Must Inform Secure Car Transport

With NC and SC being Must Inform states, do you have to inform about a handgun being transported un-loaded and locked in a trunk, or only if you are actually carrying it?

Inform NC

Duty to inform in NC is only while carrying (on or about your person) a concealed handgun and in possession of a Concealed Handgun Permit.

§ 14‑415.11. Permit to carry concealed handgun; scope of permit.

(a) Any person who has a concealed handgun permit may carry a concealed handgun unless otherwise specifically prohibited by law. The person shall carry the permit together with valid identification whenever the person is carrying a concealed handgun, shall disclose to any law enforcement officer that the person holds a valid permit and is carrying a concealed handgun when approached or addressed by the officer, and shall display both the permit and the proper identification upon the request of a law enforcement officer. In addition to these requirements, a military permittee whose permit has expired during deployment may carry a concealed handgun during the 90 days following the end of deployment and before the permit is renewed provided the permittee also displays proof of deployment to any law enforcement officer.

In the trunk is transporting; it is not readily available to you.

Leave it in the open, then you have no "duty to inform".

NoVaJohn said:

With NC and SC being Must Inform states, do you have to inform about a handgun being transported un-loaded and locked in a trunk, or only if you are actually carrying it?

Click to expand...

I am not an attorney nor do i wish nor can i provide guidance on SC but here is what the NC Attorney General states about your question: http://www.ncsheriffs.org/documents/2007-NC-Firearms-gun-Laws-rev2011.pdf
quote D. Transporting Weapons
Given this general prohibition of carrying concealed weapons, individuals must be ever vigilant to ensure their particular situation cannot be construed as concealing a weapon, either on or about them, without being properly authorized to do so with a valid North Carolina, or recognized out-of-state concealed handgun permit. Therefore, the permittee's accessibility to the weapon is of prime importance. It is unlawful to transport a weapon (absent a proper permit) that is BOTH concealed and readily accessible to a person. It is for these reasons, that when transporting a weapon in a vehicle, even greater care must be exercised to ensure that the weapon is not concealed and within the ready access to an occupant of the vehicle. North Carolina law does not specifically address how to transport a weapon in an automobile. Therefore, the central question becomes: when is the weapon concealed and readily accessible to an occupant of an automobile? Obviously, a weapon would be concealed and readily accessible, and therefore in violation of North Carolina law, if it were placed in such areas of a vehicle as under the seat of the automobile; in a bag in the back seat; or in some other manner is covered or hidden within the easy reach of an occupant of the vehicle. It is our recommendation that firearms should not be carried in a glove compartment regardless of whether the compartment is locked or not.

While a weapon carried openly in an automobile would not be concealed, there are other problems specific to this method of carrying a weapon. The principal drawback, of course, is in the event of an individual being stopped by a law enforcement official, the officer may not readily know that individual's purpose and intent for carrying a weapon. As such, it is imperative that an individual immediately notify an officer of the presence of any weapon in the automobile, for the officer's and the vehicle's occupants' safety. Another obvious drawback is that a valuable weapon may be in plain view for potential thieves to see. The prohibition to carrying concealed weapons applies not only to handguns and other weapons commonly thought of as being easily hidden, but also to "long guns" as well. Therefore, shotguns and rifles concealed behind the seat of pickup trucks, and elsewhere in other vehicles, could similarly violate North Carolina law. unquote

wabbit

ps: while i am a firm believer of starting conversations with 'can i help you officer' mentality at all times, there is an exception whenever i have firearm(s) in the vehicle (unless said firearm(s) are securely in my locked vehicle safe or locked vehicle xport box) start the conversation w/either "I have a firearm in the xyz portion of the vehicle" or "I am a CCW permit holder and i have a firearm in the xyz of the vehicle!!"