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Prohibit Open Carry

    Solutions

    Prohibit Open Carry

    What does it solve?

    Carrying firearms visibly in public, known as open carry, is a dangerous policy. It is exploited by white supremacists and opposed by law enforcement and the public. Members of hate groups regularly openly carry guns in a show of intimidation.

    Armed COVID-19 Protests Exploit Open Carry Loophole Report

    Research shows that the presence of a visible gun makes people more aggressive. Allowing guns to be carried openly in public also makes it very difficult to distinguish between the “good guys” and the “bad guys” during an active shooter incident. States should prohibit guns from being carried openly in public.

      Open Carry

      Which states regulate the open carry of firearms?

      AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

      Open Carry Regulated

      Alabama has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Alaska has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Arizona has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Arkansas has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      California has adopted this policy

      How is open carry regulated?
      Prohibited for all firearms

      Open Carry Regulated

      Colorado has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Connecticut has adopted this policy

      How is open carry regulated?
      Prohibited for all firearms

      Open Carry Regulated

      Delaware has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Florida has adopted this policy

      How is open carry regulated?
      Prohibited for all firearms

      Open Carry Regulated

      Georgia has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Hawaii has adopted this policy

      How is open carry regulated?
      Permit required for handguns; prohibited for rifles and shotguns.

      Open Carry Regulated

      Idaho has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Illinois has adopted this policy

      How is open carry regulated?
      Prohibited for all firearms

      Open Carry Regulated

      Indiana has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Iowa has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Kansas has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Kentucky has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Louisiana has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Maine has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Maryland has adopted this policy

      How is open carry regulated?
      Prohibited for handguns; open carry not regulated for rifles and shotguns.

      Open Carry Regulated

      Massachusetts has adopted this policy

      How is open carry regulated?
      Permit required for all firearms.

      Open Carry Regulated

      Michigan has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Minnesota has adopted this policy

      How is open carry regulated?
      Permit required for all firearms.

      Open Carry Regulated

      Mississippi has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Missouri has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Montana has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Nebraska has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Nevada has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      New Jersey has adopted this policy

      How is open carry regulated?
      Prohibited for handguns; permit required for long guns.

      Open Carry Regulated

      New Mexico has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      New York has adopted this policy

      How is open carry regulated?
      Prohibited for handguns; open carry not regulated for rifles and shotguns.

      Open Carry Regulated

      North Carolina has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      North Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Ohio has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Oregon has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Pennsylvania has not adopted this policy

      How is open carry regulated?
      Regulated only in Philadelphia

      Open Carry Regulated

      Rhode Island has adopted this policy

      How is open carry regulated?
      Permit required for handguns; prohibited for rifles and shotguns (unless unloaded)

      Open Carry Regulated

      South Carolina has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      South Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Tennessee has adopted this policy

      How is open carry regulated?
      Open carry not regulated for handguns; prohibited for rifles and shotguns (unless unloaded).

      Open Carry Regulated

      Texas has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Utah has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Vermont has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Virginia has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Washington has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      West Virginia has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Wisconsin has not adopted this policy

      Open Carry Regulated

      Wyoming has not adopted this policy

      Myth

      Regulating open carry would violate the Second Amendment.

      Fact

      Several states have laws prohibiting or otherwise regulating open carry, such as prohibitions on firearms at demonstrations, that are entirely consistent with the Second Amendment. Restrictions on public carry—including open carry—of firearms trace back to at least the fourteenth century, and have existed throughout the history of the United States.

      How it works

      Open carry is a threat to public safety.

      Open carry is a favored exercise by hate groups who regularly carry guns openly in a show of intimidation. In advance of a planned “Unite the Right” White Nationalist rally in Charlottesville, VA on August 12, 2017, a self-styled “militia group” descended on the city openly carrying handguns and military-style rifles. Later that day, one person was killed and 19 others injured when a white supremacist rammed a car into a crowd of counter- protesters.

      In the July 2016 mass shooting of five police officers in Dallas, the work of police officers was made more difficult as they struggled to distinguish between people legally carrying guns openly and the gunman who opened fire. Afterwards, both the police chief and the mayor said law enforcement couldn’t tell “good guys with guns” from “bad guys with guns” because it is perfectly legal to walk around in public with an exposed handgun or rifle in Texas.

      A small minority of states prohibit the open carry of firearms altogether, while others require a permit to do so. However, while many states require a permit to carry a concealed handgun in public, in the majority of states it is legal for civilians to openly carry handguns or long guns without a permit. This is often the result of the absence of state laws regulating the open carry of firearms in public, commonly known as the “open carry loophole.” Because responsible gun owners have not traditionally carried firearms openly, many state legislatures have not passed laws regulating the practice.

      Victories

      You might be wondering…

      1. 1 What is the “open carry loophole”?

      Learn More

      Armed COVID-19 Protests Exploit Open Carry Loophole Resource
      Prohibiting Guns at Public Demonstrations: Debunking First and Second Amendment Myths After Charlottesville Resource
      Armed and Dangerous: How the Gun Lobby Enshrines Guns as Tools of the Extreme Right Resource
      41

      Did you know?

      In 41 states, civilians can open carry loaded, semi-automatic rifles without a permit.

      *Six states (CA, FL, HI, IL, RI, and TN) and the District of Columbia prohibit the open carry of loaded long guns.  Three states (MA, MN, and NJ) require permits to openly carry long guns.  Pennsylvania requires a carry permit in cities of “the first class,” defined as a city with a population of one million or more (i.e., Philadelphia), only and is included among states that allow open carry of long guns without a permit.

      Last updated: 6.23.2022