This article is meant to take a look at Ohio’s open and concealed carry laws so that you folks can get a better idea what is and is not legal in the state.
Ohio protects the right to bear arms under Article I, Section 4 of the state constitution, but this does not mean that everyone may carry a gun, or that you may always carry a gun wherever you like. Ohio requires a concealed carry permit to carry a weapon openly or concealed on (or near) you body or vehicle.
A temporary emergency license to carry can be issued under extraordinary circumstances if a sheriff determines that a person, not prohibited from obtaining a license, has provided evidence that he is in imminent danger. The temporary emergency license lasts for 90 days and may be renewed only once every four years.
The following individuals are prohibited from carrying a weapon in Ohio at all, however.
- those younger than 21 years old
- non-U.S. residents
- non-Ohio residents, unless the person is a permit holder from a state with reciprocity with Ohio (see Gun Permit Laws in Ohio for more information on reciprocity)
- fugitives from justice
- those charged with or convicted of a felony or specified misdemeanors
- people who have been adjudicated mentally incompetent or involuntarily committed to a mental institution
- those convicted of resisting arrest in the last ten years
- people subject to a protective order in any state
- people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol
Now, there are certainly additional questions as well as more in-depth looks into such things as gun penalties and what public places do or do not allow concealed or open carry firearms. We will be going over those in specific articles, later on, due to the complexity of some of the situations. For right now, however, we have a wonderful FAQ page on our Ohio site with a lot of helpful information.
If you have specific questions that you would like covered in future articles about Ohio’s open carry laws, shoot us a comment below, and we will make sure to add them to future reports.
Information compounded from the NRA and Ohio state legal texts.