Good day to all,
I am new to this website and I have applied for my GFL in Houston county on December 15, 2010. I travel to Arkansas several times a year and to North Carolina. I have read the laws but all the legal mumbo jumbo is confusing.
Alabama
You must have a Permit/License to carry a loaded handgun in any vehicle.
A person may lawfully transport a firearm, including a handgun, from one state in which they are legal to possess to another state without a permit as required under Alabama law, provided the following conditions are met:
?
The firearm is unloaded.
? Neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such transporting vehicle.
? In case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver's compartment, the firearm and ammunition shall be in a locked container other than the glove box or console. Title 18 U.S.C. section 926A
Arkansas
Arkansas Code Annotated §5-73-120. Carrying a weapon.
(a) A person commits the offense of carrying a weapon if he or she possesses a handgun, knife, or club on or about his or her person, in a vehicle occupied by him or her, or otherwise readily available for use with a purpose to employ the handgun, knife, or club as a weapon against a person.
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(c) It is a defense to a prosecution under this section that at the time of the act of carrying a weapon:
(4) The person is carrying a weapon when upon a journey, unless the journey is through a commercial airport when presenting at the security checkpoint in the airport or is in the person's checked baggage and is not a lawfully declared weapon; (a journey is defined as traveling beyond your circle of neighbors and general acquaintances or outside a person’s normal travel routine)
Note: Journey is a very vague statement and has not been defined in AR Law that I can find. Unloaded and secured in the Trunk or a container not the Glove Box or Console is what Handgunlaw.us recommends at this time. Use Caution.
Mississippi
SEC. 97-37-1. Deadly weapons; carrying while concealed; use or attempt to use; penalties.
(2) It shall not be a violation of this section for any person over the age of eighteen (18) years to carry a firearm or deadly weapon concealed in whole or in part within the confines of his own home or his place of business, or any real property associated with his home or business or within any motor vehicle.
North Carolina Must inform Officer
Transporting Weapons
Roy Cooper
Attorney General
Given this general prohibition of carrying concealed weapons, individuals must be ever vigilant to ensure that their particular situation cannot be construed as concealing a weapon either on or about them without being properly authorized to do so with a valid North Carolina concealed handgun permit. Therefore, the person's accessibility to the weapon is of prime importance. It is for these reasons, that when transporting a weapon in a vehicle, even greater care must be exercised to ensure that the weapon is
not concealed and within the ready access to an occupant of the vehicle. North Carolina law does not specifically address how to transport a weapon in an automobile. Therefore, the central question becomes: when is the weapon concealed and readily accessible to an occupant of the automobile? Obviously, a weapon would be concealed and readily accessible, and therefore in violation of our law, if it were
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placed in such areas of a vehicle as, under the seat of the automobile; in a bag in the back seat; in an unlocked glove compartment; or in some other manner is covered or hidden within the easy reach of an occupant of the vehicle. A previous opinion from this office was that a weapon would not be concealed if it were placed in a locked glove compartment, unless the key to the glove compartment was in the lock and the person was in close proximity and had ready access to it. A concern with this mode of transportation however is that it is quite susceptible to different interpretations, based on the various factors involved. Therefore, this may not be the most legally defensible method of transporting a weapon, and is discouraged.
While a weapon carried openly in an automobile would not be concealed, there are other problems attendant to this method of carrying a weapon. The principal drawback, of course, is in the event of a person being stopped by a law enforcement official, the officer may not readily know that person's purpose and intent for carrying a weapon. As such, it is imperative that a person immediately notify an officer of the presence of any weapon in the automobile, for the officer's and the vehicle's occupants' safety. Another obvious drawback is that a valuable weapon may be in plain view for potential thieves to see. The prohibition to carrying concealed weapons applies not only to handguns and other weapons commonly thought of as being easily hidden, but also to "long guns" as well. Therefore, shotguns and rifles concealed behind the seat of pickup trucks, and elsewhere in other vehicles, could similarly violate our law.
As to those vehicles with no easily discernible trunk area, for example vans, the question turns on a factual determination of when the weapon is within ready and easy access to an occupant of the vehicle. If the weapon is concealed near, in close proximity to, or within the convenient control and access of an occupant, which would allow him to use the weapon quickly, then a fair probability exists that the occupant is in violation of the law. Therefore, care must be exercised by any occupant of a vehicle to ensure that the weapons are securely locked away in as remote an area as possible in relation to the passenger compartment of the vehicle. It is important to emphasize that these prohibitions apply to passengers, as well as the driver of a vehicle. From: NC Firearm Laws by NC AG )
Note: In NC you can carry the firearm loaded and in your vehicle without any type of permit/license as long as it is visible. The law says you can’t conceal it. So keep it in the open and you are legal.
Tennessee
It is illegal to carry a loaded firearm in any vehicle without a valid Permit/License.
39-17-1307. Unlawful carrying or possession of a weapon. â€"
(a) (1) A person commits an offense who carries with the intent to go armed a firearm, a knife with a blade length exceeding four inches (4?), or a club.
(2) (A) The first violation of subdivision (a)(1) is a Class C misdemeanor, and, in addition to possible imprisonment as provided by law, may be punished by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500).
(B) A second or subsequent violation of subdivision (a)(1) is a Class B misdemeanor.
39-17-1308. Defenses to unlawful possession or carrying of a weapon. â€"
(a) It is a defense to the application of § 39-17-1307 if the possession or carrying was:
(1) Of an unloaded rifle, shotgun or handgun not concealed on or about the person and the ammunition for the weapon was not in the immediate vicinity of the person or weapon;
I got all this information from the following website.
http://www.handgunlaw.us/documents/USRVCarCarry.pdf
Please help me make since of all these rules. Last thing I want is to get cuffed and stuffed!! :shock:
I don't think the wife would be very happy with me and it would only support her no guns attitude!! ( she is a californian) may god have mercy on her soul!!
Thanks
Marine6212
