR not registered after ATF's October 9, 2026 change is not yet verified, and we found no Attorney General opinion on it.

Do I need a Form 20 to bring an SBR into or out of Minnesota?

According to ATF's fact sheet, "For now," transporting an SBR across state lines still requires an approved Form 20.

Are short-barreled rifles legal in Minnesota? (2026)

The short answer

The statute

How Minnesota defines an SBR

Penalty

Is legality tied to federal registration?

Hunting

Other laws that interact

Braced pistols

Federal process in 2026

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Keep exploring

Are short-barreled rifles legal in Minnesota? (2026)

The short answer

The statute

How Minnesota defines an SBR

Penalty

Is legality tied to federal registration?

Hunting

Other laws that interact

Braced pistols

Federal process in 2026

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Keep exploring

The Gun Release Report