N.Y. Penal Law Section 265.01-A
Criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds

A person is guilty of criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds when he or she knowingly has in his or her possession a rifle, shotgun, or firearm in or upon a building or grounds, used for educational purposes, of any school, college, or university, except the forestry lands, wherever located, owned, maintained or held in trust for the benefit of the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University, now known as the State University of New York college of environmental science and forestry, or upon a school bus as defined in Vehicle & Traffic Law § 142 (School bus)section one hundred forty-two of the vehicle and traffic law, without the written authorization of such educational institution; provided, however no school, as defined in subdivision ten of Education Law § 1125 (Definitions)section eleven hundred twenty-five of the education law, shall issue such written authorization to any teacher, school administrator, or other person employed at the school who is not primarily employed as a school resource officer, police officer, peace officer, or security guard who has been issued a special armed guard registration card as defined in General Business Law § 89-F (Definitions)section eighty-nine-f of the general business law, regardless of whether the person is employed directly by such school or by a third party. Criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds is a class E felony.

Source: Section 265.01-A — Criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/PEN/265.­01-A (updated Nov. 8, 2019; accessed Nov. 15, 2025).

265.00
Definitions 265.01
Criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree 265.01–A
Criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds 265.01–B
Criminal possession of a firearm 265.01–C
Criminal possession of a rapid-fire modification device 265.01–D
Criminal possession of a weapon in a restricted location 265.01–E
Criminal possession of a firearm, rifle or shotgun in a sensitive location 265.02
Criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree 265.03
Criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree 265.04
Criminal possession of a weapon in the first degree 265.05
Unlawful possession of weapons by persons under sixteen 265.06
Unlawful possession of a weapon upon school grounds 265.07
Registration and serialization of firearms, rifles, shotguns, finished frames or receivers, and unfinished frames or receivers 265.08
Criminal use of a firearm in the second degree 265.09
Criminal use of a firearm in the first degree 265.10
Manufacture, transport, disposition and defacement of weapons and dangerous instruments and appliances 265.11
Criminal sale of a firearm in the third degree 265.12
Criminal sale of a firearm in the second degree 265.13
Criminal sale of a firearm in the first degree 265.14
Criminal sale of a firearm with the aid of a minor 265.15
Presumptions of possession, unlawful intent and defacement 265.16
Criminal sale of a firearm to a minor 265.17
Criminal purchase or disposal of a weapon 265.19
Aggravated criminal possession of a weapon 265.20
Exemptions 265.25
Certain wounds to be reported 265.26
Burn injury and wounds to be reported 265.30
Certain convictions to be reported 265.35
Prohibited use of weapons 265.37
Unlawful possession of certain ammunition feeding devices 265.38
Unlawful sale of a non-microstamping-enabled firearm 265.40
Purchase of rifles and/or shotguns in contiguous states 265.45
Failure to safely store rifles, shotguns, and firearms in the first degree 265.46
Failure to safely store rifles, shotguns, and firearms in the second degree 265.50
Criminal manufacture, sale, or transport of an undetectable firearm, rifle or shotgun 265.55
Criminal possession of an undetectable firearm, rifle or shotgun 265.60
Criminal sale of a ghost gun in the second degree 265.61
Criminal sale of a ghost gun in the first degree 265.63
Criminal sale of a frame or receiver in the second degree 265.64
Criminal sale of a frame or receiver in the first degree 265.65
Criminal purchase of a semiautomatic rifle 265.66
Criminal sale of a semiautomatic rifle
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Verified:
Nov. 15, 2025

Last modified:
Nov. 8, 2019

§ 265.01-A. Crim. possession of a weapon on school grounds's source at nysenate​.gov

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