Driving with Firearms: What to Know Before You Go

iSportsman Staff

Hitting the road for vacation this summer? Don’t assume your concealed carry permit rides shotgun with you across every border or that the next state’s laws are cool with the long gun in your gun rack (does anyone still actually do that?) In fact, depending on where you roam, that gun that’s legal where you live could get you in serious legal trouble in another state.

That’s why it’s critical to know the laws in each state you drive through. This is particularly true for CCW permit holders, who need to know which states they’re traveling through offer reciprocity or are permitless carry. It can mean the difference between a chance routine police stop while passing through a state to an extended 5-to-10-year stay as a guest of the state’s prison system.

U.S. LawShield members have it easy—they simply call the non-emergency member line, say where they’re headed and an attorney will get back to them with the legal info they need to stay out of trouble. It beats digging through online resources that may already be out of date, though one great resource that is updated as laws change is the new Gun Law Database, the most comprehensive state and federal gun law web resource available.

When traveling with firearms through states that tend to be hostile toward gun owners, fortunately, we have this little federal law called the 1986 Firearm Owners Protection Act (FOPA), aka The Safe Harbor Law (see “GUN LAW” below for more details).

Here’s how it works: To meet the requirements of the law, the firearm must be unloaded, locked in a hard-sided case and stored out of reach—ideally in the trunk. If you’re in a pickup or SUV with no trunk, stash the case as far as possible from the driver’s seat; never in the glove box or center console. Ammo must be stored separately—and similarly out of reach, ideally in a different locked container. And no, this doesn’t protect you if you’re hauling prohibited items like high-capacity mags or so-called “assault weapons” through states where they’re banned. This law is about transport, not vacationing, so plan your pit stops accordingly and don’t linger in restrictive states. Gotta make a bathroom stop, fill up with gas? You should be good to go. Get tired and pull over to sleep for a while, even in your car at a rest stop or parking lot? You could be putting yourself in jeopardy.

More on the Federal Safe Harbor Law

Ever heard of 18 U.S.C. § 926A? If you travel with firearms, you should tattoo that number on your brain. Known as the “Safe Harbor” provision of the Firearm Owners Protection Act (FOPA), this federal law gives lawful gun owners the right to transport unloaded firearms across state lines—even through hostile territory—as long as they follow strict rules.

It only protects you while you’re actively transporting the gun—so no sightseeing, no detours and definitely no overnight stops in states where your gun isn’t welcome. If you’re rolling through with your Glock in a locked case, ammo separate and you’re not breaking any laws at your departure or destination, you’re covered. But stop for pizza in New York or dock your boat overnight in Jersey? You might as well have mailed an invite to a prosecutor. Know the law. Follow it. Or risk becoming the next cautionary tale.

Article courtesy of U.S. LawShield