Ohioans For Concealed Carry Discussion Forums

As I read the law, that would be perfectly legal - and in fact, I do it all the time.

"Thinking ahead, just where is your car parked during this hypothetical scenario.. There could b something to jam u up there."

I guess that would fall under the "You have to be aware of your surroundings" training.

qmti wrote:Spring is here and the weather warms up later in day. Can you remove your coat to get in your car and have the firearm on your hip exposed while driving. Basically you are open carrying in a motor vehicle. You have a valid CHL. Is this legal?

Yes, but only because you have a LCCH. There is no such thing as Open Carry in a vehicle in Ohio.

So, just a clarification of one of the finer points of Ohio law. Many people mistakenly believe that having the handgun in a motor vehicle automatically means it is concealed under Ohio law. It's not, a firearm can still be considered in plain view, it's just that openly carrying in a vehicle in Ohio doesn't make it legal as it does outside of a motor vehicle. All legal carry in a motor vehicle requires that the firearm is a handgun and the person has a concealed handgun license (CHL) unless the firearm is unloaded and stored properly. Otherwise it is considered "improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle", not "carrying a concealed weapon", two very different sections of Ohio law. (Of course it can *also* be considered "carrying a concealed weapon" if it is also concealed, so you can get hit with both infractions...)