Ohio Gun Laws

In April 2004, Ohio's concealed carry statute went into effect. The law (Ohio Revised Code 2923.12, et seq.) allows persons 21 and older to receive a concealed handgun license provided that they receive a minimum of 12 hours of handgun training (10 hours of classroom instruction and 2 hours of range time) from a certified instructor, demonstrate competency with a handgun through written and shooting tests, pass a criminal background check, and meet certain residency requirements.

The licenses are issued by county sheriffs.

The statute prohibits any person with any drug conviction from receiving a license, as well as any person convicted of a felony and those who have been convicted of certain misdemeanor crimes of violence within three years (ORC 2923.125).

The law contains language that asserts it is a "law of general application" and thus supersedes any local ordinances that are more restrictive than state law. However, as of July 2006, at least two court cases brought by municipalities are challenging this language as being in violation of Ohio's Constitution, both of which have been denied by appeals courts as having no "merit" and being in direct violation of Section 3, Article XVIII of the Ohio Constitution. Often called the ā€œhome ruleā€ amendment, Section 3, Article XVIII states that municipalities ā€œshall have authority to exercise all powers of local self-government and to adopt and enforce within their limits such local police, sanitary and other similar regulations, as are not in conflict with general laws.ā€ A law is a general law if it complies with the following:

1. What is a General Law? To constitute a general law for purposes of the Home Rule Amendment, a statute must (1) be part of a statewide and comprehensive legislative enactment (2) apply to all parts of the state alike and operate uniformly throughout the state (3) set forth police, sanitary, or similar regulations, rather than merely grant or limit legislative power of a municipal corporation to set forth police, sanitary, or similar regulations (4) prescribe a rule of conduct upon citizens generally. City of Canton v. State (2002), 95 Ohio St. 3d 149, 766 N.E.2d 96

State Legal Statute Source:

State Department Locations:

Permit Costs & Info:

Open Carry Information:

Ohio's concealed handgun law allows for reciprocity with other states with "substantially comparable" statutes, and to date Ohio has reciprocity with 21 other states. States that honor this state's Permit/License are listed below with 26 more in discussions about reciprocity:

• Alaska
  Updated: 2007-12-20
  http://www.dps.alaska.gov/Statewide/PermitsLicensing/reciprocity.aspx
• Arizona
  Updated: 2006-12-24
  http://www.azdps.gov/ccw/reciprocity/default.asp
  Non-resident permit/license okay
• Delaware
  Updated: 2005-06-02
  http://attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/crime/concealedweapons.shtml
• Florida
  Updated: 2005-06-01
  http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/news/concealed_carry.html
  Resident permit/license only
• Idaho
  Updated: 2005-06-01
  http://www.isp.state.id.us/patrol/faqs.html
• Indiana
  Updated: 2010-01-18
  http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title35/ar47/ch2.html (See IC 35-47-2-21)
• Kentucky
  Updated: 2004-01-09
  http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org/conceal.htm
• Michigan
  Updated: 2005-06-01
  http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,1607,7-164-17334_17362_22672-60639--,00.html
  Resident permit/license only
• Missouri
  Updated: 2004-02-27
• Montana
  Updated: 2005-06-01
  http://www.doj.mt.gov/enforcement/criminaljustice/concealedweapons.asp
• New Mexico
  Updated: 2005-11-30
  Non-resident permit/license okay
• North Carolina
  Updated: 2005-08-21
  http://www.ncdoj.com/law_enforcement/cle_handguns.jsp
• Oklahoma
  Updated: 2005-06-02
  http://www.oag.ok.gov/
• South Carolina
  Updated: 2006-12-27
  http://www.ag.state.oh.us/le/prevention/concealcarry/reciprocity.asp
  Resident permit/license only
• South Dakota
  Updated: 2005-07-01
  http://www.sdsos.gov/adminservices/concealedpistolpermits.shtm
  Non-resident permit/license okay
• Tennessee
  Updated: 2005-06-02
  http://www.tennessee.gov/safety/handgun/reciprocity.htm
• Utah
  Updated: 2009-06-03
  http://publicsafety.utah.gov/bci/FAQother.html
• Vermont
  Updated: 2004-09-11
  See general notes section of Vermont page
• Virginia
  Updated: 2004-07-30
  http://www.vsp.state.va.us/cjis_reciprocity.htm
• Washington
  Updated: 2004-06-30
  http://www.atg.wa.gov/firearms/states.shtml
• Wyoming
  Updated: 2004-07-19
  http://attorneygeneral.state.wy.us/dci/CWP.html

An Ohio CCW license does not allow totally unfettered carry. Any owner of private property can ban concealed handguns by posting a sign in clear view, and most government buildings are off-limits as well as hospitals and schools and most religious places as long as they are clearly marked (to be clearly marked, you MUST have a sign clearly posted by your entrances). Ohio statute ORC 2923.16 allows for three ways for a licensee to carry a concealed handgun in a motor vehicle (which includes motorcycles):

• In a closed case, bag, box, or other container that is in plain sight and that has a lid, a cover, or a closing mechanism with a zipper, snap, or buckle, which lid, cover or closing mechanism must be opened for a person to gain access to the handgun;^[191]
• In a closed glove compartment or console, or in a case that is locked;^[191]
• In a holster secured on the person.^[191]

This is a change from the earlier version of the bill that required the weapon to be in a locked box or in plain sight and secured to the person.^[190]

On 2006-11-29, the Ohio legislature approved Amended Substitute House Bill 347. This bill would preempt all firearms regulation, thus removing any doubt as to the validity of local regulation of firearms, as well as relaxing the requirements for carrying a weapon in a vehicle. This bill removed the requirement for plain sight if the gun was holstered or in a locked container, and allowed carry in an unlocked but closed or latched container if in plain sight.^[192]