← North Carolina firearms laws›Transporting Firearms
North Carolina Transporting Firearms Laws (2026)
Conditional: In North Carolina, without a concealed handgun permit, a handgun in a vehicle must not be BOTH hidden from view and readily accessible.
In North Carolina, without a concealed handgun permit, a handgun in a vehicle must not be BOTH hidden from view and readily accessible. Openly displayed is lawful — and so is a locked glove box, a locked console, or the trunk. Under the front seat, or in an unlocked glove box or console, is unlawful: Class 2 misdemeanor for a first offense, Class H felony for a second or subsequent one. (N.C.G.S. 14-269.) Note: SB 50 permitless carry passed the Senate over a veto in July 2025 but the House has never voted; it is NOT law.
General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.
Transporting Firearms in states bordering North Carolina
The same rule in each neighboring state LawLert has verified, from that state’s own official source.
- GeorgiaPermitted
You do not need a license to have a handgun in your own vehicle if you are not legally barred from having one. A lawful weapons carrier may transport a handgun or long gun in any private passenger vehicle. A property owner can generally bar weapons on private property, but Georgia law makes exceptions, such as some employer parking lots, so check before relying on this.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: georgia.gov · Full Georgia rule →
- South CarolinaPermitted
In South Carolina, anyone legally able to possess a handgun may carry or transport it in a vehicle without a permit — loaded or unloaded, openly or concealed — under permitless carry.
Verified May 31, 2026 · Source: sled.sc.gov · Full South Carolina rule →
- TennesseePermitted
In Tennessee, anyone who is not prohibited may carry or keep a loaded handgun anywhere in a privately owned vehicle, without a permit.
Verified May 31, 2026 · Source: tn.gov · Full Tennessee rule →
- VirginiaConditional
Without a permit, you may carry a handgun in a private vehicle if it is secured in a container or compartment; it does not have to be locked. A permit is needed to carry it concealed on your person. Since July 1, 2026, knowingly leaving a handgun in an unattended vehicle on a public highway, other public property or a commercial or retail parking area is a Class 4 misdemeanor unless it is out of plain view in a locked hard-sided container. A locked glove compartment or console counts.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: law.lis.virginia.gov · Full Virginia rule →
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