Georgia’s gun carry license law

How well do you know Georgia’s gun carry license law? Let’s find out.

1.Do you need a Georgia Weapons Carry License to carry a weapon at work? Interestingly, the answer is no, you don’t. OCGA 16-11-126(a). However, your employer may have a policy that forbids such a practice as far as employment goes. You could get fired, but you would not be breaking the law.

2.You know you can carry a weapon without a GWCL in your car, but what about in someone else’s car? Yes, you can carry in someone else’s car, so long as they do not object AND you are eligible for a GWCL (whether you have a GWCL or not). OCGA 16-11-126(d)

3.Do you need a GWCL to carry a firearm in public? Yes and no. Yes if a loaded handgun, but no license needed if the firearm is a long gun. If the handgun is in a case and unloaded, no GWCL required. OCGA 16-11-126(b).

4.Do you need a GWCL to carry a firearm while hunting or fishing? No you don’t, so long as you have a valid hunting or fishing license and you are engaged in legal hunting or fishing. For instance, it would have to be hunting season. OCGA 16-11-126(f). But, there is no restricted season for feral hogs, just saying.

5.Can you carry in a public park, wildlife refuge, recreational area and the like? Yes, provided you have a valid GWCL. OCGA 16-11-126(g). Be careful about some federal land, such as Corps of Engineers (Lake Allatoona, for instance). COE prohibits weapons under federal law.

6.Are military members given discounted GWCL licenses? Nope. But military members do not need a GWCL in Georgia as they are exempt from most Georgia gun laws. OCGA 16-11-130.

7.Can you carry a firearm to a UGA football game at Sanford Stadium? Nope. OCGA 16-11-127.1(20)(a)(i). Carrying at a college is now permitted in Georgia, but not at buildings or venues that host sporting events, st;udent housing, daycare facilities and places where dual enrollment students are present.

8.Relieved that you can now pack heat on campus, can you carry your 1911 openly and proudly? Nyet (Russian for no.) On college campuses we don’t want to upset the snowflakes, so all weapons must be concealed.

9.Your employer prohibits weapons in vehicles on company property, but you have a GWCL. Can you still carry? Yes and no. You can possess a firearm in your car by operation of law and your employer can have no condition of employment prohibiting you from possessing a firearm in your car. (OCGA 16-11-135b). However, in subsection (k) the Legislature said that nothing they said can affect the rights of property owners to set their own policy, so they negated everything. Bizarre.

10.You just moved into Houston County. Do you have to change your address on your GWCL? No. OCGA 16-11-129(a) but you can if want to. OCGA 16-11-1290(e)(4).

I hope you learned something new about Georgia’s gun license. If you already knew all of these, you have my permission to go to Dairy Queen and buy yourself a dipped cone. Enjoy.

Kelly Burke, master attorney, former district attorney and magistrate judge, is engaged in private practice. He writes about the law, rock’n’roll and politics. These articles are not designed to give legal advice, but are designed to inform the public about how the law affects their daily lives. Contact Kelly at kelly@burkelasseterllc.com to comment on this article or suggest articles that you’d like to see and visit his website www.kellyrburke.com to view prior columns.

HHJ News