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Visiting an Open Carry state

Tugger812

New member
Joined
Jan 8, 2011
Messages
1
Location
MA
I live in Massachusetts (Not Open Carry) I do have a MA. CCW permit.
My question is what are my rights when visiting a "Open Carry" state?

Thanks
Tom
 

Venator

Anti-Saldana Freedom Fighter
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
6,462
Location
Lansing area, Michigan, USA
I live in Massachusetts (Not Open Carry) I do have a MA. CCW permit.
My question is what are my rights when visiting a "Open Carry" state?

Thanks
Tom
Depends on the state. Some state will recognize your permit some wont. Check the AG page for the state in question, sometimes they have a list of states they recognize.
 

1245A Defender

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2009
Messages
4,365
Location
north mason county, Washington, USA
well,,,

you should study handgunlawus
15 states honor your ma. permit.
if you can CC with your permit, that means you have a class A permit, you may also OC with a class A permit, in your state.
29 states allow OC without any permit, OCDO maps is a good fast guide.
 

dgeorge

New member
Joined
Feb 7, 2011
Messages
3
Location
Southeast Michigan
Answer the question please

Nobody has really answered the question yet. I have the same question myself and I will phrase it another way. I personally have a ccw, but that is not really the issue.

Ok, with or without a ccw, If I go into an open carry state that I do not reside in, may I open carry?

I live on the border of two states; Michigan and Ohio. I work in Michigan and I know I can OC there, but I do most of my shopping in Ohio; I live very close to a large city in Ohio. Can I open carry in Ohio although I live in michigan? Both states are OC states.

Dgeorge
 

N605TW

Activist Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2010
Messages
118
Location
Columbus, Ohio
Yes. You do not need to be a resident of a state to open carry provided the law allows it. The law applies to everyone. Just make sure you know the laws of where you are. For example, in Ohio if a LEO has RAS you must provide your name, address and date of birth.
 

MKEgal

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2010
Messages
4,383
Location
in front of my computer, WI
dgeorge said:
with or without a ccw, If I go into an open carry state that I do not reside in, may I open carry?
It depends on the laws of the state.
In WI, as an example, anyone who is legally allowed to posess a pistol may carry it openly (with a few place restrictions). No permit needed from anywhere.
Same with Alaska, Arizona, & Vermont.

Other states require a priviledge permit even to OC.
The way I understand MI law, IF I had a priviledge permit from my home state (which is impossible) then I would be allowed to OC there, but not CC. Someone please correct me if I've misunderstood. Since I don't have a priviledge permit from WI (no such animal), & don't live in MI, I can't carry there.

In PA (except in Philly) you can OC with no permit. In Philly, even to OC you must have a permit.

This isn't a right that's recognized across the country, even though every state had to agree to support the Constitution (& thereby the 2A) when they joined the USA. We need a national law, an act of Congress, that recognizes, affirms, & strongly supports the rights as spelled out in the Constitution all across the USA, so the states can't interfere.
 

Alexandria

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2011
Messages
23
Location
Orlando, Florida, United States
What if two states have a reciprocity agreement but one state is CC but one allows OC. For example, if I go visit my in-law in north carolina they have a reciprocity agreement with Florida so can I open carry there even though I can't in my home state?

sorry to jump your post.
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
The maps at the front of the OCDO site are helpful. Sometimes it is better to address your query to the folks in the specific state forum. Folks there are usually well-versed in the laws they have to live under.

And remember that in some places OC is the default method because there are no laws regarding it, while in other states thare are as many if not more laws controlling or forbidding OC that there are dealing with CC.

stay safe.
 

rotorhead

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2010
Messages
862
Location
FL
The issue is still being confused somewhat.

For simplicity's sake, forget any mention of a concealed carry permit. When you go to another state, you simply have to follow what that state allows for concerning open carry. No state's concealed carry permit is going to affect that that I know of. Reciprocity deals with concealed carry, not open carry, and is a different subject than what the OP is asking.

Tugger, your best bet is to look up the laws for the state you will be visiting (along with the states you will be driving through to get there, if driving) and see what it/ they allow for concerning open carry. Some state AG websites will have those laws broken down into plain English in a FAQ style format.

When it comes to open carry, most states that I know of could care less what permit you have, you have to follow their OC laws when OCing. The fact that you may have a concealed permit from another state has little to do with their OC laws, or lack thereof. While many states have reciprocity with others when dealing with CC, it's an entirely different subject than OC.

Best of luck out there.
 
Last edited:

rotorhead

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2010
Messages
862
Location
FL
I must respectfully disagree. There are 13 states which require a license to open carry. In those states, a person with an out-of-state permit recognized via reciprocity would also be able to open carry. A person without a permit recognized in one of the states would not be able to open carry.

Which is why I say to check state laws lol.

Yeah, I messed that one up pretty good. Thanks NavyLT for the clarification :)
 

Northerner

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2010
Messages
320
Location
Clayton, NC
I must respectfully disagree. There are 13 states which require a license to open carry. In those states, a person with an out-of-state permit recognized via reciprocity would also be able to open carry. A person without a permit recognized in one of the states would not be able to open carry.

So NavyLT, let me see if I understand your countering statement; if one has a CHP with recognized reciprocity in those 13 States that require permit for Open Carry, then one would be allowed to OC? I ask this because I've never heard of a permit to Open Carry (alas, I have only OC'd in NC). Sorry for the conufsion, just want to make sure I read this correctly.
 

The Wolfhound

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
Messages
728
Location
Henrico, Virginia, USA
As agregious as it is to say......

Some states require that you have their permission to even posess a handgun. In those states that also have reciprocity agreements with another state, that permission is extended to a permit holder from that state. That hurdle must be overcome before you can legally OC. The best advice has been given early in this discussion: consult the laws and forums for the state you are traveling to.
 
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