Yes. If you are a qualifying adult, you may carry a concealed handgun that is not a restricted firearm in Ohio without a concealed handgun license. A...
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Yes. If you are a qualifying adult, you may carry a concealed handgun that is not a restricted firearm in Ohio without a concealed handgun license. A qualifying adult must be 21 or older. You carry under the same restrictions that apply to a license holder. The place rules and vehicle rules that bind license holders still bind you.
R.C. 2923.111(A)(2) calls a person who may carry without a license a "qualifying adult". Under R.C. 2923.111(A)(2)(a), a qualifying adult must be twenty-one years of age or older. The definition requires a person to meet every condition it lists, and age is only the first. Read the full definition before you carry without a license.
Under R.C. 2923.111(B)(1), a qualifying adult does not need a concealed handgun license to carry a concealed handgun that is not a restricted firearm. Under R.C. 2923.111(B)(2), a qualifying adult may carry anywhere in Ohio that a license holder may carry. Under R.C. 2923.111(B)(3), that right is the same right a license holder has. A qualifying adult is also subject to the same restrictions as a license holder. Where a license holder may not carry, you may not carry either.
A valid concealed handgun license does not authorize carrying a concealed handgun into this place:
Federal law, 18 U.S.C. 922(q)(2), makes it unlawful to knowingly possess a firearm in a place you know or have reasonable cause to believe is a school zone.
Vehicle rules apply to every carrier. The table sets out the main ones.
| Situation | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Loaded handgun in a motor vehicle | A license holder may transport or have a loaded handgun in a motor vehicle. A qualifying adult is treated as a license holder for this purpose only while the handgun is concealed on the person or ready at hand and is not a restricted firearm. The exemption does not apply if the handgun is knowingly in certain places the law lists. | R.C. 2923.16 |
| Unloaded firearm without a license | It rides in a closed package, box, or case, or in a compartment reachable only by leaving the vehicle. The statute names no glove box or console, and one the driver can reach from the seat is not such a compartment. | R.C. 2923.16 |
| Rifle or shotgun | It may not be loaded and accessible in a motor vehicle. The license exemption reaches only a handgun, so a long gun rides unloaded and stowed. | R.C. 2923.16 |
| Person who may not possess a firearm | The unloaded transport exception is unavailable unless the person may lawfully possess the firearm under state or federal law. | R.C. 2923.16(C) |
R.C. 2923.16 governs motor vehicles, and boats fall under a separate statute. All-purpose vehicles appear in R.C. 2923.16 only in two hunting exceptions for holders of an all-purpose vehicle permit. Aircraft and snowmobiles are not named in R.C. 2923.16.
The penalties here are the ones the vehicle statute sets. Discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle is a felony of the fourth degree under R.C. 2923.16. Having a loaded firearm accessible without leaving the vehicle is a felony of the fourth degree. Violating the unloaded transport rule is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Having a loaded handgun in a vehicle while under the influence is a felony of the fifth degree. That offense is a felony of the fourth degree if the handgun is concealed on the person.
The statute also sets duties during a stop. A violation of division (E)(1) or (E)(2) of R.C. 2923.16 is a misdemeanor of the second degree. A violation of division (E)(4) is a felony of the fifth degree. A violation of division (E)(3) or (E)(5) is a misdemeanor of the first degree. With a prior conviction for a violation of division (E)(3) or (E)(5), it is a felony of the fifth degree.
Under R.C. 2923.125(D)(1)(l), a license applicant must submit a competency certification and a certification of having read the safety pamphlet before a license can issue. Under R.C. 2923.125(G)(1), that course must include at least eight hours of training in the safe handling and use of a firearm. Under R.C. 2923.125(G)(1), the course must cover the rules for safe handling and storage of handguns and ammunition, safe handling of ammunition, the knowledge, skills, and attitude to shoot safely, gun handling training, and a minimum of two hours of in-person range time and live-fire training. Under R.C. 2923.125(G)(1)(e), the required course must include live-fire training.
No, if you are a qualifying adult and the handgun is not a restricted firearm.
You must be 21 or older to be a qualifying adult.
Under Ohio law, no. A qualifying adult may carry anywhere in Ohio that a license holder may carry.
R.C. 2923.16 names no glove box or console, and one a driver can reach from the seat is not a compartment reachable only by leaving the vehicle.
No. A rifle or shotgun may not be loaded and accessible in a motor vehicle, and the license exemption reaches only a handgun.
No. R.C. 2923.16 governs motor vehicles, and boats fall under a separate statute.
This page covers one part of our Ohio concealed carry guide.
Read the complete Ohio guideBrowse local instructors offering state-approved training in your area. Book online, complete your training, and get one step closer to your concealed carry permit.