(a) Offense defined.--Any person who carries a firearm in any vehicle or any person who carries a firearm concealed on or about his person, except in his place of abode or fixed place of business, without a valid and lawfully issued license under this chapter commits a felony of the third degree.
(b) Exceptions.--The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to:
1. Constables, sheriffs, prison or jail wardens, or their deputies, policemen
of this Commonwealth or its political subdivisions, or other law-enforcement
officers.
2. Members of the army, navy or marine corps of the United States or of the
National Guard or organized reserves when on duty.
3. The regularly enrolled members of any organization duly organized to purchase
or receive such weapons from the United States or from this Commonwealth.
4. Any persons engaged in target shooting with rifle, pistol, or revolver, if
such persons are at or are going to or from their places of assembly or target
practice and if, while going to or from their places of assembly or target practice,
the cartridges or shells are carried in a separate container and the rifle,
pistol or revolver is unloaded.
5. Officers or employees of the United States duly authorized to carry a concealed
firearm.
6. Agents, messengers and other employees of common carriers, banks, or business
firms, whose duties require them to protect moneys, valuables and other property
in the discharge of such duties.
7. Any person engaged in the business of manufacturing, repairing, or dealing
in firearms, or the agent or representative of any such person, having in his
possession, using or carrying a firearm in the usual or ordinary course of such
business.
8. Any person while carrying a firearm unloaded and in a secure wrapper from
the place of purchase to his home or place of business, or to a place of repair
or back to his home or place of business, or in moving from one place of abode
or business to another or from his home to a vacation or recreational home or
dwelling or back, or to recover stolen property under section 6111.1(b)(4) (relating
to Pennsylvania State Police) or to a location to which the person has been
directed to surrender firearms under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6108 (relating to relief)
or back upon return of the surrendered firearm.
9. Persons licensed to hunt, take furbearers or fish in this Commonwealth, if
such persons are actually hunting, taking furbearers or fishing or are going
to the places where they desire to hunt, take furbearers or fish or returning
from such places.
10. Persons training dogs, if such persons are actually training dogs during
the regular training season.
11. Any person while carrying a firearm in any vehicle, which person
possesses a valid and lawfully issued license for that firearm which has been
issued under the laws of the United States or any other state.
(c) Sportsman's firearm permit.--
1. Before any exception shall be granted under paragraph (b)(9) or (10) of
this section to any person 18 years of age or older licensed to hunt, trap or
fish or who has been issued a permit relating to hunting dogs, such person shall,
at the time of securing his hunting, furtaking or fishing license or any time
after such license has been issued, secure a sportsman's firearm permit from
the county treasurer. The sportsman's firearm permit shall be issued immediately
and be valid throughout this Commonwealth for a period of five years from the
date of issue for any legal firearm, when carried in conjunction with a valid
hunting, furtaking or fishing license or permit relating to hunting dogs. The
sportsman's firearm permit shall be in triplicate on a form to be furnished
by the Pennsylvania State Police. The original permit shall be delivered to
the person, and the first copy thereof, within seven days, shall be forwarded
to the Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police by the county treasurer.
The second copy shall be retained by the county treasurer for a period of two
years from the date of expiration. The county treasurer shall be entitled to
collect a fee of not more than $6 for each such permit issued, which shall include
the cost of any official form. The Pennsylvania State Police may recover from
the county treasurer the cost of any such form, but may not charge more than
$1 for each official permit form furnished to the county treasurer.
2. Any person who sells or attempts to sell a sportsman's firearm permit for
a fee in excess of that amount fixed under this subsection commits a summary
offense.
(d) Revocation of registration.--Any registration of a firearm under subsection (c) of this section may be revoked by the county treasurer who issued it, upon written notice to the holder thereof.
§ 6106.1. Carrying loaded weapons other than firearms.
(a) General rule.--Except as provided in Title 34 (relating to game), no person
shall carry a loaded pistol, revolver, shotgun or rifle, other than a firearm
as defined in section 6102 (relating to definitions),
in any vehicle. The provisions of this section shall not apply to persons
excepted from the requirement of a license to carry firearms under section 6106(b)(1),
(2), (5) or (6) (relating to firearms not to be carried without a license) nor
shall the provisions of this section be construed to permit persons to carry
firearms in a vehicle where such conduct is prohibited by section 6106.
(b) Penalty.--A person who violates the provisions of this section commits a summary offense.
ADVISORY NOTE: The above referenced section lays out the
exceptions besides having a license under §6109. Note that
“concealed” carry and carry in vehicles is the only type of carry
defined as an offense without a license. Open carry is not mentioned
while on foot so lack of statute constitutes legal standing.
Under subsection (b)(11), A person who has a license to carry
from any state may carry, whether openly or concealed, a handgun
in his or her vehicle. Under subsection (b)(15), a person
who has a license to carry a firearm from another state which the
Attorney General has determined that such other state recognizes
licenses under §6109 and determined to have similar laws to
the Commonwealth's, may carry a firearm concealed on his person
on foot. These laws do not require that a person not be a
Pennsylvania resident. Current reciprocity information may be
found here:
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/crime.aspx?id=184