Gun Laws in Georgia

Because firearms can be a very dangerous tool in the hands of hte wrong person, every state has their own gun laws and regulations. For the state of Georgia, the laws are pretty straight forwards and easy to abide by.

Before you get caught for unlawful gun possession, you want to make sure that you are aware of and understand the laws in your state.

When purchasing firearms in Georgia, you do not need a permit.

You must be at least 18 years old to purchase an possess a firearm, unless you apply to one of the following and a parent or legal gaurdian furnishes the firearm.

• You are attending a hunter's eduction or firearm safety course.
• You are engaging in practice or target shooting at an established shooting range.
• You are engaging in organized competition or practicing for performance by a groups organized under 26 U.S.C. 501.
• You are hunting or fishing with a valid license and is engaging in legal hunting or fishing and has permission of the land owner, can carry a loaded pistol or revolver, open and exposed.
• When you are traveling from any of the above activities, but the gun must be unloaded.
• If yo uare on the properly under the control of a parent or legal guardian with the permission of the parent or guardian to possess the gun.
• The above exceptions do not apply to any minor who has been convicted of a forcible crime.

You cannot purchase, possesm,carry, transfer, or recieve a firearm if you:

• Have been convicted of a felony.
• Have been convicted of any crime agains or involving another person
• Have been convicted of theft from a building or a vehicle.
• Have been convicted of any crime involving possession, manufacture, delivery, distribution, dispensing, administering, selling, or possession with the intent to distribute any controlled substance.
• Have been convicted of any crime involving the trafficking of cocaine, marijuana, or illegal drugs .

You cannot carry a handgun or any concealeable firearm openly or concels without a license to carry a firearm. With any rule or law, there are exceptions.

The exceptions to carry a gun or concealable firearm without a license includes:

• Carrying a firearm, openly or concealed, in your own home or place of business.
• Transporting a firearm that is unloaded and in an enclosued case, separated from ammunition as long as you are allowed to legally obtain a firearm.
• Transporting a loaded firearm in a private vehicle as long as it is carried openly and fully exposed or is in the glove comparment console or a similar compartment.
• Carrying a firearm while hunting, fishing, or sport shooting, as long as you have written permission from the land ownder of the activity and as long as the handgun is carried in a fully exposed manner.

For more information about applying for a firearm license in the state of Georgia and who qualifies for a firearm license, you will want to check out Applying for a Gun License in Georgia.

Public Gatherings. It is a misdemeanor offense to carry a licensed, or un-licensed, firearm at public events, including sporting events, church functions, political functions, publicly owned and operated building (Federal, state, or local government buildings), and any event where alcohol is sold (including bars and any restaurant).

You can carry licensed firearms at malls, stores, financial institutions, and other places open to the public.

School Property and Functions. It is a felony offense to carry a licensed, or un-licsened, firearm onto or within 1,000 feet of any real property owned or leased by any public or private elementary school, secondary school, or school board that is used for elementary or secondary education. It is also unlawful to carry firearms on or within 1,000 feet of the campus of any public or private technical school, vocational school, college, university, or institution of post secondary education.

Nuclear Power Facility. It is a misdemeanor offense to carry, possess, or have a firearm whether licensed or not under your control while on premises of a nuclear power plant. Exceptions include firearms in use for official duties or training.

Public Transportation. It is a felong offense to carry or attempt to carry a firearm on any form of public transportation, whether a commercial airline, rail vehicle, or bus. It is consider hijacking in the state of Georgia to do so, and it does not matter if you have a license or not. This does not apply to privately owned airline, rail vehicles, or busses.

State parks, historic sites, and recreational areas. This applies to any park, historic site, and recreational area that is operated by, for, and under the control of the Department of Natural Resources. You cannot carry a loaded firearm on the premises. You can, however, carry an unloaded firearm that is not easily accessible, meaning it must be stored, as long as you have the permission of the commissioner of natural resources or his authorized representative. If you are caught with a loaded firearm or an unloaded firearm without permission, you will be asked to leave and charged and arrested with criminal trespass.

The most current bill that has passed the legislature allows you to carry firearms into restaurants the serve alcohol or onto public transportation, as long as you have a concealed weapons permit.

Governor Perdue is being urged to veto the bill so that it does not pass in the state of Georgia.

Many people dislike and are highly unhappy about the bill, stating that by allowing guns in areas that sale alcohol, any public transportation, and state parks increase the risk of deadly situations.

Because you don't need official training to obtain a firearm permit, there is not guarantee that the person with the gun knows how to properly use the firearm.

Governor Perdue has until May 4, 2008, to sign or veto the bill.