• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

Carrying handgun in Motor Vehicle with CT postol permit

CharlieR

New member
Joined
Jun 15, 2014
Messages
3
Location
Glastonbury, CT
I am confused about the Connecticut Pistol Law concerning transporting a handgun in a motor vehicle in Connecticut, with a CT pistol permit. I read on some informational website that in Connecticut, a handgun has to be transported unloaded, and locked in a container other than the clove compartment. Is this true even with a carry permit from the state of CT? I thought the permit would allow transporting a handgun in your motor vehicle would be the same as carrying it outside your car where allowed.
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
If you have a CCW feel free to carry the gun on you.

If you don't, then you can only have it in your car (anywhere/anyhow) from when you bought it (carrying it home) or bringing/taking to/from a gunsmith.

Sec. 29-38. Weapons in vehicles. Penalty. Exceptions. (a) Any person who knowingly has, in any vehicle owned, operated or occupied by such person, any weapon, any pistol or revolver for which a proper permit has not been issued as provided in section 29-28 or any machine gun which has not been registered as required by section 53-202, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years or both, and the presence of any such weapon, pistol or revolver, or machine gun in any vehicle shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this section by the owner, operator and each occupant thereof. The word “weapon”, as used in this section, means any BB. gun, any blackjack, any metal or brass knuckles, any police baton or nightstick, any dirk knife or switch knife, any knife having an automatic spring release device by which a blade is released from the handle, having a blade of over one and one-half inches in length, any stiletto, any knife the edged portion of the blade of which is four inches or more in length, any martial arts weapon or electronic defense weapon, as defined in section 53a-3, or any other dangerous or deadly weapon or instrument.

(b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to: (1) Any officer charged with the preservation of the public peace while engaged in the pursuit of such officer’s official duties; (2) any security guard having a baton or nightstick in a vehicle while engaged in the pursuit of such guard’s official duties; (3) any person enrolled in and currently attending a martial arts school, with official verification of such enrollment and attendance, or any certified martial arts instructor, having any such martial arts weapon in a vehicle while traveling to or from such school or to or from an authorized event or competition; (4) any person having a BB. gun in a vehicle provided such weapon is unloaded and stored in the trunk of such vehicle or in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console; and (5) any person having a knife, the edged portion of the blade of which is four inches or more in length, in a vehicle if such person is (A) any member of the armed forces of the United States, as defined in section 27-103, or any reserve component thereof, or of the armed forces of the state, as defined in section 27-2, when on duty or going to or from duty, (B) any member of any military organization when on parade or when going to or from any place of assembly, (C) any person while transporting such knife as merchandise or for display at an authorized gun or knife show, (D) any person while lawfully removing such person’s household goods or effects from one place to another, or from one residence to another, (E) any person while actually and peaceably engaged in carrying any such knife from such person’s place of abode or business to a place or person where or by whom such knife is to be repaired, or while actually and peaceably returning to such person’s place of abode or business with such knife after the same has been repaired, (F) any person holding a valid hunting, fishing or trapping license issued pursuant to chapter 490 or any salt water fisherman while having such knife in a vehicle for lawful hunting, fishing or trapping activities, or (G) any person participating in an authorized historic reenactment.


The law is BS IMO ... as well as other laws regulating firearms
 
Last edited:

CharlieR

New member
Joined
Jun 15, 2014
Messages
3
Location
Glastonbury, CT
http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/connecticut.pdf

...bottom of page 5... welcome to the forum!!!

On page 12 of the same document it says:


Carrying Handguns in Motor Vehicles. By law, when handguns are being transported in a motor vehicle, they must be unloaded and kept in a place (1) not readily or directly accessible from the passenger compartment or (2) locked container other than the glove compartment or console. A violation carries a penalty of one to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both, with a mandatory minimum one-year sentence in the absence of mitigating circumstances. Any handgun found in the violator's possession must be forfeited (CGS §§ 29-35 and 29-37).

I called the CT State Police to ask how a handgun can be legally carried in a motor vehicle with a valid CT Pistol Permit. The lady I spoke with very clearly immediately stated that even with a carry permit, the handgun has to be unloaded and kept in a locked container not accessible from the passenger compartment. If this is true, you can never carry a handgun in your vehicle for personal protection because it is unavailable for use when needed. It would be great if someone on this forum had a way to get a positive answer to this question. This document can be interpreted either way. If the law if violated, it has a mandatory minimum one year sentence. That is a real bummer. Again, I hope someone on this forum has access to the real skinny about this, and can get the answer in writing.
Thanks for your time and interest.
CharlieR
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
Sec. 29-35. Carrying of pistol or revolver without permit prohibited. Exceptions. (a) No person shall carry any pistol or revolver upon his or her person, except when such person is within the dwelling house or place of business of such person, without a permit to carry the same issued as provided in section 29-28. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to the carrying of any pistol or revolver by any parole officer or peace officer of this state, or any Department of Motor Vehicles inspector appointed under section 14-8 and certified pursuant to section 7-294d, or parole officer or peace officer of any other state while engaged in the pursuit of official duties, or federal marshal or federal law enforcement agent, or to any member of the armed forces of the United States, as defined in section 27-103, or of this state, as defined in section 27-2, when on duty or going to or from duty, or to any member of any military organization when on parade or when going to or from any place of assembly, or to the transportation of pistols or revolvers as merchandise, or to any person transporting any pistol or revolver while contained in the package in which it was originally wrapped at the time of sale and while transporting the same from the place of sale to the purchaser’s residence or place of business, or to any person removing such person’s household goods or effects from one place to another, or to any person while transporting any such pistol or revolver from such person’s place of residence or business to a place or individual where or by whom such pistol or revolver is to be repaired or while returning to such person’s place of residence or business after the same has been repaired, or to any person transporting a pistol or revolver in or through the state for the purpose of taking part in competitions, taking part in formal pistol or revolver training, repairing such pistol or revolver or attending any meeting or exhibition of an organized collectors’ group if such person is a bona fide resident of the United States and is permitted to possess and carry a pistol or revolver in the state or subdivision of the United States in which such person resides, or to any person transporting a pistol or revolver to and from a testing range at the request of the issuing authority, or to any person transporting an antique pistol or revolver, as defined in section 29-33. For the purposes of this subsection, “formal pistol or revolver training” means pistol or revolver training at a locally approved or permitted firing range or training facility, and “transporting a pistol or revolver” means transporting a pistol or revolver that is unloaded and, if such pistol or revolver is being transported in a motor vehicle, is not readily accessible or directly accessible from the passenger compartment of the vehicle or, if such pistol or revolver is being transported in a motor vehicle that does not have a compartment separate from the passenger compartment, such pistol or revolver shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the carrying of a pistol or revolver during formal pistol or revolver training or repair.

(b) The holder of a permit issued pursuant to section 29-28 shall carry such permit upon one’s person while carrying such pistol or revolver.
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
Sec. 29-37. Penalties. (a) Any person violating any provision of section 29-28 or 29-31 shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than three years or both, and any pistol or revolver found in the possession of any person in violation of any of said provisions shall be forfeited.

(b) Any person violating any provision of subsection (a) of section 29-35 may be fined not more than one thousand dollars and shall be imprisoned not less than one year or more than five years, and, in the absence of any mitigating circumstances as determined by the court, one year of the sentence imposed may not be suspended or reduced by the court. The court shall specifically state the mitigating circumstances, or the absence thereof, in writing for the record. Any pistol or revolver found in the possession of any person in violation of any provision of subsection (a) of section 29-35 shall be forfeited.

(c) Any person violating any provision of subsection (b) of section 29-35 shall have committed an infraction and shall be fined thirty-five dollars.
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
On page 12 of the same document it says:


Carrying Handguns in Motor Vehicles. By law, when handguns are being transported in a motor vehicle, they must be unloaded and kept in a place (1) not readily or directly accessible from the passenger compartment or (2) locked container other than the glove compartment or console. A violation carries a penalty of one to five years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000, or both, with a mandatory minimum one-year sentence in the absence of mitigating circumstances. Any handgun found in the violator's possession must be forfeited (CGS §§ 29-35 and 29-37).

I called the CT State Police to ask how a handgun can be legally carried in a motor vehicle with a valid CT Pistol Permit. The lady I spoke with very clearly immediately stated that even with a carry permit, the handgun has to be unloaded and kept in a locked container not accessible from the passenger compartment. If this is true, you can never carry a handgun in your vehicle for personal protection because it is unavailable for use when needed. It would be great if someone on this forum had a way to get a positive answer to this question. This document can be interpreted either way. If the law if violated, it has a mandatory minimum one year sentence. That is a real bummer. Again, I hope someone on this forum has access to the real skinny about this, and can get the answer in writing.
Thanks for your time and interest.
CharlieR

I understand confusion ... but the pdf cited is just a summary.

You cannot get a straight answer about pistols .. from any source.

Its a permit to carry. I think 29-38 indicates that with a permit, in a car is OK. W/O a permit, you are stuck in your house.
 

CharlieR

New member
Joined
Jun 15, 2014
Messages
3
Location
Glastonbury, CT
I understand confusion ... but the pdf cited is just a summary.

You cannot get a straight answer about pistols .. from any source.

Its a permit to carry. I think 29-38 indicates that with a permit, in a car is OK. W/O a permit, you are stuck in your house.

If it wasn't for the mandatory year in jail, giving up your firearm and permit, and never being able to possess a firearm legally again, I felt it was important to understand the law in order to follow it. Having had a permit for several years, I have seen many changes. I suspect this one, about the requirement to unload and secure a handgun in a motor vehicle even with a valid carry permit, was added recently without fanfare. If this restriction is really true in CT, it might be a good idea to pass it around before some innocent person with a carry permit gets into some big time trouble. All I have to go on at the moment is what the CT State Police told me when I called them. I was just hoping for some additional validation as to what the law really is. I'm sure there are many people, especially women, who might carry a loaded handgun in a car for protection against assault or car-jacking. However, we all know the law overrides common sense.

Thanks again for your time and interest.
CharlieR
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
If it wasn't for the mandatory year in jail, giving up your firearm and permit, and never being able to possess a firearm legally again, I felt it was important to understand the law in order to follow it. Having had a permit for several years, I have seen many changes. I suspect this one, about the requirement to unload and secure a handgun in a motor vehicle even with a valid carry permit, was added recently without fanfare. If this restriction is really true in CT, it might be a good idea to pass it around before some innocent person with a carry permit gets into some big time trouble. All I have to go on at the moment is what the CT State Police told me when I called them. I was just hoping for some additional validation as to what the law really is. I'm sure there are many people, especially women, who might carry a loaded handgun in a car for protection against assault or car-jacking. However, we all know the law overrides common sense.

Thanks again for your time and interest.
CharlieR

I guess ya gotta have a rifle next to you (ammo in pocket) ... that's OK ... (not withstanding the goofiness of a permission slip).

Cops just don't want you carrying when you pull them over.

Happy travels through nazi-ville.
 

wizzi01

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2012
Messages
127
Location
Detroit
What you aren't going to say the Second Amendment is the only permit you need to carry Davidmcbeth like you do in every other forum? I guess your balls aren't as big as you were trying to brag about in the Michigan forums.
 

rightwinglibertarian

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2014
Messages
827
Location
Seattle WA
What you aren't going to say the Second Amendment is the only permit you need to carry Davidmcbeth like you do in every other forum? I guess your balls aren't as big as you were trying to brag about in the Michigan forums.
perhaps it's just been accepted that the policy is to obey gun restriction 'laws' and there is nothing we can do about it. Maybe a few people will wake up when we have a few more CTs, NYs and CAs but I doubt it. May as well just repeal the Second Amendment and become like the UK or Australia.

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk
 

wizzi01

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2012
Messages
127
Location
Detroit
perhaps it's just been accepted that the policy is to obey gun restriction 'laws' and there is nothing we can do about it. Maybe a few people will wake up when we have a few more CTs, NYs and CAs but I doubt it. May as well just repeal the Second Amendment and become like the UK or Australia.

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk

Or perhaps Davidmcbeth likes to talk a lot of crap and when it comes down to it will obey the laws.
 

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
What you aren't going to say the Second Amendment is the only permit you need to carry Davidmcbeth like you do in every other forum? I guess your balls aren't as big as you were trying to brag about in the Michigan forums.

I think I mentioned the goofiness of a permission slip; however, the OP was investigating the current laws in the state, not the constitutionality of them...so I focused on posting the actual statues.

And the 2nd amendment? Really not needed...part of natural law rights.

Do I need a judge, legislature, or executive officer to tell you the restrictions/lack thereof on your rights? No thanks.

In CT, various state agencies have ruled that disclosure of assault weapons / mags = risk. Even looking at the 2nd amendment, this would be an infringement (what, you can own but only if it results in a risk of death just to own?).
I have spoken to lawyers concerning this aspect of our registration requirements and all have agreed with my viewpoint that it does. And I sent in a response to the registration requirements of our new lovely gun laws...saying its none of their business what guns/mags I own. Oddly enough, I am still a free man. Its nobody's business what weapons I own...same as I have no business to know what guns any other private citizen has.

I don't think I am alone in my belief that all gun laws violate our natural right. Other laws govern murder that seem to be enough...

The issue with violence is the same with any type of violence ... its a moral issue; when we decided that we could kill our unborn, how long did people think that others would think that this attitude would not cross over to the people allowed to be born? I, personally, have little sympathy for members of a society that kills its unborn...the most helpless members of our species. Reap what you sow .. and get ready for the whirlwind. Killing a grown person is a sin that Jesus can absolve; killing the unborn is a sin against the Holy Spirit that Jesus cannot forgive. Many people have a religious connection to their RKBA. The FBI call these people terrorists (well, they call most people terrorists ~ seems to be the catchphrase of the century).
 

Gary Slider

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2006
Messages
68
Location
, ,
If you have a valid permit/license to carry in the state you are in then you can carry loaded and concealed on your body. Every state allows that with a valid permit/license that state issues or one they honor. The section quoted from www.handgunlaw.us is a section titled, "RV/Car Carry WITHOUT a Permit/License. That info is there for people traveling in a state they do not have a valid permit/license and how they must transport without one. Some states allow you to carry a loaded defensive handgun without any type of permit/license in a vehicle in their state. Some states require a valid permit/license for that state or honored by that state to carry loaded in a vehicle.
 

rightwinglibertarian

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2014
Messages
827
Location
Seattle WA
I think I mentioned the goofiness of a permission slip; however, the OP was investigating the current laws in the state, not the constitutionality of them...so I focused on posting the actual statues.


And the 2nd amendment? Really not needed...part of natural law rights.


While I agree, it must be said that it's natural because of the Constitution. In other countries it's totally not natural. As for the statutes, the very fact they are even recognized as statutes at all shows a major issue.
 
Top