NC S852

Requires federally licensed firearm dealers to conduct background checks through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) before selling, transferring, or delivering any firearm to a private person.

Requires private persons to conduct background checks through a federally licensed dealer before transferring firearms to other private persons, with exemptions for loans of 14 days or less, temporary transfers under 24 hours, transfers for repair/service, inheritance transfers, and transfers between family members.

Prohibits firearm possession by individuals with felony convictions, fugitives from justice, unlawful drug users, those adjudicated mentally incompetent, illegal aliens, those dishonorably discharged from the military, those who renounced citizenship, and those subject to domestic violence restraining orders.

Establishes Class F felony penalties for federally licensed dealers who violate the background check requirements and for any person providing materially false information to obtain a firearm in violation of state or federal law.

Appropriates $50,000 in nonrecurring funds to the Department of Public Safety to create and disseminate public service announcements about the law, effective July 1, 2024, with the background check requirements effective October 1, 2024.