Open Carry Laws by State (2026)
Whether open carry is legal in each state and DC, and any permit or place limits.
| State | Open carry |
|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama has no state law that requires a permit to carry a pistol openly. Open carry is subject to the same rules as other carry: prohibited persons may not possess firearms (§ 13A-11-72); without a permit a person may not carry a pistol on another person's private property without the owner's or legal possessor's consent (§ 13A-11-52); and the places listed in § 13A-11-61.2 (police stations, jails, courthouses, etc.) apply to everyone. ALEA calls Act 2022-133 the 'Open Carry or Permit-less Carry' act. Ala. Code 1975 Title 13A, ch. 11, §§ 13A-11-50 to 13A-11-98 (reviewed); §§ 13A-11-52, 13A-11-61.2, 13A-11-72; ALEA news release, Dec. 30, 2022 |
| Alaska | Allowed without a permit. Alaska's weapons article (AS 11.61.190-11.61.250) regulates concealed carry and lists places where firearms are banned, but contains no permit requirement for openly carried firearms. The age limit of 21 in AS 11.61.220 applies to concealed carry; an unemancipated minor under 16 may not possess a firearm without a parent's or guardian's consent (class B misdemeanor). The place restrictions in prohibited_places apply to open carry too. DPS: Alaska's laws 'do not prohibit anyone 21 or older who may legally possess a firearm from carrying it concealed or open. A firearms permit is not required.' AS 11.61.220(a)(3), (a)(6), (j); DPS Concealed Handgun Permits page |
| Arizona | Arizona has no state law that requires a permit to carry a firearm openly; the concealed-carry restriction for people under 21 (§ 13-3102(A)(2)) applies to concealed weapons. Unemancipated minors under 18 may not knowingly carry or possess a firearm in any place open to the public, on streets or highways, or on private property other than property of the minor's parent, grandparent or guardian, unless accompanied by a parent, grandparent, guardian or certified instructor (with parental consent), with exceptions for ages 14-17 for hunting, shooting events, practice and agricultural work. Carrying is barred at the places listed in prohibited_places. A.R.S. Title 13, ch. 31 (reviewed); A.R.S. §§ 13-3102, 13-3111 |
| Arkansas | The Attorney General concluded that Arkansas law allows open carry without a license: merely possessing a handgun is not the crime of carrying a weapon unless the person has a purpose to attempt to unlawfully employ it as a weapon against a person. AG opinions are not binding law. Ark. Code Ann. § 5-73-120(a); Ark. Att'y Gen. Op. Nos. 2015-064, 2018-002 (n.6) |
| California | Generally prohibited. It is generally illegal to carry an exposed and unloaded handgun on one's person or in a vehicle in a public place or public street in an incorporated city, or on a public street in a prohibited area of unincorporated territory (Pen. Code § 26350), and illegal to carry a loaded firearm in public (§ 25850). The exception is a license to carry loaded and exposed, available only to residents of counties with fewer than 200,000 people and valid only in that county. Cal. Pen. Code §§ 25850, 26350, 17512, 26150, 26155; California Firearm Laws Summary (rev. 2021); DOJ Form BOF 4012 (Rev. 09/2026) |
| Colorado | State law does not require a permit to carry a handgun openly; the concealed-carry offense in § 18-12-105 covers concealed weapons. However, local governments may restrict open carry and must post signs describing open carry restrictions (C.R.S. § 29-11.7-104, referenced in § 18-12-214). No one may carry a firearm, openly or concealed, at K-12 schools, licensed child care centers, colleges, universities or seminaries (with limited exceptions), in the government buildings listed in § 18-12-105.3, or at polling locations, ballot drop boxes and central count facilities. Persons under 18 generally may not possess handguns. C.R.S. §§ 18-12-105, 18-12-105.3, 18-12-105.5(1)(a.5), 18-12-108.5, 18-12-214(1)(c)(II), (3.5)(c) |
| Connecticut | A permit holder may carry a handgun, but since October 1, 2023 no person may knowingly carry any firearm (handgun or long gun) with intent to display it, except in their home, on land they own or possess, in their place of business, during firearm training or bona fide hunting, or with the property owner's explicit permission. A person who takes reasonable measures to conceal the firearm is not 'displaying' it, and a 'fleeting glimpse' or imprint through clothing is not a violation. Carrying a handgun requires the § 29-28 permit, which has a minimum age of 21. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-35(a)(2); § 29-28(b)(10) |
| Delaware | Delaware has no state law that requires a license to carry a firearm openly; the license requirement in § 1442 applies to carrying a deadly weapon concealed. Persons under 21 may not possess a firearm other than a shotgun or muzzle-loading rifle, with exceptions (for example, supervised hunting or sport, or a CCDW holder 18 or older). Firearms are barred in listed places (see prohibited_places). 11 Del. C. ch. 5, subch. VII, §§ 1441-1469A (reviewed); 11 Del. C. §§ 1442, 1448(a)(5) |
| District of Columbia | No. The license requirement covers carrying a pistol 'either openly or concealed,' and District licenses are concealed carry licenses only. Rifles and shotguns may not be carried unless otherwise permitted by law. D.C. Code §§ 22-4504(a), (a-1), 22-4506 |
| Florida | Statute: except as otherwise provided by law, it is unlawful to openly carry a firearm on or about one's person (second-degree misdemeanor); a person authorized to carry concealed may briefly and openly display a firearm unless it is displayed in an angry or threatening manner not in self-defense. Court status: in McDaniels v. State, 419 So. 3d 1180 (Fla. 1st DCA 2025), the First District Court of Appeal held Florida's open carry law unconstitutional under the Second Amendment, as described by the Fourth District in Eubanks v. State (June 17, 2026). Long guns are covered by the same statute. Fla. Stat. s. 790.053; McDaniels v. State, 419 So. 3d 1180 (Fla. 1st DCA 2025) |
| Georgia | Allowed for lawful weapons carriers. The Code requires that a person carrying a weapon be a lawful weapons carrier and does not require that a handgun be carried concealed; no separate open-carry permit exists. The same age limits as for the weapons carry license apply (21, or 18-20 with military service). Persons not prohibited from possessing a handgun or long gun may carry inside their home, motor vehicle or place of business. O.C.G.A. § 16-11-126(a), (g)(1) |
| Hawaii | Only with an unconcealed carry license, which the chief of police 'may' grant to an applicant at least 21 who sufficiently establishes the urgency or need to carry a firearm unconcealed and is engaged in the protection of life and property (discretionary). Otherwise firearms must be kept at home, business or place of sojourn and transported unloaded in an enclosed container. HRS §§ 134-9(b), 134-25 |
| Idaho | Allowed without a license. Idaho's concealed-weapons licensing rule does not apply to a deadly weapon located in plain view or to a lawfully possessed shotgun or rifle. Under state law a person under eighteen (18) may not possess a handgun (with exceptions such as hunting, ranges, safety courses and use on land with permission), a minor under 18 may possess other weapons only with written parental permission or while accompanied by a parent or guardian, and a minor under twelve (12) must be accompanied by an adult. Idaho Code §§ 18-3302(4)(a), (b); 18-3302E; 18-3302F; 18-3302G |
| Illinois | Not allowed. The concealed carry license lets a licensee carry a loaded or unloaded handgun 'fully concealed or partially concealed'; the Act defines a concealed firearm as a handgun carried 'completely or mostly concealed from view of the public' (or within a vehicle). Illinois has no license for open carry, and carrying a firearm on public streets or lands within a city, village or town, or in a vehicle or concealed, is unlawful outside the listed exceptions. 430 ILCS 66/5, 66/10(c); 720 ILCS 5/24-1(a)(4), (a)(10) |
| Indiana | Allowed. A person who is at least 18 and not prohibited by state or federal law needs no license to carry a handgun, and the statute does not limit whether it is carried openly or concealed. Persons listed in IC 35-47-2-1.5 (including those under 18) may not carry a handgun. IC 35-47-2-3(a); IC 35-47-2-1.5 |
| Iowa | Allowed without a permit for persons not ineligible: the permit law does not prohibit otherwise lawful unlicensed carrying 'whether openly or concealed.' A minor (under 18) who carries, transports or possesses a loaded firearm of any kind within city limits, or knowingly carries or transports a pistol or revolver in a vehicle, commits a serious misdemeanor. Iowa Code §§ 724.5, 724.4E(2) |
| Kansas | Allowed without a license; the license law does not prohibit carrying handguns 'whether carried openly or concealed, or loaded or unloaded.' A person under 18 may not possess a firearm with a barrel less than 12 inches long (handguns), with exceptions such as hunter or safety courses, ranges, competitions, licensed hunting, family property with permission, and home self-defense with parental permission. K.S.A. 75-7c03(a); 21-6301(a)(14), (l) |
| Kentucky | Allowed. Kentucky State Police states there are no Kentucky statutes governing open carry by persons who lawfully possess firearms, except the ban on weapons on school property (KRS 527.070) and the ban on loaded firearms where alcohol is sold by the drink (KRS 244.125). A person under 18 may not possess a handgun except in listed situations (safety courses, ranges, competitions, licensed hunting, property with adult and parental permission, home self-defense with parental permission). KRS 527.070, 244.125, 527.100 (as described by Kentucky State Police) |
| Louisiana | Louisiana's illegal-carrying statute targets the intentional concealment of a firearm; it does not require a permit to carry a firearm openly. The place-based bans in the same statute apply to possession of a dangerous weapon whether open or concealed: on a school campus during school hours or on a school bus, and in a law enforcement building, detention facility, courthouse or courtroom, and the state capitol. Possessing a firearm on the premises of a bar or other alcoholic beverage outlet is also a crime (exception for permit holders and lawful permitless carriers in Class A-Restaurant premises). A person under eighteen may not knowingly possess a handgun except in listed situations (hunting, ranges, safety courses, at home or with written parental permission). La. R.S. 14:95(A)(1), (A)(4), (A)(5); R.S. 14:95.5; R.S. 14:95.8 |
| Maine | Maine's weapons statute prohibits concealed carry without a permit or exception and the display of a weapon in a threatening manner; it does not require a permit to carry a handgun openly. Place restrictions apply regardless of how the gun is carried, such as public school property, courthouses, and licensed bars posted to prohibit firearms. 25 M.R.S. §2001-A(1); 20-A M.R.S. §6552; 17-A M.R.S. §§1057, 1058 |
| Maryland | Not without a permit. The carry ban in Crim. Law §4-203 applies to a handgun 'whether concealed or open.' A person with a Maryland wear-and-carry permit may carry subject to any limitations on the permit and to the prohibited-place laws. Long guns are not covered by §4-203, but firearms of all kinds are barred in the sensitive places listed in Crim. Law §4-111 and on public school property. Md. Code, Crim. Law §§4-203(a)(1), (b)(2), 4-111, 4-102 |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts has no separate open-carry permit; carrying a firearm outside the home or business requires a Massachusetts license to carry (or a firearm identification card for non-semiautomatic rifles and shotguns), and the statutes reviewed do not distinguish open from concealed carry. Carry is barred in prohibited areas such as schools and colleges, government administration and court buildings, and polling places. M.G.L. c. 269, §10(a), (j), (k); c. 140, §131(a) |
| Michigan | Michigan's carry statute bans carrying a pistol concealed, or carrying a pistol in a vehicle, without a license; it does not prohibit openly carrying a lawfully possessed pistol on foot, and no permit for open carry was found in the statutes reviewed. Openly carrying in a vehicle counts as carrying in a vehicle and requires a CPL. A person without a concealed-carry license (from Michigan or another state) may not possess a firearm in banks, churches and other houses of worship, courts, theaters, sports arenas, day care centers, hospitals, or establishments licensed by the liquor control code unless the owner permits it. MCL 750.227(2); MCL 750.234d(1)-(2) |
| Minnesota | Minnesota's permit to carry covers carrying a pistol in public whether openly or concealed; the statute does not distinguish. Without a permit, carrying a pistol in public is a gross misdemeanor. Carrying a rifle or shotgun on or about the person in a public place is also a gross misdemeanor unless the person has a permit to carry, the gun is unloaded and fully cased, or another exception applies (such as going to or from hunting, a range or a gun shop). A person under 21 who carries a semiautomatic military-style assault weapon in a public place commits a felony. Minn. Stat. §624.714, subd. 1a; §624.7181, subds. 1-2 |
| Mississippi | Allowed without a license. The concealed-weapons law defines 'concealed' as 'hidden or obscured from common observation' and says it does not include a weapon carried in a sheath, belt holster or shoulder holster that is wholly or partially visible, or in a visible scabbard or case. The places listed in § 45-9-101(13) still apply, and persons under 18 may not possess handguns except as allowed by § 97-37-14. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 97-37-1(4), 45-9-101(13), 97-37-14 |
| Missouri | State law does not require a permit to carry openly, but cities and counties may pass ordinances regulating 'the open carrying of firearms readily capable of lethal use.' Even where such an ordinance exists, a person with a valid Missouri concealed carry permit or endorsement (or a permit from another state recognized by Missouri) may open carry, must have the permit with them, and must show it to an officer on demand. Permit holders may also 'briefly and openly display' a lawfully concealed firearm unless done in an angry or threatening manner. RSMo §§ 21.750.3, 571.037 |
| Montana | State law does not require a permit to carry openly. Local governments may not regulate the 'unconcealed carrying of any weapon', except that a county, city or town 'has power to prevent and suppress ... the carrying of unconcealed weapons to a publicly owned and occupied building under its jurisdiction.' Children under 14 may not carry or use firearms in public unless accompanied by a parent or custodian or supervised by a qualified firearms safety instructor or an adult authorized by the parent (§ 45-8-344). MCA §§ 45-8-351, 45-8-344 |
| Nebraska | Nebraska has no state law that requires a permit to carry a handgun or long gun openly; the state's carry ban applies only to minors and prohibited persons carrying a weapon concealed. Other rules still apply: a person under 18 may not possess a handgun (with listed exceptions), firearms are restricted at schools and in the State Capitol, and cities, villages and counties may not regulate the possession or transportation of firearms except as state law expressly provides. Neb. Rev. Stat. §§28-1201 to 28-1256; §§69-2401 to 69-2449 (reviewed); §§28-1202, 28-1204, 28-1204.04, 28-1256, 13-330 |
| Nevada | Nevada has no state law that requires a permit to carry a firearm openly. The permit requirement applies to carrying a pistol, revolver or other firearm concealed upon the person, meaning carried so that it is not discernible by ordinary observation. Place limits still apply, such as the ban on dangerous weapons on school and child care property and in vehicles of a school or child care facility. NRS 202.253-202.369 (reviewed); NRS 202.350(1)(d), (8); NRS 202.265 |
| New Hampshire | Allowed without a license for anyone not prohibited from possessing a firearm: RSA 159:6, III says the license law does not prohibit unlicensed carry 'whether openly or concealed, loaded or unloaded.' Open or concealed carry is banned in courtrooms and areas used by a court (RSA 159:19). Cities and towns may not regulate firearm possession or carrying except as specifically allowed by statute (RSA 159:26). RSA 159:6, III; 159:19; 159:26 |
| New Jersey | Generally not allowed. The carry permit 'shall not be construed to authorize a holder to carry a handgun openly' (except as provided in 2C:58-4.5(b) for certain security work); a brief, incidental exposure while holstering or from shifting of the body or clothing is 'a de minimis infraction'. NJSP: 'Carrying a handgun openly is not allowed with a concealed carry permit.' N.J.S. 2C:58-4(a); NJSP Concealed Carry FAQ 9 |
| New Mexico | Allowed without a license. DPS: 'New Mexico is an Open Carry State, meaning it is legal to carry a loaded weapon as long as it is not concealed.' DPS lists places where a handgun may not be carried 'openly or concealed', including schools, university premises, preschools, courts, tribal land (unless authorized), public buses, airport security zones, federal property, and posted private property. Under state law, a person under nineteen may not possess a handgun except in listed situations (§ 30-7-2.2; see buying age). NM DPS Concealed Carry FAQs; NMSA 1978, §§ 30-7-2, 30-7-2.2 |
| New York | No. New York's carry license authorizes a person to 'have and carry concealed'; no license authorizes open carry of handguns. N.Y. Penal Law § 400.00(2)(f) |
| North Carolina | Generally allowed without a permit: the carry offense in G.S. 14-269(a1) applies to carrying a pistol or gun 'concealed about his or her person'. Open carry is still banned in specific places, e.g., educational property ('whether openly or concealed', a Class I felony, § 14-269.2(b)), assemblies charging admission and establishments where alcohol is sold and consumed (§ 14-269.3, with a permittee exception for concealed handguns), the State Capitol, Executive Mansion and courthouses (§ 14-269.4), and parades, funerals and picket lines (§ 14-277.2). 'Anyone may carry a firearm openly' at State-owned rest areas, rest stops and State-owned hunting and fishing reservations (§ 14-415.11(c3)). N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 14-269(a1), 14-269.2(b), 14-269.3, 14-269.4, 14-277.2, 14-415.11(c3) |
| North Dakota | 'Unless otherwise prohibited by law, an individual may carry a handgun if the handgun is unloaded and in plain view or secured.' The unloaded limit does not apply to concealed weapons licensees, to people eligible to carry under the permitless provision (not barred from a class 2 license and holding a valid driver's license or ID), to people with reciprocity, or on one's own land, residence or fixed place of business, while target shooting or hunting, and other listed exceptions. A firearm in a belt holster that is 'wholly or substantially visible' is not considered concealed. N.D.C.C. §§ 62.1-03-01, 62.1-04-01(1) |
| Ohio | Allowed. The Ohio Attorney General's concealed-carry manual says: 'The open carry of firearms is legal in Ohio. Ohio's concealed-carry laws do not regulate "open" carry of firearms.' Open carry is still limited by the vehicle rules in R.C. 2923.16 and by place-based bans (e.g., school safety zones, courthouses, rooms where liquor is consumed in D-permit premises), and private employers and property owners may prohibit firearms under R.C. 2923.126(C). Buying age limits in R.C. 2923.21 and 2923.211 apply. Ohio Attorney General, Ohio's Concealed-Carry Laws and License Application (June 2022), 'Open Carry'; R.C. 2923.12(A); 2923.16; 2923.121; 2923.122; 2923.123; 2923.126(C) |
| Oklahoma | Allowed. Adults 21 or older (18-20 if military members or veterans) may carry a firearm unconcealed without a license, and handgun licensees may carry concealed or unconcealed. Open carry is barred in the places listed in § 1277(A). On city zoo or park property run by a public trust or nonprofit, a handgun may be carried only concealed, not openly. Anyone may carry unloaded shotguns, rifles and pistols to or from their home or vehicle. Loaded or unloaded guns may be carried while hunting, at shooting events, or for lawful self-defense. 21 O.S. §§ 1272(A)(6), 1277(E), 1289.6, 1290.5(A) |
| Oregon | Allowed without a license for adults not barred from having firearms; firearms carried openly in belt holsters are not 'concealed' under the unlawful possession law. Cities and counties may adopt ordinances banning or restricting loaded firearms in public places, but these do not apply to concealed handgun licensees and certain others. ORS 166.250(3); 166.173 |
| Pennsylvania | No statewide license is required to carry a firearm openly (unconcealed) on foot outside a vehicle; the license requirement covers concealed carry and carry in vehicles. In Philadelphia (a city of the first class), carrying a firearm, rifle or shotgun on public streets or public property requires a license or a § 6106(b) exemption. The Superior Court held the Philadelphia rule unconstitutional as applied in Commonwealth v. Sumpter, 340 A.3d 977 (Pa. Super. 2025). 18 Pa.C.S. §§ 6106(a), 6108 |
| Rhode Island | Openly carrying a pistol or revolver also requires a permit, because the license requirement applies whether the gun is 'visible or concealed'. The city or town license covers concealed carry only; the Attorney General's permit allows carry 'whether concealed or not'. A loaded rifle or shotgun, or one with shells left in the magazine, may not be carried on or along any public highway, road, lane or trail, except by officers and people lawfully hunting. R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 11-47-8(a), 11-47-11(a), 11-47-18(a), 11-47-51 |
| South Carolina | Allowed for people 18 and older who are not barred from having firearms, without a permit, outside the places listed in § 16-23-20(A). Openly carrying a weapon lawfully does not by itself give an officer reasonable suspicion or probable cause to stop, search, detain or arrest the person. S.C. Code §§ 23-31-215(O), 23-31-245; § 16-23-20 |
| South Dakota | South Dakota has no state law that requires a permit to carry a pistol openly. The permit statute says a permit 'does not impose a general prohibition on the carrying of a pistol without a permit', and the former crime of carrying a concealed pistol without a permit (SDCL 22-14-9) was repealed in 2019. The places listed under prohibited_places still apply, and people under 18 generally may not possess a pistol. SDCL 23-7-7, 23-7-44; 22-14-9 (repealed by SL 2019, ch 113); SDCL ch. 22-14, 23-7 (reviewed) |
| Tennessee | Allowed for handguns: the permitless-carry exception covers carrying a handgun 'whether openly or concealed' by a person 21 or older (18 or older with qualifying military service) who lawfully possesses it and is lawfully present. Holders of an enhanced handgun carry permit may also carry openly; the concealed handgun carry permit covers concealed carry. The permitless-carry rule applies to handguns, not long guns; carrying a firearm with intent to go armed is otherwise an offense unless an exception or defense in § 39-17-1307 applies. Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 39-17-1307(a), (g); 39-17-1351; 39-17-1366(d) |
| Texas | Handguns may be carried openly only in a holster: it is an offense to carry a handgun and intentionally display it in plain view of another person in a public place unless it was partially or wholly visible but carried in a holster. Open carry of a handgun is available to people 21 or older who are not disqualified, with or without a license. License holders may not openly display a handgun on the premises, driveways, streets, sidewalks or parking areas of colleges and universities. Long guns are not covered by the handgun-carry statute; displaying any firearm in a public place in a manner calculated to alarm is disorderly conduct. Tex. Penal Code §§ 46.02(a), (a-5); 46.03(a-2); 42.01(a)(8) |
| Utah | Allowed. A person 21 or older who may lawfully possess firearms may openly carry a loaded or unloaded firearm (handgun or long gun) on a public street or other place not prohibited, without a permit; in a vehicle, a handgun may be loaded but a rifle, shotgun or muzzle-loading rifle must be unloaded. A person 18 to 20 without a provisional permit may openly carry only an unloaded firearm in public, a loaded or unloaded handgun in a vehicle, and an unloaded long gun in a vehicle. Without a permit, open carry is not allowed on or about the premises of a college or university (unless responding to an active threat). Utah Code § 53-5a-102.2(1), (2)(b)(ii); § 76-11-205.5 |
| Vermont | Allowed without a permit for handguns and long guns, on the same terms as concealed carry: the statute bars carrying a dangerous or deadly weapon only with intent to injure another. A child under 16 may not possess a pistol or revolver without parental or guardian consent. Loaded rifles and shotguns may not be carried in a motor vehicle on a public highway right-of-way (see carry_in_car). 13 V.S.A. §§ 4003; 4008; 10 V.S.A. § 4705(b) |
| Virginia | Generally allowed without a permit for people who may lawfully possess firearms; no general state open-carry ban or permit exists. Limits: persons under 18 may not possess or transport a handgun or assault firearm except in listed situations; and in the Cities of Alexandria, Chesapeake, Fairfax, Falls Church, Newport News, Norfolk, Richmond and Virginia Beach and the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Henrico, Loudoun and Prince William, it is a Class 1 misdemeanor to carry in public a loaded semi-automatic center-fire rifle or pistol with a magazine holding more than 20 rounds (or designed for a silencer or with a folding stock) or a shotgun with a magazine holding more than seven rounds, unless the person has a concealed handgun permit or another exemption applies. From July 1, 2027, that section is replaced by a statewide ban on carrying an 'assault firearm' in public places (exceptions for law enforcement, military, cadets, hunting and ranges). Va. Code §§ 18.2-287.4 (both versions); 18.2-308.7(B) |
| Washington | Not banned statewide and no license is required for openly carrying a firearm by a person who may lawfully possess it (but a loaded pistol in a vehicle needs a CPL, and 18-to-20-year-olds may possess pistols only at home, business or property they control). It is a gross misdemeanor to carry, display or draw a firearm in a manner that shows intent to intimidate or 'warrants alarm for the safety of other persons.' Open carry is also banned at permitted demonstrations and on the state capitol grounds and certain municipal buildings. RCW 9.41.270; 9.41.300(2); 9.41.305; 9.41.050(2); 9.41.240(2) |
| West Virginia | Allowed without a permit. The Attorney General's guide states that West Virginia allows permitless open carrying of firearms. Persons under 18 who are not married or emancipated may not carry openly or concealed any deadly weapon, except on family property or other property with parental and owner permission, while lawfully hunting, or traveling to and from a hunting site. Open carry is subject to the same place limits as other carry (schools, courts, State Capitol Complex, private property when the owner prohibits it); cities may ban open carry in municipal recreation facilities and carry in municipal buildings. W. Va. Code §§ 61-7-8(a), 8-12-5a(c); AG guide 'On the Mark' p. 3 |
| Wisconsin | Allowed without a license. The concealed-carry licensing law states that, unless expressly provided, it does not limit an individual's right to carry a firearm that is not concealed. Persons under 18 may not possess or go armed with a firearm (Class A misdemeanor), except during adult-supervised target practice or instruction, in the line of military duty, or with a rifle or shotgun when complying with hunting rules and not violating the short-barreled rifle/shotgun law. Open carry is still barred in gun-free school zones, at taverns (handguns) and other places listed under prohibited_places. Wis. Stat. §§ 175.60(2)(c), 948.60(2)(a), (3) |
| Wyoming | Wyoming has no state law that requires a permit to carry a firearm openly; the concealed-weapons statute regulates only concealed carry. Governmental entities may prohibit open carry, display or wearing of a firearm in their facilities or on their campuses. Firearms regulation is reserved to the state; cities, counties and agencies may not regulate carrying except as the chapter provides. W.S. 6-8-104(a), 6-8-105(d)(iii), 6-8-401(c); W.S. tit. 6, ch. 8 (reviewed) |
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.