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New York Open Carry Laws (2026)
Restricted: New York has no license for openly carrying a handgun.
New York has no license for openly carrying a handgun. The carry license covers concealed carry only. Without a license, possessing a handgun is a crime, and possessing a loaded handgun outside your home or business is a felony.
Official source: troopers.ny.gov →
General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.
Open Carry in states bordering New York
The same rule in each neighboring state LawLert has verified, from that state’s own official source.
- ConnecticutRestricted
Open carry is illegal. Since October 1, 2023, it is a crime to knowingly carry any firearm with intent to display it, and a permit does not exempt you. Taking reasonable steps to keep it concealed means you are not treated as displaying it. Exceptions include your home, your land, your business, hunting and firearm training. A first offense is a class B misdemeanor.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: portal.ct.gov · Full Connecticut rule →
- MassachusettsRestricted
A Massachusetts License to Carry (LTC) is required to carry a handgun in public, whether openly or concealed. Without one, carrying is punishable by 2.5 to 5 years in state prison, or 18 months to 2.5 years in jail, unless an exemption applies.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: mass.gov · Full Massachusetts rule →
- New JerseyRestricted
Open carry is illegal in New Jersey, with or without a permit. A permit allows carry only concealed, in a holster. Carrying a handgun openly in public is a fourth-degree crime, and carrying one without a permit is a second-degree crime on top of that. For a permit holder, brief, accidental exposure while holstering or from a shift of clothing is treated as a minor infraction.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: pub.njleg.state.nj.us · Full New Jersey rule →
- PennsylvaniaConditional
At 18 or older, you may carry a handgun openly on foot in most of Pennsylvania without a license. A License to Carry Firearms (LTCF) is required in a vehicle and on public streets or property during a declared state or local emergency. Philadelphia law also requires an LTCF; a 2025 appeals court ruling held that unconstitutional as applied to one unlicensed carrier, but the law stays on the books and may still be enforced.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: pa.gov · Full Pennsylvania rule →
- VermontPermitted
Open carry of a handgun is legal in Vermont without a permit for anyone who may lawfully possess one. Firearms are barred in some places, including school buildings, courthouses without court authorization, hospital buildings, and polling places on election day.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: dps.vermont.gov · Full Vermont rule →
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