Georgia gun laws 2022: Can you carry open or concealed firearms without a license in the Peach State?

Kim Luciani, Athens Banner-Herald
·2 min read
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On Monday, Music Midtown, a two-day festival scheduled for September in Atlanta's Piedmont Park, was canceled by organizers.

A message on the festival's website said the event was nixed "due to circumstances beyond our control," but according to an AJC report, the festival was canceled over Georgia's gun laws that forbid organizers to restrict weapons at the public park.

A state law passed in 2014 allows Georgians to legally carry firearms on most public land.

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Here's what to know about Georgia's gun laws.:

Can you carry concealed weapons in Georgia without a license?

Anyone who is lawfully permitted to have a gun can carry concealed in most public spaces in the Peach State. A permit is not necessary.

Is Georgia an open carry state?

Georgia is an open carry state, allowing any lawfully owned handgun to be carried openly or concealed in most public spaces and without any permit.

What does constitutional carry mean in Georgia?

Gov. Brian Kemp signed the Georgia Constitutional Carry Act into law in April 2022. The law eliminates the government permit requirements for carrying firearms in public.

However, it is still illegal for convicted felons and those adjudicated to have a mental illness to possess firearms.

Can you openly carry a gun in Georgia without a permit?

You do not need a permit to openly carry a gun in Georgia, although a Weapons Carry License (WCL), also called a firearms license, allows for legally carrying of concealed firearm in states that practice firearm permit reciprocity with Georgia. A WCL is not necessary to purchase or carry a firearm in Georgia.

Can you carry a gun in your car in Georgia?

Anyone not prohibited by law from possessing a gun can carry firearms inside a vehicle in Georgia.

Does buying a gun in Georgia require a background check?

Federal law requires licensed firearms dealers to initiate background checks on buyers prior to the sale of a firearm. No background checks are required for private sales.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Gun laws in GA: Can you carry a firearm in your car? What to know