A concealed weapon is any deadly weapon, including a firearm, carried on or about a person hidden from the ordinary view of another person. Although the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms,” certain states have laws prohibiting the carrying of concealed weapons unless the person carrying has a permit to do so.
For example:
- In Florida, a person who is not licensed to carry a concealed weapon and does so is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. Also, a person who is not licensed to carry a concealed firearm and does so is guilty of a felony of the third degree.
- However, in Georgia, a person who is not prohibited by law from possessing a handgun or long gun can carry a loaded long gun without a license as long as it is carried in an open and fully exposed manner. Also, such a person can carry a handgun without a license as long as it is enclosed in a case and unloaded.
[Last updated in June of 2021 by the Wex Definitions Team]