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527.020 Carrying concealed deadly weapon.
(1) A person is guilty of carrying a concealed weapon when he or she carries concealed
a firearm or other deadly weapon on or about his or her person.
(2) Peace officers and certified court security officers, when necessary for their
protection in the discharge of their official duties; United States mail carriers when <br>actually engaged in their duties; and agents and messengers of express companies, <br>when necessary for their protection in the discharge of their official duties, may <br>carry concealed weapons on or about their person.
(3) Policemen directly employed by state, county, city, or urban-county governments
may carry concealed deadly weapons on or about their person at all times within the <br>Commonwealth of Kentucky, when expressly authorized to do so by the <br>government employing the officer.
(4) Persons, except those specified in subsection (5) of this section, licensed to carry a
concealed deadly weapon pursuant to KRS 237.110 may carry a firearm or other <br>concealed deadly weapon on or about their persons at all times within the <br>Commonwealth of Kentucky, if the firearm or concealed deadly weapon is carried <br>in conformity with the requirements of that section. Unless otherwise specifically <br>provided by the Kentucky Revised Statutes or applicable federal law, no criminal <br>penalty shall attach to carrying a concealed firearm or other deadly weapon with a <br>permit at any location at which an unconcealed firearm or other deadly weapon may <br>be constitutionally carried. No person or organization, public or private, shall <br>prohibit a person licensed to carry a concealed deadly weapon from possessing a <br>firearm, ammunition, or both, or other deadly weapon in his or her vehicle in <br>compliance with the provisions of KRS 237.110 and 237.115. Any attempt by a <br>person or organization, public or private, to violate the provisions of this subsection <br>may be the subject of an action for appropriate relief or for damages in a Circuit <br>Court or District Court of competent jurisdiction.
(5) (a) The following persons, if they hold a license to carry a concealed deadly
weapon pursuant to KRS 237.110, may carry a firearm or other concealed <br>deadly weapon on or about their persons at all times and at all locations within <br>the Commonwealth of Kentucky, without any limitation other than as <br>provided in this subsection: <br>1.
A Commonwealth's attorney or assistant Commonwealth's attorney;
2.
A county attorney or assistant county attorney;
3.
A justice or judge of the Court of Justice; and
4.
A retired or senior status justice or judge of the Court of Justice.
(b) The provisions of this subsection shall not authorize a person specified in this
subsection to carry a concealed deadly weapon in a detention facility as <br>defined in KRS 520.010 or on the premises of a detention facility without the <br>permission of the warden, jailer, or other person in charge of the facility, or <br>the permission of a person authorized by the warden, jailer, or other person in <br>charge of the detention facility to give such permission. As used in this <br>section, "detention facility" does not include courtrooms, facilities, or other
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premises used by the Court of Justice or administered by the Administrative <br>Office of the Courts.
(c) A person specified in this section who is issued a concealed deadly weapon
license shall be issued a license which bears on its face the statement that it is <br>valid at all locations within the Commonwealth of Kentucky and may have <br>such other identifying characteristics as determined by the Department of <br>Kentucky State Police.
(6) (a) Except provided in this subsection, the following persons may carry concealed
deadly weapons on or about their person at all times and at all locations within <br>the Commonwealth of Kentucky: <br>1.
An elected sheriff and full-time and part-time deputy sheriffs certified <br>pursuant to KRS 15.380 to 15.404 when expressly authorized to do so <br>by the unit of government employing the officer;
2.
An elected jailer and a deputy jailer who has successfully completed <br>Department of Corrections basic training and maintains his or her <br>current in-service training when expressly authorized to do so by the <br>jailer; and
3.
The department head or any employee of a corrections department in any <br>jurisdiction where the office of elected jailer has been merged with the <br>office of sheriff who has successfully completed Department of <br>Corrections basic training and maintains his or her current in-service <br>training when expressly authorized to do so by the unit of government <br>by which he or she is employed.
(b) The provisions of this subsection shall not authorize a person specified in this
subsection to carry a concealed deadly weapon in a detention facility as <br>defined in KRS 520.010 or on the premises of a detention facility without the <br>permission of the warden, jailer, or other person in charge of the facility, or <br>the permission of a person authorized by the warden, jailer, or other person in <br>charge of the detention facility to give such permission. As used in this <br>section, "detention facility" does not include courtrooms, facilities, or other <br>premises used by the Court of Justice or administered by the Administrative <br>Office of the Courts.
(7) (a) A full-time paid peace officer of a government agency from another state or
territory of the United States or an elected sheriff from another territory of the <br>United States may carry a concealed deadly weapon in Kentucky, on or off <br>duty, if the other state or territory accords a Kentucky full-time paid peace <br>officer and a Kentucky elected sheriff the same rights by law. If the other state <br>or territory limits a Kentucky full-time paid peace officer or elected sheriff to <br>carrying a concealed deadly weapon while on duty, then that same restriction <br>shall apply to a full-time paid peace officer or elected sheriff from that state or <br>territory.
(b) The provisions of this subsection shall not authorize a person specified in this
subsection to carry a concealed deadly weapon in a detention facility as <br>defined in KRS 520.010 or on the premises of a detention facility without the
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permission of the warden, jailer, or other person in charge of the facility, or <br>the permission of a person authorized by the warden, jailer, or other person in <br>charge of the detention facility to give such permission. As used in this <br>section, "detention facility" does not include courtrooms, facilities, or other <br>premises used by the Court of Justice or administered by the Administrative <br>Office of the Courts.
(8) A firearm or other deadly weapon shall not be deemed concealed on or about the
person if it is located in a glove compartment, regularly installed in a motor vehicle <br>by its manufacturer, regardless of whether said compartment is locked, unlocked, or <br>does not have a locking mechanism. No person or organization, public or private, <br>shall prohibit a person from keeping a firearm or ammunition, or both, or other <br>deadly weapon in a glove compartment of a vehicle in accordance with the <br>provisions of this subsection. Any attempt by a person or organization, public or <br>private, to violate the provisions of this subsection may be the subject of an action <br>for appropriate relief or for damages in a Circuit Court or District Court of <br>competent jurisdiction.
(9) Carrying a concealed weapon is a Class A misdemeanor, unless the defendant has
been previously convicted of a felony in which a deadly weapon was possessed, <br>used, or displayed, in which case it is a Class D felony.
Effective: June 26, 2007 <br>History: Amended 2007 Ky. Acts ch. 54, sec. 14, effective June 26, 2007; and ch. 85,
sec. 329, effective June 26, 2007. -- Amended 2005 Ky. Acts ch. 182, sec. 17, <br>effective March 31, 2005. -- Amended 2002 Ky. Acts ch. 368, sec. 1, effective July <br>15, 2002. -- Amended 1996 Ky. Acts ch. 119, sec. 3, effective October 1, 1996. -- <br>Amended 1978 Ky. Acts ch. 342, sec. 2, effective June 17, 1978. -- Created 1974 Ky. <br>Acts ch. 406, sec. 235, effective January 1, 1975.
Legislative Research Commission Note (6/26/2007). This section was amended by
2007 Ky. Acts chs. 54 and 85, which do not appear to be in conflict and have been <br>codified together.
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