Clarification of Carrying a Handgun in my Vehicle

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Hey, first time poster. I've tried to read though all the Georgia laws, both in complete and "plain English" forms, yet I still have a few questions. Some help would be great.

The way I see it, at 20 years old with a clean record, I have the right to purchase a handgun and to carry it in my home, motor vehicle, or place of business (with permission, of course).

Want I want to do is buy a nice 9mm, practice a fair amount at the range, and feel a bit safer driving in the sketchier parts of Atlanta. So 2 questions...

1. Must that pistol be in plain sight at all times? Do I have the right to place the pistol in my trunk / glovebox?

I understand that I can conceal a weapon in my home however I choose, but the wording on vehicle concealment seemed vague. I certainly would not want to leave a nice gun sitting on my car seat, tempting potential thieves.

2. Currently, do all of the School Property and School Safety Zone laws apply to "carrying" in my vehicle?

I realize that HB 308 may change things, but what about right now? Am I breaking the law if I drive within 1000 ft. of any school property with a handgun in my car? I am a Georgia Tech student. My off-campus apartment is awfully close to the 1000 ft. limit anyways. I might be within 1000 ft. every time I drive to the grocery store for all I know. And if anyone is familiar with the area, is "Tech Square" considered part of the campus?

Thanks for any or all answers.

imported post

You fall into #2 of the "listed as ineligible" for a firearms license (not yet 21) - therefore you cannot conceal the weapon in your vehicle. At home, most anything goes.

This code section does not forbid the carrying of a loaded handgun in any private motor vehicle by a person who is not licensed, but also who is not prohibited from possessing a firearm, in an open manner and totally exposed to view.

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The general consensus is that it is nearly impossible to keep a firearm "totally exposed to view".

Plus you are faced with a real problem. You don't want to leave a gun in the car where anybody can walk by and see it (it would get gone), while at the same time, you cannot put it into the glove box or carry it on your person.

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You talk about "rights" alot in your questions. You have no gun rights in Georgia, you have state granted privileges.

That being said, the only way you could carry would be fully open and exposed and even then if it is not viewable from any angle you could be in trouble.

Remember, laws in GA are intentionally vague. They were never intended to be enforced on the good 'ol boys, only on the ones "they" deemed undesirable.


EDIT: OH.....WELCOME!!!!

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As for the school zone, the only thing I can say for sure is that once you get your GFL, you can pass through a school zone in the course of transacting normal business, or visit someone who lives within that zone. Before then, I can't tell. See 'vague' laws in the above post.

Since most legislators are lawyers, I figure they purposely make the laws convoluted, to generate more business for themselves.

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kingfish wrote:

You talk about "rights" alot in your questions.  You have no gun rights in Georgia, you have state granted privileges.

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I certainly did not mean "rights" in the sense of absolute entitlement - I was just trying to speak within the framework of Georgia law. I suppose the only true rights I have are from the intentionally vague Constitution, which is then supplemented by state law.

Thanks for the input, though. Basically, the only way I could keep a gun in my car would be to dangle it from my rear-view mirror and hope it doesn't ever get stolen.

And I have to ask, but what is the consensus on "normal business" operations?

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If you:

1. Have a GFL, or

2. Are eligible for a GFL, under 16-11-129, then

you may Carry a Handgun anywhere in your Private Vehicle, so as long as you are not to or while at any Public Gathering.

Otherwise, it must be clearly visible, or in the Glove Compartment.

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But being 20 years old, he's not eligible.

"transacting lawful business" AFAIK has never been spelled out, but it would seem that ordinary things like travelling from point A to point B, getting gas, visiting a friend, eating lunch, etc. would be "transacting lawful business."

However, there's also the school property problem. In Athens, GA, the U of GA owns half the town. Including a hotel. In which a licensed carrier was arrested for having a gun. On school property.

Hopefully, a lot of those laws will change in the next few days.

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its hard to car carry when your under 21....

as for work carry as long at its an off limits location you do not need a permit or permission from the owner to do so....