Carrying a firearm for self-defense comes with a lot of responsibility. Knowing the laws where you carry is just one important task you must undertake as an armed American. To help with that, we will be providing you with a summary of basic carry laws for several states. Learn about the most important things to know when carrying in the Peach State below.

Getting a Concealed Carry Permit in Georgia

Open carry is legal in Georgia only with a Georgia Weapons Carry License (WCL) or a concealed carry permit from a state Georgia honors. Concealed carry is legal for Georgia residents with a WCL and non-residents with a license/permit issued by a state that Georgia honors. A non-resident can only obtain a handgun carry permit if he or she is a member of the military permanently stationed in Georgia. The minimum age required to obtain a Georgia WCL is 21 years old (or 18 for members of the military). Georgia reciprocates in recognizing firearms licenses with states that honor Georgia permits (currently 33 states). Stun guns, Tasers and pepper spray are legal to purchase and possess without a permit.

Permits are not required when buying a handgun, and there is no firearms registration in Georgia. No background check is required when buying a handgun from a private individual. There is also no mandatory waiting period for handgun purchases or restrictions on magazine capacity and ammunition in Georgia.

Where Can You Carry Concealed?

Anyone not prohibited by law from possessing a handgun may carry a weapon openly or concealed without a permit in his or her own vehicle (owned or rented). If the individual does not own the vehicle, he or she must have the permission of the person who has legal control of the vehicle.

Locations where a concealed handgun may be carried include:

  • Restaurants that serve alcohol (unless posted)
  • State/national parks
  • State/national forests
  • Wildlife Management Areas
  • Roadside rest areas

Locations where concealed carry is prohibited, even for permit holders, include:

  • School safety zones — building or property leased or owned by any public or private elementary, secondary, technical or vocational school, college, university or other institute of post-secondary education
  • School buses and functions
  • Specific areas of campuses of higher education
  • Secured area of an airport
  • Courthouses
  • Government buildings that are not restricted or screened by security personnel
  • Churches or places of worship, unless allowed by the governing body or authority of the place of worship
  • Jails or prisons
  • State mental health facilities
  • Premises of a nuclear power facility
  • Within 150 feet of any polling place when elections are being conducted
  • Any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal or state law or regulation

Visit the USCCA Georgia gun laws page now…