Help on carry laws in the Carolinas

[Apple a Day]

I'm not sure whether to post this under "Handguns:General" of "Legal&Political".
Can someone link me to statutes in North and South Carolinas regarding driving through the state with a handgun. I have a CCW in Virginia and am headed to Georgia, don't want to trip over any state laws. Man, I wish there were more reciprocity agreements between states!
Thanks in advance

[KPS]

Try www.packing.org .

[boing]

Here's the gun laws page from the NC Attorney General's office:

http://www.jus.state.nc.us/NCJA/firearms.htm#north

Generally, in a vehicle, plainly visible is legal (on the dash, or seat). Holstered is OK, as long as it's readily identifiable as a firearm. In a locked glove box with the key not in the lock is maybe-sorta OK, but is "open to interpretation" by any police officer you may encounter (whatever that means).

[Charmedlyfe]

I don't know about North Carolina, but in SC, if you don't have a SC permit, then it has to be in a glove box or closed center console (not out in the open, and locked/unlocked doesn't matter). Be advised that a LOT of SC officers don't know much about the state gun laws, and aren't smart enough to look them up before charging people.

[Larry Wright]

Maybe I'm obtuse but I did not see anything on the NC website that addressed having a weapon visible on seat, dash, etc. Could you please cite "chapter and verse". I have VA CCW and was born a raised in SC so I'm comfortable with SC. I always feel a little uncomfortable traversing NC. Any specific info would be greatly appreciated. side note--generally I subscribe to lock it in trunk and don't break any laws while in NC; it would be nice to just lay her out in plain view. Thanks again!

[JB in SC]

I would agree with Larry concerning NC carry, I travel most of the southeastern states and I am not comfortable in NC or AL. SC and GA are no problem. NC is not a gun friendly state as far as I'm concerned. And AL is very vague in their law.

[FLM]

You can carry your handgun anywhere in your car in Georgia. It's a very gun-friendly state.

[Onslaught]

WOAH! Slow down there FLM...

"You can carry your handgun anywhere in your car in Georgia. It's a very gun-friendly state."

While I do dearly LOVE my state's CCW laws, that is not quite the case. If you are a resident of GA without a CCW, or NOT a resident of GA without a recognized CCW, you can carry your gun in plain view, or in the glove box, but NOT under your seat, in the "door pocket", or in ANY manner that could conceal it. In other words, if it isn't in the glove box, but you can't see it, it's NOT LEGAL!

Now, on the other hand, if you DO have a GA CCW or recognized out of state CCW, then you CAN carry any darned where INSIDE the vehicle you wish. Although, you have to be careful where you take your vehicle at that point... (Schools in particular, unless you're picking up a child).

But yeah, Georgia is a VERY gun friendly state!

[FScott]

Generally speaking NC law prohibits carrying a weapon concealed on or about their person off of their own premises. Concealed includes areas of easy access. There is no specific state law which either allows or forbids "open carry" and the wrinkle lies in what constitutes concealed. There is a presumption that if it is on your person it is concealed, which may be rebutted (which of course requires going to court). Any locality may also enact local ordinances prohibiting carrying in any fashion without a permit. Firearms are prohibited, open or concealed, in schools, government buildings, banks, parades, premises on which alcohol is sold and consumed, public events for which admission is charged and any premises with a No Gun ban.

The long and short of this is that while it maybe OK to open carry, it may not be and is a good way to get arrested. Better to lock it in the trunk, unloaded, with ammo in a separate container. Even if you beat it you'll have to deal with the system to do so, not an inviting prospect.

[FLM]

Onslaught:

You're right, of course. It's been a few years since I lived in Atlanta and my memory was a little fuzzy. When I lived there, I had a holster set up right next to my car seat next to my right hand. What a great state.

[Apple a Day]

Thanks, folks.
Looks like I will have to lock my carry pistol in the trunk through NC, then probably in the glove box through SC and Ga.
I REALLY wish we had reciprocity.
Regards

[Waitone]

NC laws are deliberately vague. Bottom line (in my opinion and I am not an attorney) if you must go through NC lock it in a locked box in the trunk and don't think of retriving it while in the state. Too much discretion is left to the LEO on the pavement. Sometimes they are understanding and sometimes they aren't.

www.packing.org is a good place to research.

[fed168]

I work in NC, and run into a persons traveling through carrying. It is okay to carry it on the front seat, in plain view, ready to go. Just remember to let the LEO know it is there.

[FScott]

I've heard of quite a few people who do carry on the front seat in open view (or on the dash), and none have had problems, providing they inform the LEO that it is there (no LEO's like surprises). However, this is mostly in non-urban settings. I don't know if Raleigh, for instance, has a local ordinance or not, but I would expect a city LEO to be a bit more dicey about an open carry situation.

Depending on what you're doing and where you are, you'll have to make a judgment with respect to your safety risk versus potential legal hassles. Like I said, it is a fairly common practice but it is not without some risk of at least having to defend a charge (and the related legal costs).

Reciprocity is sorely needed!

[fed168]

In the urban setting next to Raleigh, it is ok.

[Walt Sherrill]

Over the years, here in NC, you'll see guys, when approaching a traffic stop (checking licenses, etc.) or when being stopped by a police officer, take their guns and put them -- in the holster, generally -- on the dash, where they are very obvious.

Those of us who have a concealed carry permit are required by law to tell the officer that we're armed -- and to tell him or her where the weapon is located. (Every officer I've dealt with in this type of situation was pleasant and didn't seem to care. My son's a cop, and he'd say, "Its not the guys with permits I'm worried about." The HP's computer system KNOWs if you have a permit, by the way, and I think city and county cops access the same database.)

The problem for gun owners, if you don't have a concealed carry permit, is that there's NOWHERE you can keep the gun inside the car that won't potentially get you in trouble, if the gun isn't immediately visible to an officer....

And while you can carry openly in NC, there's an offsetting law that make open carry troublesome: going "armed to the terror of the public." Carrying openly is OK, but if you do anything that can be considered the least bit threatening, be prepared to talk to a police officer and maybe spend some time in jail while its all sorted out. It doesn't take much to threaten someone, nowadays.