Non-Resident with guns in Ohio

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Hey everybody,

My friend is starting grad school in Ohio, next week. He's a resident of Pennsylvania, and will be retaining his PA residency during the duration of the grad program.

What are the odds of him getting an Ohio non-res CCW permit? What (if any) castle doctrine does Ohio have? Any gotchas/things to look out for/tidbits about Ohio gun laws he should know? Is there a web site he (or I) can look at to get this info?

He understands that Ohio is going to be more restrictive than PA, but he'd like at least a fun gun and a home-defense gun in his apartment.

Thanks!
 
I doubt it will be much more restrictive than PA. Both PA and OH are "free by default" states for mere possession.

Handgunlaw.us is a good place to start, as that site has rundowns of the relevant state laws. Most of the normal states are pretty easy to
understand compared to the big dump states like MA/NY/NJ etc. I think there is also an Ohio CCW site as well that might be a good resource.

-Mike
 
I doubt it will be much more restrictive than PA. Both PA and OH are "free by default" states for mere possession.
Yeah, I didn't figure it'd be too much worse. I know the non-res CCW stuff is harder, but it's hard to have a CCW permit on the lawbooks and be much easier than $26 bucks and a simple form.
Handgunlaw.us is a good place to start, as that site has rundowns of the relevant state laws. Most of the normal states are pretty easy to
understand compared to the big dump states like MA/NY/NJ etc. I think there is also an Ohio CCW site as well that might be a good resource.

-Mike
Thanks Mike, I'll check out there. He was mostly concerned about things like castle doctrine and the like.

edit: Looks like I found the answer to that
http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2307.601

No duty to retreat in residence, or vehicle.
 
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My friend is starting grad school in Ohio, next week. He's a resident of Pennsylvania, and will be retaining his PA residency during the duration of the grad program.

What are the odds of him getting an Ohio non-res CCW permit?
Ohio does not have non-resident licenses. Your friend will be a resident of Ohio (regardless of whether he keeps his PA residency or not) because he will have a domicile here. That makes him eligible to apply for a CCW license after he has lived here for more than 45 days. He can apply for his license with the Sheriff in the county that he lives in or with the Sheriff of any county adjacent to the county he lives in. See ORC 2923.125 for all the gory details.

Just so you and him are clear, licenses here exist SOLELY to carry concealed. There is no license needed for open carry nor for purchasing or possessing firearms or ammo.


What (if any) castle doctrine does Ohio have?
Seems you found that already.



Any gotchas/things to look out for/tidbits about Ohio gun laws he should know?
No carry signs on private property are legally binding. Ignoring them and getting caught is a 4th class misdeamenor. No carry in any place that serves alcohol until 9/30/11, then it will be legal. No carry in any .gov buidling except shelters and rest stops. A firearm is considered loaded in your vehicle if there is a loaded magazine for it anywhere in the vehicle, even if the magazine and the gun are not together. Otherwise CCW laws here are mostly like PA.



Is there a web site he (or I) can look at to get this info?
Hangunlaw.us, buckeyefirearms.org, and the ORC


He understands that Ohio is going to be more restrictive than PA
His understanding is generally incorrect. In some areas Ohio is more restrictive and in some PA is more restrictive.



but he'd like at least a fun gun and a home-defense gun in his apartment.
There will be zero issues with both of those and with carrying concealed.
 
A few more things:

CCW licenses are shall issue. The Sheriff is the only issuing authority, but they have zero discretion per state law.

The General Assembly is the only political body to enact any laws regulating the purchasing, possession, and carrying of firearms. Any local restrictions have been null and void for a long time though you may occasionally see signs saying "no firearms" on public parks here and there. Ignore them, they have no force of law.
 
Even more......

Even if you don't establish a residence/domicile in Ohio, you are free to bring in as many guns as you want with you. No licenses needed for that. You can also CCW with a license from one of the many states we have reciprocity with.

You can even buy a long gun if you have an ID from one of the bordering states, IIRC.
 
But someone from a non-bordering state couldn't? Wonder why the distinction.

Because the Ohio State law was enacted to mirror the GCA '68 "contiguous states" provision.

However, the Federal provision was repealed in 1986 pursuant to FOPA.

It appears that pursuant to ORC 2923.22(C), and absent any case law to the contrary, Ohio may no longer prohibit such...

ORC 2923.22 said:
Interstate transactions in firearms.

(A) Any resident of Ohio age eighteen or over, and not prohibited by section 2923.13 or 2923.15 of the Revised Code or any applicable law of another state or the United States from acquiring or using firearms, may purchase or obtain a rifle, shotgun, or ammunition therefor in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia.

(B) Any resident of Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia, age eighteen or over, and not prohibited by section 2923.13 or 2923.15 of the Revised Code or the laws of his domicile or the United States from acquiring or using firearms, may purchase or obtain a rifle, shotgun, or ammunition therefor in Ohio.

(C) Any purchase and sale pursuant to this section shall be for such purposes and under such circumstances and upon such conditions as are prescribed by the “Gun Control Act of 1968,” 82 Stat. 1213, 18 U.S.C. 922(b)(3), and any amendments or additions thereto or reenactments thereof.

Effective Date: 01-01-1974

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2923.22
 
All that residency bulls**t is a massive toilet filled with old turds that needs to be flushed. There's no f-ing reasons why someone's rights should be restricted based on what their residency is. That's like saying you only have the write newspaper articles in your state of residency. It's absurd.

-Mike
 
Jose, my reading of what you just said is that, that, while he retains his PA driver's license and generally is considered a PA resident, due to him living in an apartment in OH he'll be considered a resident with regards to obtaining a resident CCW permit?

Thanks for all the info, really helpful, I'll pass it along
 
Jose, my reading of what you just said is that, that, while he retains his PA driver's license and generally is considered a PA resident, due to him living in an apartment in OH he'll be considered a resident with regards to obtaining a resident CCW permit?
That is my understanding.

A close reading of ORC 2923.125 is necessary to confirm what would satisfy the residency requirement.

If push came to shove and he does not qualify for an Ohio license, he can carry here with a license from a state that we share reciprocity with. Unfortunately for him, PA is not on that list. However, UT and FL are. Ohio does not care that you are not a resident of the state that issued you a CHL. The state only cares that the license is A) Issued to you, B) Still valid, and C) Issued by a state with which we have reciprocity.
 
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