Can You Carry a Gun Without a Permit in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania law allows adults who are not otherwise prohibited from possessing or using firearms to open carry guns in most of the state (excluding Philadelphia, under statute 18 Pa.C.S. Section 6108). No license or permit is required to do so. However, you do need a license to carry a concealed firearm in the state, as well as to carry a firearm in a vehicle. Attempting to do so without a license can lead to criminal charges under statute 18 Pa.C.S. Section 6106.

Is Carrying a Firearm Without a License a Felony in PA?

The criminal offense of carrying a concealed firearm without a license or carrying a firearm in a vehicle without a license may be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony. If the person accused of carrying a firearm without a license is eligible for a license, the offense can be charged as a first-degree misdemeanor. However, if the offender is not eligible to obtain a license to lawfully carry a concealed firearm, the offense of carrying without a license is a more serious crime. In this case, the violation constitutes a third-degree felony. Both misdemeanor and felony charges for carrying a concealed weapon without a license are serious legal matters. Either one could result in jail time and significant fines. Regardless of whether the charge you’re facing is a misdemeanor or a felony, it’s a good idea to put your case in the hands of experienced Luzerne County concealed weapon charges lawyers.

How Much Jail Time Could You Get for Carrying a Concealed Weapon in Pennsylvania?

You may not have attempted to use your weapon for any purpose, but the accusations of unlawfully having a concealed weapon on your person can still put your future at risk. Even the lower-level offense you may be charged with, a first-degree misdemeanor, carries the potential for a prison term of up to five years, as well as up to $10,000 in fines. If the violation constitutes a third-degree felony, you could go to jail for as long as seven years if convicted and have to pay up to $15,000 in fines. This legal matter is serious enough that retaining experienced gun crime attorneys is a must if you’re hoping to minimize the impact these charges could have on your life.

Luzerne County Concealed Weapon Charges Lawyers | Carrying a Concealed Weapon Charges Defense Attorneys Kingston, PA

Carrying a Concealed Weapon Charges Defense Attorneys in Kingston, PA, Represent People Accused of Carrying a Firearm Without a License in Luzerne County, Lackawanna County, Columbia County, and Throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania

A carrying a concealed weapon charge in Pennsylvania can pose major legal consequences. Pennsylvania may allow for open carry of firearms without a license, but the state requires you to have a license for concealed carry or carry in a vehicle. Our Luzerne County concealed weapon charges lawyers can help defend you against charges of carrying a firearm without a license.

The consequences of a conviction for this violation can amount to several years in prison and fines as high as $10,000 or even $15,000, but there’s still hope for a more favorable resolution. Contact us today to find out how experienced legal representation can help you.

Concealed Weapon Charges in Luzerne County, PA

Don’t mistake a carrying a concealed weapon charge for a primarily procedural or administrative issue. Although not having a valid license is part of the offense, any weapons charges in Pennsylvania can constitute serious criminal violations that could potentially result in jail time.

When you have been charged with carrying a concealed weapon without a license in Luzerne County, your first step should be to consult experienced attorneys who have a history of success representing defendants in situations like yours.

Founder and lead attorney of Muckler Law, LLC, Matthew T. Muckler has served as Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney in addition to providing criminal defense services to defendants throughout the region. This extensive knowledge gained from both sides of the courtroom makes our Kingson, PA, firm well-suited to defend you against an unlawful carry of a weapon charge and any other criminal charges you may be facing.

Where Can Our Luzerne County Concealed Weapon Charges Lawyers Serve You?

Our firm represents clients all over Luzerne County and beyond. We have experience assisting people charged with gun crimes of all kinds in areas like the following:

Wilkes-Barre
Nanticoke
Pittston
Hazleton
Hanover Township
Butler Township
Hazle Township
Dallas Township
Plains Township
Plymouth

For help with weapons charges anywhere in Luzerne County, Lackawanna County, Columbia County, and the rest of Northeastern Pennsylvania, turn to Muckler Law, LLC.

What Is an Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon Charge in Pennsylvania?

Under statute 18 Pa.C.S. Section 6106, firearms are not to be carried without a license in two situations: concealed weapons and guns in vehicles.

What Is the Crime of Carrying a Concealed Weapon in Pennsylvania?

To legally carry a concealed weapon in Luzerne County and elsewhere in PA, you need a Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms.

Without such a license, the only places you can legally carry a concealed firearm in PA are in your own place of abode (that is, your home) or your fixed place of business (which cannot include a vehicle, even if you drive one for business purposes).

Certain exceptions exist to this law, generally involving defendants who fit into one of the following circumstances:

Law enforcement officers
Members of the Armed Forces
Federal employees and agents authorized to carry concealed weapons
People employed by banks, common carriers, or business firms who carry firearms for work-related purposes of protecting valuables
People who handle firearms in the ordinary course of manufacturing, repairing, or otherwise dealing in firearms

If you don’t meet any of the above exceptions, carrying a concealed weapon without a license could land you in significant trouble. A license is also required to lawfully open carry a firearm on public streets and in public places in Philadelphia under statute 18 Pa.C.S. Section 6108.

What Is the Crime of Carrying a Firearm in a Vehicle Without a License?

The same statute that criminalizes carrying a concealed weapon without a license also applies to carrying a firearm in a vehicle. Specifically, the statute identifies carrying a firearm “in any vehicle” without a license as a crime under state law.

There are, however, exceptions. For example, you’re permitted to transport a firearm in a vehicle without a Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms if the weapon is not loaded and you are going:

From the place of purchase of the gun to your home or place of business
To or from a place for target shooting practice
To or from a place for hunting
To or from a place of instruction for safe handling, use, or maintenance of firearms
From your home or place of business to a place where you can get your gun repaired, maintained, or appraised and back to your home or place of business
From one home, place of business, or vacation or recreational home to another
To or from a location where you have been directed to surrender firearms or permitted to recover them

If you are charged with carrying a weapon without a license, whether concealed on your person or in a vehicle, you need to take this matter seriously. Experienced carrying concealed weapon charges defense attorneys in Kingston, PA, can help defend you against these serious weapons offenses.

How to Beat a Concealed Weapons Charge in Luzerne County

What can you do when you have been charged with carrying a concealed weapon in Luzerne County, PA? There are several potential defenses against a concealed weapon charge in Pennsylvania.

Defenses Against a Carry a Concealed Weapon Charge

If you have been charged with the offense of carrying a concealed weapon, developing a robust defense is critical.

Perhaps you did not, in fact, have the gun concealed on your person. It may even be possible in some situations that you had no knowledge of the gun’s presence, especially if it was in a car you had borrowed or a backpack someone had asked you to carry.

Your attorney might instead argue that the circumstances under which you had the gun in your possession constitute an exception under the law.

A careful review of the evidence may reveal any improper procedures on the part of law enforcement, such as conducting a search of your person or your vehicle without probable cause or reasonable suspicion. In this instance, your attorney can seek to have any evidence that was unlawfully obtained suppressed so that it can’t be used in the case against you.

Your attorney might also be able to use a strong defense strategy to expose the weaknesses in the prosecution’s case against you. It’s the prosecutor’s responsibility to prove your guilt beyond reasonable doubt, so indicating the ways the case against you fails to accomplish this may help you avoid a conviction. In some cases, negotiating a plea bargain may be both possible and desirable.

With skilled Luzerne County concealed weapon charges lawyers on your side, you will be prepared to take whatever path is most beneficial for defending against illegal firearm charges and pursuing a more favorable outcome.

The Importance of Having Skilled Luzerne County Concealed Weapon Charges Lawyers Fighting for You

Which possible defenses make the most sense for your situation depends on the specific facts of your case. Your attorney can explore all possible paths forward and advise you on which strategies apply to your situation.

The value of retaining our carrying a concealed weapon charges defense attorneys in Kingston, PA, is in consistently having someone on your side throughout the legal proceedings. Your attorney will be advocating for your interests at every stage, from conducting an investigation of the incident for the purpose of identifying the evidence in your favor to representing you in every proceeding.

As your attorney develops your defense strategy, you can feel reassured knowing that they are exploring all avenues of attaining a resolution to the case that is more favorable to you.

Contact the Luzerne County Concealed Weapon Charges Lawyers at Muckler Law, LLC, Today for a Free Consultation

It’s time to take action to protect yourself from the harsh consequences of carrying a weapon charges. You’re facing a difficult legal situation, but you don’t have to face it alone.

For help from charges for concealed weapons attorneys in Kingston, PA, contact Muckler Law, LLC, online or call 570-908-4069 today.

Luzerne County Concealed Weapon Charges Lawyers