Living in Tri-State (KY, OH, WV) - can I open carry across those state lines?

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Greetings all,

A friend of mine very active in this cause directed me here, and in the process of viewing the stories I formed the question I asked in the subject of this message.

I live in Kentucky, but I work in West Virginia while traveling through Ohio. I live just 2 minutes from the Ohio border, travel through Ohio about 30 mins and then cross into West Virginia... does anyone know the reciprocity of these states? Would I be able to openly carry across the state lines being a resident of KY?

Thanks,

-Mid

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Well, open carry isn't really a reciprocity issue. You're not required to have a CC permit for open carry in those three states, IIRC. Nor are you required to be a resident to OC.

Mostly the issue is whether LEO's feel you're allowed to do so in Ohio and WV.

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Kentucky does not requirea license to open carry, either on foot or in a vehicle.

Ohio does not require a license to OC on foot but severely restricts carrying in a vehicle and requires a concealed handgun license (KY, OH, and WV each have reciprocity with one another) to possess a loaded handgun or a loaded magazine or speedloader in a vehicle. See Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.16. Even with a CHL, a person carrying a loaded handgun in a vehicle in Ohio must carry it in one of the specific modes prescribed by ORC § 2923.16(E)(1) and comply with various other requirements of that section, most of which are unique to Ohio and rather absurd to non-Buckeyes (especially given that most of these rules carry felony penalties).

West Virginia, frankly, is a mess. As discussed in several threads in the WV section of this forum (e.g., my post here), there are several hunting-related statutes (predominately W.Va. Code § 20-2-5) that can be construed to prohibit OC in vehicles and certain other locations (however, CC with a license is protected by W.Va. Code § 20-2-6a) and which are subject to widely varying interpretations and enforcement practices on an agency-by-agency basis.

I also encourage everyone to update your profiles to reflect your location, as requested by Mike & John.