Ohio concealed carry laws and reciprocity

A person stopped for a law enforcement purpose while carrying a concealed handgun must disclose it before or at the time an officer asks; there is no duty to inform unprompted. This applies to license holders and permitless carriers alike.

License holders and qualifying adults (21+, treated as licensees) may have a loaded handgun in a motor vehicle, but not while under the influence of alcohol or drugs; others must transport firearms unloaded and cased or otherwise secured.

A "qualifying adult" (21 or older and not prohibited from possessing firearms) may carry a concealed handgun without a license and is subject to the same restrictions as a licensee; the statute sets no residency requirement. Permitless carriers, unlike license holders, may not keep a handgun in a vehicle in a school safety zone.

The county sheriff shall issue a concealed handgun license within 45 days to an applicant 21 or older who meets the statutory criteria and completes the required training.

A resident of another state may obtain an Ohio concealed handgun license only if employed in Ohio, applying to the sheriff of the county of employment or an adjacent county.

The Ohio Attorney General states that open carry of firearms is legal in Ohio and is not regulated by the state's concealed-carry laws.

Knowingly violating a posted firearms prohibition on private land or premises is criminal trespass, a fourth-degree misdemeanor; if the posted property is primarily a parking lot, the violator faces only civil trespass liability.

Firearms are generally prohibited in rooms where alcohol is being consumed on D-permit premises, but a concealed handgun licensee (or qualifying adult) may carry there if not consuming alcohol and not under the influence; posted prohibitions still apply.

State parks are not among the places listed in R.C. 2923.126(B), and the state park conduct rules in OAC chapter 1501:46-3 contain no firearms rule, so licensees and qualifying adults may carry on park grounds; R.C. 2923.126(B)(7) still bars concealed handguns in state government buildings, such as park offices and lodges, other than buildings used primarily as shelters, restrooms, parking facilities or rest facilities, unless the governing body permits it.

Concealed carry is prohibited in a church, synagogue, mosque or other place of worship unless the place of worship posts or permits otherwise.

Concealed carry is prohibited on premises owned or leased by a college or university, except for a handgun in a locked motor vehicle or where the institution's governing body has authorized carry in writing.

Off-limits places include police stations, sheriff's offices, Highway Patrol posts, BCI premises, correctional and detention facilities, secure airport areas, certain state mental-health institutions, school safety zones, courthouses and buildings with courtrooms, D-liquor-permit premises (subject to exceptions), college premises, places of worship (unless permitted), certain government facilities, and places where federal law bars carry.

A person has no duty to retreat before using force in self-defense, defense of another, or defense of a residence if in a place the person lawfully has a right to be.

Ohio's weapons definitions (ORC 2923.11) restrict automatic and sawed-off firearms and other dangerous ordnance but contain no magazine-capacity limit; the automatic-firearm definition has no cartridge-count element.

Ohio has no state assault-weapons ban; pistols, rifles and shotguns suitable for sporting purposes are excluded from "dangerous ordnance" unless they are automatic or sawed-off.

Firearm mufflers and suppressors are "dangerous ordnance" under Ohio law, but the possession ban does not apply to owners of dangerous ordnance registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

A rifle with a barrel under 16 inches or overall length under 26 inches is a "sawed-off firearm" and dangerous ordnance; possession is lawful only under an exception such as NFA registration.

A shotgun with a barrel under 18 inches or overall length under 26 inches is a "sawed-off firearm" and dangerous ordnance; possession is lawful only under an exception such as NFA registration.