Georgia Carry Laws

Prohibited Places - Where You Cannot Carry

Georgia: Even lawful weapons carriers may not carry in courthouses, jails or prisons, state mental health facilities admitting involuntary patients, nuclear power facilities, or within 150 feet of a polling place during elections (O.C.G.A. 16-11-127(b)); worship places are off-limits unless the governing body allows carry ($100 fine for licensees). In school safety zones, licensees commit a misdemeanor, others a felony (16-11-127.1).

PROHIBITED PLACES - WHERE YOU CANNOT CARRY
Georgia

Georgia: Even lawful weapons carriers may not carry in courthouses, jails or prisons, state mental health facilities admitting involuntary patients, nuclear power facilities, or within 150 feet of a polling place during elections (O.C.G.A. 16-11-127(b)); worship places are off-limits unless the governing body allows carry ($100 fine for licensees). In school safety zones, licensees commit a misdemeanor, others a felony (16-11-127.1).
Authority: O.C.G.A. 16-11-127(b) (unauthorized-locations list); O.C.G.A. 16-11-127.1 (school safety zones).

Constitutional Carry - No Permit Required

Georgia allows permitless concealed and open carry for anyone 21+ (18+ military) who can legally possess a firearm.

CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY - NO PERMIT REQUIRED
Georgia

Georgia allows permitless concealed and open carry for anyone 21+ (18+ military) who can legally possess a firearm.

Authority: O.C.G.A. § 16-11-126(g)(1) (as amended by SB 319, eff. Apr. 12, 2022) with 'lawful weapons carrier' defined at § 16-11-125.1(2.1) (license-eligible under § 16-11-129: 21+, or 18+ military), quoted in State v. Meadows, Ga. Ct. App. Sept. 10, 2024.

Duty to Inform - No Statutory Duty

Georgia: No statutory duty to inform officers you are carrying and no duty to show a license — since 2022 constitutional carry (SB 319), O.C.G.A. § 16-11-137 affirmatively prohibits detaining a person solely to check for a weapons carry license.

DUTY TO INFORM LAW ENFORCEMENT
GEORGIA

Georgia: No statutory duty to inform officers you are carrying and no duty to show a license — since 2022 constitutional carry (SB 319), O.C.G.A. § 16-11-137 affirmatively prohibits detaining a person solely to check for a weapons carry license.

Authority: O.C.G.A. § 16-11-137 (as rewritten by SB 319, 2022 Ga. Laws 596, eff. Apr. 12, 2022) — 'Detention for investigation of license to carry prohibited'.

No Magazine Capacity Limit

Georgia has no state-level magazine capacity restrictions. Standard and extended magazines are legal.

NO MAGAZINE CAPACITY LIMIT
Georgia

Georgia has no state-level magazine capacity restrictions. Standard and extended magazines are legal.

Authority: O.C.G.A. § 16-11-173(b)(1) (preemption); search of Part 3 carry statutes (16-11-125.1 definitions).

No Red Flag Law

Georgia: No red flag (ERPO) law is in effect as of February 2026.

RED FLAG / EXTREME RISK LAW
Georgia

Georgia: No red flag (ERPO) law is in effect as of February 2026.

Authority: no extreme-risk (ERPO) statute in the state code as of February 2026; Johns Hopkins National ERPO Resource Center state tracker.

No-Carry Signs - Not Criminal to Ignore

Georgia: signs have no force of law; the property controller's remedy is to exclude or eject the armed person, and only refusing to leave after being told to becomes criminal trespass under O.C.G.A. 16-7-21(b)(3) (16-11-127(c)); carrying in government buildings, courthouses, jails, state mental health facilities, nuclear facilities, and within 150 feet of polling places is a misdemeanor under 16-11-127(b) regardless of signs.

"NO FIREARMS" SIGN LAW
GEORGIA

Georgia: signs have no force of law; the property controller's remedy is to exclude or eject the armed person, and only refusing to leave after being told to becomes criminal trespass under O.C.G.A. 16-7-21(b)(3) (16-11-127(c)); carrying in government buildings, courthouses, jails, state mental health facilities, nuclear facilities, and within 150 feet of polling places is a misdemeanor under 16-11-127(b) regardless of signs.

Authority: O.C.G.A. 16-11-127(c), cross-referencing criminal trespass O.C.G.A. 16-7-21(b)(3).

Stand Your Ground - No Duty to Retreat

Georgia: Stand Your Ground state. No duty to retreat before using force in self-defense anywhere you have a legal right to be.

STAND YOUR GROUND - NO DUTY TO RETREAT
Georgia

Georgia: Stand Your Ground state. No duty to retreat before using force in self-defense anywhere you have a legal right to be.
Authority: O.C.G.A. § 16-3-23.1 (No duty to retreat prior to use of force in self-defense).

Vehicle Carry - Loaded Firearms Allowed

Georgia: Constitutional carry state. Adults may carry loaded firearms in vehicles without permit.

VEHICLE CARRY - LOADED FIREARMS ALLOWED
Georgia

Georgia: Constitutional carry state. Adults may carry loaded firearms in vehicles without permit.

Authority: O.C.G.A. § 16-11-126(a) (any person not prohibited may carry inside his or her motor vehicle) and § 16-11-126(c) (lawful weapons carrier may transport in any private passenger motor vehicle), post-SB 319 (2022).