Actually, it does matter in Omaha, as they have more restrictive laws than elsewhere in the state.
To begin with, any concealable firearm (handgun) that you are carrying inside Omaha City limits must be registered with the City of Omaha whether or not you reside there. Registration of firearms is not required anywhere else in the state.
Now, on to transport..
Let's talk about concealable guns first (handguns). First off, if you have a Nebraska Concealed Handgun Permit, obviously your sidearms can be located anywhere in the car, loaded or unloaded. Just remember that if you get pulled over for any reason, you must immediately inform the officer that you are carrying a concealed handgun in the car just like you would have to if you were carrying the gun on your person.
If you do not have a Nebraska Concealed Handgun Permit, then you can carry a loaded handgun in the car with you as long as it is in plain site (open carry). Now, in Omaha, however, you must also have a permit to open carry, regardless of where you reside. A Nebraska Concealed Handgun Permit will satisfy this requirement as well.
If you do not want to carry it openly, or if you are in Omaha and do not have a permit to carry openly or concealed, then the gun must be unloaded and not readily accessible to anyone in the passenger compartment (in the trunk, or locked in a secure case in the absence of a trunk). There is no requirement that the ammunition must be stored separately from the firearm. I have seen various law enforcement agency web sites that say the best way to transport a weapon is separately from the ammunition, but again there are no specific statutes that I know of that require this by law.
Here are the Omaha ordinances on transporting a concealable weapon:
Sec. 20-206. Carrying weapons.
(a) As provided in section 20-192, the carrying of a concealed weapon is expressly forbidden.
(b) In all other cases, it shall be unlawful for a person to go armed with a loaded concealable firearm of any kind or to knowingly carry or transport a concealable firearm in a motor vehicle, provided, however, that this section shall not apply to the following persons:
(1) Persons lawfully entitled to possess a firearm while upon the premises where he or she regularly resides or is regularly employed.
(2) Peace officers.
(3) Members of the armed forces of the United States, the National Guard, or the Reserve Officer Training Corps when on duty or training.
(4) Persons who for any lawful purpose carry an unloaded concealable firearm inside a closed and fastened container or securely wrapped package which is too large to be concealed on the person.
(5) Persons who for any lawful purpose carry or transport an unloaded concealable firearm in a vehicle inside a closed and fastened container or securely wrapped package which is too large to be concealed on the person or inside a cargo or luggage compartment where the concealable firearm will not be readily accessible to any person riding in the vehicle or common carrier.
(6) Persons in or upon a shooting range or the regular business premises of a federally and city licensed firearms dealer.
(7) Persons engaged in a generally recognized course of instruction in the use of firearms, such as hunter safety instructions or instruction for the purpose of obtaining an identification card showing satisfactory completion of the firearm training program as set forth in section 20-207.
( 8 ) Persons who have verified to the city that they are entitled to a waiver of the firearm training program as set forth in section 20-207(k).
(9) Persons who have obtained and display an identification card showing satisfactory completion of the firearm training program as set forth in section 20-207.
(10) Persons possessing a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm under Nebraska Law.
(Ord. No. 33113, ? 7, 11-23-93; Ord. No. 34229, ? 1, 6-17-97; Ord. No. 37432, ? 2, 7-18-06)
If you are taking long guns to the range, then in Nebraska, rifles may be carried loaded openly, but shotguns may never be loaded while in a vehicle. However, Omaha is again more restrictive, requiring long guns to be broken down or cased.
Here is the Omaha ordinance:
Sec. 20-195. Possession or transportation of firearms.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly or purposely transport in any conveyance or in any other manner, or to possess off his own premises, any rifle, shotgun, air gun, air rifle, paint ball gun or machine gun unless the same is unloaded and contained in any enclosed gun case, or unloaded and broken down. The removal of the bolt from any such firearm or carrying the same in a holster type gun case without further breaking down such firearm shall not be deemed to be in compliance with the requirements of this section.
(b) The provisions of this section shall not be applicable to:
(1) Authorized law enforcement officers;
(2) The armed forces of the United States, including ROTC units and the National Guard in the performance of their duties;
(3) The carrying of unloaded and uncased rifles in parades or using rifles in ceremonials;
(4) The possession of rifles, machine guns, or shotguns at shows or exhibits; or
(5) Any other lawful use, purpose or activity, including but not limited to skeet and trap shooting, target shooting at rifle ranges, hunter safety instruction conducted by qualified instructors, when such do not endanger public safety or are detrimental to public welfare; provided, however:
a. The prior approval of the police chief shall have been obtained for such use, purpose or activity; and
b. With respect to skeet and trap shooting ranges located or to be located in public parks, the final determination of the safety of the same shall be made by the city council.
(Code 1980, ? 20-195; Ord. No. 33113, ? 3, 11-23-93; Ord. No. 33757, ? 7, 12-19-95; Ord. No. 36361, ? 2, 8-19-03)
Lastly, if you ride your snowmobile to the range, then no matter where you are in Nebraska, you can not carry any sort of firearm with you unless it is unloaded and cased.
