concealed weapon

A concealed weapon is any deadly weapon, including a firearm, carried on or about a person and hidden from the ordinary view of another person. Although the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides that:"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” certain states have laws requiring the explicit authorization to carry concealed weapons.

For example:

• In Florida, under FL Stat § 790.01 a person who is not licensed to carry a concealed weapon and does so is guilty of a first degree misdemeanor. Additionally, a person who is not licensed to carry a concealed firearm and does so is guilty of a third degree felony.
• However, in Georgia, under GA Code § 16-11-126, 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. Such a person may also carry a handgun without a license as long as it is enclosed in a case and unloaded. 

[Last reviewed in August of 2026 by the Wex Definitions Team]

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