Private ownership of fully automatic AK-pattern rifles is strictly regulated by the National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934. The Gun Control Act of 1968 ceased the import of foreign-manufactured fully automatic firearms for civilian sales and possession.

In 1986, an amendment to the Firearm Owners Protection Act stopped all future domestic manufacturing of fully automatic weapons for civilian use (non-military/non-LEO). Fully automatic weapons are still manufactured in the US for military and law enforcement use. However, automatic firearms manufactured domestically prior to 1986 or imported prior to 1968 may be transferred between civilians in accordance with federal and state law. A number of Soviet and PRC rifles were brought into the U.S. during the mid-1960s, when returning Vietnam veterans brought them home after capture from enemy troops. Some of these were properly registered during the amnesty period under the 1968 NFA law.

Semi-automatic AK-type rifles, are legal and obtainable in most states of the United States, HOWEVER they may or may not be legal to own or possess depending on state , county , city , and local laws and ordinances. Persons interested in owning one of these types of rifles are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to research the laws where they reside or plan to keep and use the weapon. The 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban used to restrict the sale, transfer and possession of AK-47s and many other such weapons manufactured after 1994, unless modified to the letter of the law (removal of barrel threading and bayonet lug). This ban expired in 2004, making all domestically produced semi-automatic AK-47s legal. The import of AK pattern rifles is still banned. However, certain states such as California, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts have specific restrictions which effectively ban new purchases of many semi-automatic rifles, with some mentioning AK-pattern firearms by name.