OPEN CARRY
Virginia does not require a permit to “open carry.” Anyone 18 or older who can legally own a gun can carry it loaded in public as long as the gun is holstered and visible. Guns are OK in a vehicle as well, as long as they are placed in plain view on the dashboard or seat.
CONCEALED CARRY
Because concealed weapons can afford a shooter the element of surprise, the law considers them more dangerous. To carry a concealed handgun in public you must be at least 21 and have a special permit.
Circuit courts issue the permits, and state law caps the fee at $50. Applicants must pass a background check and take a class on safe gun handling. In some localities, they’re also fingerprinted. Virginia permits are good for five years and are honored by an ever-changing list of roughly 20 other states.
Until 1995, concealed-handgun permits were issued at a locality’s discretion, with applicants being asked to show good reason for their request. That changed when gun-rights groups helped shift the state toward “shall issue.” Now, a permit must be granted unless the locality can show a compelling reason why it shouldn’t.
The “shall issue” movement has gained favor across the country; 36 states now grant permits to most everyone who meets licensing requirements.
OFF LIMITS
Private businesses and landowners in Virginia do have the right to prohibit firearms on their property – concealed or open-carry. If guns aren’t welcome, signs must be prominently posted that say so.
But if owners don’t object, gunscan be carried into banks, hospi-tals, stores, movie theaters and restaurants. The law gets a bit complicated when it comes to places serving alcohol. Open-carry has always been allowed in bars, with no prohibitions on drinking. Concealed carry got theOK from legislators this year, but with no drinking allowed. But Gov. Timothy M. Kaine vetoed the bill Tuesday, so its future is in the air.
Some places are off limits to almost all civilian guns: schools, military bases or other federal property, courthouses, airports and places of worship during a religious service. A ban on guns in national parks is under review.
?Joanne Kimberlin, 757-446-2338, joanne.kimberlin@pilotonline.com
