Constitutional Carry

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Georgia allows permitless carry of handguns for both residents and non-residents who are legally allowed to possess firearms. This means you do not need a Weapons Carry License (WCL) to carry a concealed or openly holstered handgun in most public places.

Georgia’s constitutional carry law as of 2025:

🔓 What Is Constitutional Carry in Georgia?

• Effective      Date: April 12, 2022 (Senate Bill 319)
• Key      Provision: No permit is required to carry a handgun — openly or      concealed — for individuals who are legally allowed to possess firearms      under state and federal law.
• Applies      to: 
  • Georgia       residents
  • Non-residents       visiting Georgia

    

✅ Who Can Carry Without a Permit?

You must:

• Be at      least 21 years old (or 18 if active military or honorably discharged)
• Be a U.S.      citizen or legal resident
• Not      be prohibited from possessing firearms under state or federal law      (e.g., no felony convictions, no recent mental health commitments)

🚫 Where You CannotCarry (Even with Constitutional Carry)

Carrying a firearm — with or without a permit — is prohibited in:

• Government      buildings with security screening
• Courthouses      and jails
• State      mental health facilities
• Nuclear      power facilities
• Within      150 feet of polling places during elections
• School      property (with limited exceptions)
• Private      property where firearms are prohibited by the owner

🪪 Why Still Get a Weapons Carry License (WCL)?

While not required for carry in Georgia, a WCL offers benefits:

• Reciprocity:      Georgia has agreements with 32+ states that honor its WCL
• Streamlined      firearm purchases: WCL holders are exempt from background checks when      buying from licensed dealers
• Legal      protection: Having a WCL can help clarify your legal right to carry in      ambiguous situations

⚖️ Recent Legal Developments

• In      2025, the Georgia Supreme Court upheld the state’s restriction on      handgun carry for individuals under 21, unless they have military      training.
• A Savannah      ordinance banning guns in unlocked cars was ruled unenforceable, as it      conflicted with state preemption laws and the Second Amendment.