2006 Ohio Revised Code - 2923.12. Carrying concealed weapons.

§ 2923.12. Carrying concealed weapons.
 

(A)  No person shall knowingly carry or have, concealed on the person's person or concealed ready at hand, any of the following: 

(1) A deadly weapon other than a handgun; 

(2) A handgun other than a dangerous ordnance; 

(3) A dangerous ordnance. 

(B)  No person who has been issued a license or temporary emergency license to carry a concealed handgun under section 2923.125 [2923.12.5] or 2923.1213 [2923.12.13] of the Revised Code or a license to carry a concealed handgun that was issued by another state with which the attorney general has entered into a reciprocity agreement under section 109.69 of the Revised Code, who is stopped for a law enforcement purpose, and who is carrying a concealed handgun shall fail to promptly inform any law enforcement officer who approaches the person after the person has been stopped that the person has been issued a license or temporary emergency license to carry a concealed handgun and that the person then is carrying a concealed handgun. 

(C) (1)  This section does not apply to officers, agents, or employees of this or any other state or the United States, or to law enforcement officers, authorized to carry concealed weapons or dangerous ordnance and acting within the scope of their duties. 

(2) Division (A)(2) of this section does not apply to any of the following: 

(a) An officer, agent, or employee of this or any other state or the United States, or a law enforcement officer, who is authorized to carry a handgun and acting within the scope of the officer's, agent's, or employee's duties; 

(b) A person who, at the time of the alleged carrying or possession of a handgun, is carrying a valid license or temporary emergency license to carry a concealed handgun issued to the person under section 2923.125 [2023.12.5] or 2923.1213 [2923.12.13] of the Revised Code or a license to carry a concealed handgun that was issued by another state with which the attorney general has entered into a reciprocity agreement under section 109.69 of the Revised Code, unless the person knowingly is in a place described in division (B) of section 2923.126 [2923.12.6] of the Revised Code. 

(D)  It is an affirmative defense to a charge under division (A)(1) of this section of carrying or having control of a weapon other than a handgun and other than a dangerous ordnance that the actor was not otherwise prohibited by law from having the weapon and that any of the following applies: 

(1) The weapon was carried or kept ready at hand by the actor for defensive purposes while the actor was engaged in or was going to or from the actor's lawful business or occupation, which business or occupation was of a character or was necessarily carried on in a manner or at a time or place as to render the actor particularly susceptible to criminal attack, such as would justify a prudent person in going armed. 

(2) The weapon was carried or kept ready at hand by the actor for defensive purposes while the actor was engaged in a lawful activity and had reasonable cause to fear a criminal attack upon the actor, a member of the actor's family, or the actor's home, such as would justify a prudent person in going armed. 

(3) The weapon was carried or kept ready at hand by the actor for any lawful purpose and while in the actor's own home. 

(4) The weapon was being transported in a motor vehicle for any lawful purpose, was not on the actor's person, and, if the weapon was a firearm, was carried in compliance with the applicable requirements of division (C) of section 2923.16 of the Revised Code. 

(E)  It is an affirmative defense to a charge under division (A) of this section of carrying or having control of a handgun other than a dangerous ordnance that the actor was not otherwise prohibited by law from having the handgun and that the handgun was carried or kept ready at hand by the actor for any lawful purpose and while in the actor's own home, provided that this affirmative defense is not available unless the actor, prior to arriving at the actor's own home, did not transport or possess the handgun in a motor vehicle in a manner prohibited by division (B) or (C) of section 2923.16 of the Revised Code while the motor vehicle was being operated on a street, highway, or other public or private property used by the public for vehicular traffic. 

(F)  No person who is charged with a violation of this section shall be required to obtain a license or temporary emergency license to carry a concealed handgun under section 2923.125 [2923.12.5] or 2923.1213 [2923.12.13] of the Revised Code as a condition for the dismissal of the charge. 

(G) (1)  Whoever violates this section is guilty of carrying concealed weapons. Except as otherwise provided in this division or division (G)(2) of this section, carrying concealed weapons in violation of division (A) of this section is a misdemeanor of the first degree. Except as otherwise provided in this division or division (G)(2) of this section, if the offender previously has been convicted of a violation of this section or of any offense of violence, if the weapon involved is a firearm that is either loaded or for which the offender has ammunition ready at hand, or if the weapon involved is dangerous ordnance, carrying concealed weapons in violation of division (A) of this section is a felony of the fourth degree. Except as otherwise provided in division (G)(2) of this section, if the weapon involved is a firearm and the violation of this section is committed at premises for which a D permit has been issued under Chapter 4303. of the Revised Code or if the offense is committed aboard an aircraft, or with purpose to carry a concealed weapon aboard an aircraft, regardless of the weapon involved, carrying concealed weapons in violation of division (A) of this section is a felony of the third degree. 

(2) If a person being arrested for a violation of division (A)(2) of this section promptly produces a valid license or temporary emergency license to carry a concealed handgun issued under section 2923.125 [2923.12.5] or 2923.1213 [2923.12.13] of the Revised Code or a license to carry a concealed handgun that was issued by another state with which the attorney general has entered into a reciprocity agreement under section 109.69 of the Revised Code, and if at the time of the violation the person was not knowingly in a place described in division (B) of section 2923.126 [2923.12.6] of the Revised Code, the officer shall not arrest the person for a violation of that division. If the person is not able to promptly produce any of those types of license and if the person is not in a place described in that section, the officer may arrest the person for a violation of that division, and the offender shall be punished as follows: 

(a) The offender shall be guilty of a minor misdemeanor if both of the following apply: 

(i) Within ten days after the arrest, the offender presents a license or temporary emergency license to carry a concealed handgun issued under section 2923.125 [2923.12.5] or 2923.1213 [2923.12.13] of the Revised Code or a license to carry a concealed handgun that was issued by another state with which the attorney general has entered into a reciprocity agreement under section 109.69 of the Revised Code, which license was valid at the time of the arrest to the law enforcement agency that employs the arresting officer. 

(ii) At the time of the arrest, the offender was not knowingly in a place described in division (B) of section 2923.126 [2923.12.6] of the Revised Code. 

(b) The offender shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined five hundred dollars if all of the following apply: 

(i) The offender previously had been issued a license to carry a concealed handgun under section 2923.125 [2923.12.5] of the Revised Code or a license to carry a concealed handgun that was issued by another state with which the attorney general has entered into a reciprocity agreement under section 109.69 of the Revised Code and that was similar in nature to a license issued under section 2923.125 [2923.12.5] of the Revised Code, and that license expired within the two years immediately preceding the arrest. 

(ii) Within forty-five days after the arrest, the offender presents any type of license identified in division (G)(2)(a)(i) of this section to the law enforcement agency that employed the arresting officer, and the offender waives in writing the offender's right to a speedy trial on the charge of the violation that is provided in section 2945.71 of the Revised Code. 

(iii) At the time of the commission of the offense, the offender was not knowingly in a place described in division (B) of section 2923.126 [2923.12.6] of the Revised Code. 

(c) If neither division (G)(2)(a) nor (b) of this section applies, the offender shall be punished under division (G)(1) of this section. 

(3) Carrying concealed weapons in violation of division (B) of this section is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. 

(H)  If a law enforcement officer stops a person to question the person regarding a possible violation of this section, for a traffic stop, or for any other law enforcement purpose, if the person surrenders a firearm to the officer, either voluntarily or pursuant to a request or demand of the officer, and if the officer does not charge the person with a violation of this section or arrest the person for any offense, the person is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing the firearm, and the firearm is not contraband, the officer shall return the firearm to the person at the termination of the stop. 
 

HISTORY: 134 v H 511 (Eff 1-1-74); 135 v H 716 (Eff 1-1-74); 141 v H 51 (Eff 7-30-86); 146 v S 2. Eff 7-1-96; 150 v H 12, § 1, eff. 4-8-04.
 

The provisions of § 6, H.B. 12 (150 v  - ), read as follows: 

SECTION 6.  In amending sections 1547.69, 2911.21, 2921.13, 2923.12, 2923.121, 2923.123, 2923.13, 2923.16, 2953.32, and 4749.10 of the Revised Code and in enacting sections 109.69, 109.731, 311.41, 311.42, and 2923.124 to 2923.1213 of the Revised Code in this act, the General Assembly hereby declares its intent to recognize both of the following: 

(A) The inalienable and fundamental right of an individual to defend the individual's person and the members of the individual's family; 

(B) The fact that the right described in division (A) of this section predates the adoption of the United States Constitution, the adoption of the Ohio Constitution, and the enactment of all statutory laws by the General Assembly and may not be infringed by any enactment of the General Assembly. 

The provisions of § 7, H.B. 12 (150 v  - ), read as follows: 

SECTION 7.  In enacting sections 109.69, 109.731, 311.41, 311.42, and 2923.124 to 2923.1213 of the Revised Code in this act and in amending sections 1547.69, 2911.21, 2921.13, 2923.12, 2923.121, 2923.123, 2923.13, 2923.16, 2953.32, and 4749.10 of the Revised Code in this act relative to licenses to carry a concealed handgun, the General Assembly hereby declares that it is not its intent to declare or otherwise give the impression that, prior to the effective date of this act, an individual did not have an inalienable and fundamental right, or a right under the Ohio Constitution or the United States Constitution, to carry a concealed handgun or other firearm for the defense of the individual's person or a member of the individual's family while engaged in lawful activity. Further, the General Assembly declares that it is not its intent to invalidate any prior convictions for violating any section of the Revised Code or a municipal ordinance prior to the effective date of this act or to prevent the prosecution of any violation committed prior to the effective date of this act. 

The provisions of § 9, H.B. 12 (150 v  - ), read as follows: 

SECTION 9. The General Assembly finds that licenses to carry concealed handguns are a matter of statewide concern and wishes to ensure uniformity throughout the state regarding the qualifications for a person to hold a license to carry a concealed handgun and the authority granted to a person holding a license of that nature. It is the intent of the General Assembly in amending sections 1547.69, 2911.21, 2921.13, 2923.12, 2923.121, 2923.123, 2923.16, 2953.32, and 4749.10 and enacting sections 109.69, 109.731, 311.41, 311.42, and 2923.124 to 2923.1213 of the Revised Code to enact laws of a general nature, and, by enacting those laws of a general nature, the state occupies and preempts the field of issuing licenses to carry a concealed handgun and the validity of licenses of that nature. No municipal corporation may adopt or continue in existence any ordinance, and no township may adopt or continue in existence any resolution, that is in conflict with those sections, including, but not limited to, any ordinance or resolution that attempts to restrict the places where a person possessing a valid license to carry a concealed handgun may carry a handgun concealed. 

The provisions of § 10, H.B. 12 (150 v  - ), read as follows: 

SECTION 10. If any provision of sections 1547.69, 2911.21, 2913.02, 2921.13, 2923.12, 2923.121, 2923.123, 2923.16, 2929.14, 2953.32, and 4749.10 of the Revised Code, as amended by this act, any provision of sections 109.69, 109.731, 311.41, 311.42, 2923.124, 2923.125, 2923.126, 2923.127, 2923.128, 2923.129, 2923.1210, 2923.1211, 2923.1212, and 2923.1213 of the Revised Code, as enacted by this act, or the application of any provision of those sections to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the particular section or related sections that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of the particular section are severable. 

Not analogous to former RC § 2923.12 (GC § 13421-23; 108 v PtI, 189; Bureau of Code Revision, 10-1-53), repealed 134 v H 511, § 2, eff 1-1-74.

The effective date is set by section 6 of SB 2. 

 

Effect of Amendments

H.B. 12, Acts 2004, effective April 8, 2004, rewrote the section. 

 

19xx Committee Report or Comment.

1974 Committee Comment to H 511

This section prohibits having or carrying any deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance, either concealed on one's person, or concealed where it may readily be picked up and used. 

The prohibition does not apply to state or federal officers, agents, or employees, or to law enforcement officers, when they are authorized to carry concealed weapons and are acting within the scope of their duties. Also, the section specifies affirmative defenses to a charges of carrying concealed weapons, including: (1) that the accused was engaged in, or going to, or coming from his lawful business or occupation, which was of such character or carried on at such a time or place as to justify a prudent man in going armed; (2) that the accused was engaged in a lawful activity and had good reason to fear an attack on himself or member of his family, such as to justify a prudent man in going armed; (3) that the weapon was carried or kept in the accused's own home for any lawful purpose; and (4) that the weapon was a firearm being transported in a motor vehicle in compliance with new section 2923.16. 

Carrying concealed weapons (other than dangerous ordnance or a firearm which is either loaded or for which the ammunition is ready at hand) is a first degree misdemeanor, or a third degree felony if the offender has a prior conviction of an offense of violence. Carrying concealed dangerous ordnance or a firearm which is either loaded or for which the ammunition is ready at hand is a third degree felony. Carrying a concealed weapon of any kind aboard an aircraft or with purpose to carry it aboard an aircraft is a felony of the second degree. 

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