Reciprocity, prohibited places, transport & storage rules. 8 state-level rules for North Carolina, each linked to its official government source.
North Carolina requires a CHP for concealed carry. Open carry is legal without a permit.
CONCEALED HANDGUN PERMIT REQUIRED
North Carolina
North Carolina requires a CHP for concealed carry. Open carry is legal without a permit.
Authority: N.C.G.S. § 14-415.11(a) (concealed handgun permit; last amended 2023).
North Carolina: You MUST immediately inform law enforcement you are carrying when contacted. Must disclose and show permit when approached by law enforcement
DUTY TO DISCLOSE — NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina is a must-inform state for concealed handgun permit holders. Under G.S. § 14-415.11(a), a permittee carrying a concealed handgun must: (1) carry the permit together with valid identification; (2) disclose to any law enforcement officer that they hold a valid permit and are carrying a concealed handgun when approached or addressed by the officer; and (3) display both the permit and identification upon the officer's request.
PENALTY (G.S. § 14-415.21(a)): Failure to disclose, or carrying without the permit in possession, is an INFRACTION — a noncriminal violation punished in accordance with G.S. § 14-3.1. It is not a misdemeanor. (Separate, more serious violations of the permit article carry their own penalties, e.g., carrying after consuming alcohol under § 14-415.11(c2) is a Class 1 misdemeanor.)
North Carolina: carrying a concealed handgun past a conspicuous posted notice on private premises violates G.S. 14-415.11(c)(8), but the penalty is an INFRACTION with a fine up to $500 (G.S. 14-415.21(a)) — a noncriminal violation, not the arrestable misdemeanor our rule described; remaining after being personally told to leave can still be prosecuted as ordinary trespass.
"NO FIREARMS" SIGN LAW
NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina: carrying a concealed handgun past a conspicuous posted notice on private premises violates G.S. 14-415.11(c)(8), but the penalty is an INFRACTION with a fine up to $500 (G.S. 14-415.21(a)) — a noncriminal violation, not the arrestable misdemeanor our rule described; remaining after being personally told to leave can still be prosecuted as ordinary trespass.
Authority: G.S. 14-415.11(c)(8) (posted private premises); G.S. 14-415.21(a) (penalty: infraction).
North Carolina: a concealed-handgun permit does not authorize carry (G.S. 14-415.11(c)) on educational property (G.S. 14-269.2 -- a felony for firearms, with narrow exceptions including a permit holder's handgun locked in a vehicle), in courthouses, the State Capitol or Executive Mansion (14-269.4, Class 1 misdemeanor, with a locked-vehicle exception), in law-enforcement or correctional facilities, or in buildings housing only State or federal offices (14-415.11(c)(5)-(7)); assemblies charging admission and establishments where alcohol is sold and consumed are prohibited EXCEPT for valid permit holders -- an exception that disappears where the premises are posted (14-269.3(b)(5)) -- and parades/funeral processions/demonstrations are covered by 14-277.2; carrying past a conspicuous notice prohibiting concealed handguns on private premises is, for permit holders, a NON-CRIMINAL INFRACTION with a fine up to $500 or permit surrender (14-415.11(c)(8), 14-415.21(a)), though armed entry after notice can also be prosecuted as trespass; consuming alcohol or having any alcohol or unlawful controlled substance in the body while carrying is unlawful (14-415.11(c2), Class 1 misdemeanor per 14-415.21(a1)); carry IS lawful in State Parks and State rest areas (14-415.11(c1),(c3)).
PROHIBITED PLACES - WHERE YOU CANNOT CARRY
North Carolina
North Carolina: a concealed-handgun permit does not authorize carry (G.S. 14-415.11(c)) on educational property (G.S. 14-269.2 -- a felony for firearms, with narrow exceptions including a permit holder's handgun locked in a vehicle), in courthouses, the State Capitol or Executive Mansion (14-269.4, Class 1 misdemeanor, with a locked-vehicle exception), in law-enforcement or correctional facilities, or in buildings housing only State or federal offices (14-415.11(c)(5)-(7)); assemblies charging admission and establishments where alcohol is sold and consumed are prohibited EXCEPT for valid permit holders -- an exception that disappears where the premises are posted (14-269.3(b)(5)) -- and parades/funeral processions/demonstrations are covered by 14-277.2; carrying past a conspicuous notice prohibiting concealed handguns on private premises is, for permit holders, a NON-CRIMINAL INFRACTION with a fine up to $500 or permit surrender (14-415.11(c)(8), 14-415.21(a)), though armed entry after notice can also be prosecuted as trespass; consuming alcohol or having any alcohol or unlawful controlled substance in the body while carrying is unlawful (14-415.11(c2), Class 1 misdemeanor per 14-415.21(a1)); carry IS lawful in State Parks and State rest areas (14-415.11(c1),(c3)).
Authority: G.S. 14-415.11(c),(c1),(c2); G.S. 14-415.21(a),(a1); G.S. 14-269.2; G.S. 14-269.3; G.S. 14-269.4; G.S. 14-277.2.
North Carolina has no state-level magazine capacity restrictions. Standard and extended magazines are legal.
NO MAGAZINE CAPACITY LIMIT
North Carolina
North Carolina has no state-level magazine capacity restrictions. Standard and extended magazines are legal.
Authority: Exhaustive grep of the entire N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 14 (Criminal Law, incl. arts. 52A/53A/54A/54B) - no magazine-capacity provision; Giffords state page.
North Carolina: No red flag (ERPO) law is in effect as of February 2026.
RED FLAG / EXTREME RISK LAW
North Carolina
North Carolina: 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.
SELF-DEFENSE LAWS NORTH CAROLINA LAW Stand Your Ground: YES Castle Doctrine: YES North Carolina is a Stand Your Ground state. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-51.3(a), a person is justified in using deadly force and has no duty to retreat in any place he or she has the lawful right to be, if the person reasonably believes such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm, or under the circumstances permitted by G.S. 14-51.2 (the castle-doctrine provision referenced in § 14-51.3(a)(2)). Non-deadly force is justified when and to the extent the person reasonably believes it necessary to defend against imminent unlawful force. A person who lawfully uses force under this section is immune from civil or criminal liability, with an exception for force used against law enforcement officers or bail bondsmen lawfully performing official duties who have identified themselves or should have been recognized as such (§ 14-51.3(b)).
STAND YOUR GROUND - NO DUTY TO RETREAT
North Carolina
SELF-DEFENSE LAWS
NORTH CAROLINA LAW
Stand Your Ground: YES
Castle Doctrine: YES
North Carolina is a Stand Your Ground state. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-51.3(a), a person is justified in using deadly force and has no duty to retreat in any place he or she has the lawful right to be, if the person reasonably believes such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm, or under the circumstances permitted by G.S. 14-51.2 (the castle-doctrine provision referenced in § 14-51.3(a)(2)). Non-deadly force is justified when and to the extent the person reasonably believes it necessary to defend against imminent unlawful force. A person who lawfully uses force under this section is immune from civil or criminal liability, with an exception for force used against law enforcement officers or bail bondsmen lawfully performing official duties who have identified themselves or should have been recognized as such (§ 14-51.3(b)).
Authority: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-51.3(a) (use of force in defense of person; no duty to retreat).
North Carolina: A concealed handgun permit is still required — SB 50 (permitless carry) was vetoed 6/20/2025 and only the Senate has overridden (7/29/2025; the House has not voted the override) — and without a permit a handgun concealed within reach in a vehicle (glovebox/console) violates G.S. 14-269(a1), while open carry in plain view is lawful; permittees may carry loaded but must proactively disclose permit and carrying whenever approached or addressed by an officer and display permit and ID on request (G.S. 14-415.11(a)).
VEHICLE CARRY WITH PERMIT - YOU MUST DISCLOSE TO POLICE WHEN APPROACHED
North Carolina
North Carolina: A concealed handgun permit is still required — SB 50 (permitless carry) was vetoed 6/20/2025 and only the Senate has overridden (7/29/2025; the House has not voted the override) — and without a permit a handgun concealed within reach in a vehicle (glovebox/console) violates G.S. 14-269(a1), while open carry in plain view is lawful; permittees may carry loaded but must proactively disclose permit and carrying whenever approached or addressed by an officer and display permit and ID on request (G.S. 14-415.11(a)).
Authority: N.C. Gen. Stat. 14-269(a1), (a1)(2); N.C.G.S. 14-415.11(a); SB 50 (2025) bill history.
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