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Which states regulate the open carry of firearms?

12 states have adopted this policy

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

Open Carry Regulated

Alabama has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Alaska has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Arizona has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Arkansas has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

California has adopted this policy

How is open carry regulated?
Prohibited for all firearms

Open Carry Regulated

Colorado has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Connecticut has adopted this policy

How is open carry regulated?
Prohibited for all firearms

Open Carry Regulated

Delaware has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Florida has adopted this policy

How is open carry regulated?
Prohibited for all firearms

Open Carry Regulated

Georgia has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Hawaii has adopted this policy

How is open carry regulated?
Permit required for handguns; prohibited for rifles and shotguns.

Open Carry Regulated

Idaho has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Illinois has adopted this policy

How is open carry regulated?
Prohibited for all firearms

Open Carry Regulated

Indiana has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Iowa has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Kansas has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Kentucky has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Louisiana has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Maine has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Maryland has adopted this policy

How is open carry regulated?
Prohibited for handguns; open carry not regulated for rifles and shotguns.

Open Carry Regulated

Massachusetts has adopted this policy

How is open carry regulated?
Permit required for all firearms.

Open Carry Regulated

Michigan has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Minnesota has adopted this policy

How is open carry regulated?
Permit required for all firearms.

Open Carry Regulated

Mississippi has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Missouri has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Montana has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Nebraska has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Nevada has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

New Jersey has adopted this policy

How is open carry regulated?
Prohibited for handguns; permit required for long guns.

Open Carry Regulated

New Mexico has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

New York has adopted this policy

How is open carry regulated?
Prohibited for handguns; open carry not regulated for rifles and shotguns.

Open Carry Regulated

North Carolina has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

North Dakota has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Ohio has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Oregon has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Pennsylvania has not adopted this policy

How is open carry regulated?
Regulated only in Philadelphia

Open Carry Regulated

Rhode Island has adopted this policy

How is open carry regulated?
Permit required for handguns; prohibited for rifles and shotguns (unless unloaded)

Open Carry Regulated

South Carolina has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

South Dakota has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Tennessee has adopted this policy

How is open carry regulated?
Open carry not regulated for handguns; prohibited for rifles and shotguns (unless unloaded).

Open Carry Regulated

Texas has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Utah has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Vermont has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Virginia has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Washington has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

West Virginia has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Wisconsin has not adopted this policy

Open Carry Regulated

Wyoming has not adopted this policy

What It Does

Most states have failed to regulate the visible carrying of firearms in public, or open carry, often because responsible gun owners have not traditionally engaged in this intimidating behavior. But as open carry has become a tool for extremists, several states have acted, with some barring open carry altogether and others either requiring a permit or else barring open carry for some types of firearms. In the rest of the country, guns may generally be wielded openly, without any carry permit whatsoever. A full discussion on Open Carry is here. 

The Impact

White supremacists and members of other hate groups have increasingly exploited dangerous open carry laws as a show of force. And open carry can make it difficult for officials to identify and stop an active shooter, as was seen in the July 2016 mass shooting in Dallas. 

Open Carry Regulated

Policy adopted? How is open carry regulated?
Alabama —
Alaska —
Arizona —
Arkansas —
California Prohibited for all firearms
Colorado —
Connecticut Prohibited for all firearms
Delaware —
Florida Prohibited for all firearms
Georgia —
Hawaii Permit required for handguns; prohibited for rifles and shotguns.
Idaho —
Illinois Prohibited for all firearms
Indiana —
Iowa —
Kansas —
Kentucky —
Louisiana —
Maine —
Maryland Prohibited for handguns; open carry not regulated for rifles and shotguns.
Massachusetts Permit required for all firearms.
Michigan —
Minnesota Permit required for all firearms.
Mississippi —
Missouri —
Montana —
Nebraska —
Nevada —
New Hampshire —
New Jersey Prohibited for handguns; permit required for long guns.
New Mexico —
New York Prohibited for handguns; open carry not regulated for rifles and shotguns.
North Carolina —
North Dakota —
Ohio —
Oklahoma —
Oregon —
Pennsylvania Regulated only in Philadelphia
Rhode Island Permit required for handguns; prohibited for rifles and shotguns (unless unloaded)
South Carolina —
South Dakota —
Tennessee Open carry not regulated for handguns; prohibited for rifles and shotguns (unless unloaded).
Texas —
Utah —
Vermont —
Virginia —
Washington —
West Virginia —
Wisconsin —
Wyoming —
Show Citations and Footnotes 
Source: Cal. Penal Code §§ 26350, 25850, 26400(a); Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 29-28(b), 29-35(a); Fla. Stat. § 790.053(1); Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 134-5(a), 134-9(c); 720 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/24-1(a)(10); Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 4-203(a), (b)(2); Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, §§ 129C, 131; Minn. Stat. §§ 624.714,  624.7181, subd. (2); N.J. Stat. Ann. §§ 2C:39-5(c), 2C:58-4(a); N.Y. Penal Law § 265.01(1); 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6108; 11 R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-18(a); 11 R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-51(a); Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1308(a)(1), (2).

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