Right to Carry

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6108. Carrying firearms on public streets or public property in Philadelphia.
No person shall carry a firearm, rifle or shotgun at any time upon the public streets or upon any public property in a city of the first class unless:
              1. such person is licensed to carry a firearm; or
              2. such person is exempt from licensing under section 6106(b) of this title
                 (relating to firearms not to be carried without a license).
ADVISORY NOTE: Like in a place of declared emergency under §6107, in a City of First Class, a license under §6109 or exception under §6106(b) is required to be able to carry openly on foot.


Entire Pennsylvania Uniforms Firearms Act

Police directive sent to all districts regarding open carry in Philadelphia, PA Sept 22, 2010  

         GENERAL: 1272 09/22/10 12:53:20

TO               : ALL COMMANDING OFFICERS / DEPARTMENT HEADS
SUBJECT   : FIREARM OPEN CARRY LAW IN PHILADELPHIA

1.    DIRECTIVE 137, ENTITLED “FIREARMS” IS BEING UPDATED
       CONCERNING THE PENNSYLVANIA OPEN CARRY LAWS
       REGARDING THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA. THIS TELETYPE
       REFLECTS THE NEW POLICY AS IT WILL APPEAR IN THE
       DIRECTIVE.

2.    ALL OFFICERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT PENNSYLVANIA IS
       CONSIDERED AN “OPEN CARRY STATE” WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
       PHILADELPHIA. IT IS IMPORTANT TO DEFINE A FEW TERMS USED,
       WHICH ARE AS FOLLOWS:

      “OPEN CARRY” REFERS TO THE ACT OF OPENLY AND VISIBLY
       CARRYING A FIREARM ON ONE’S PERSON.

      “OPEN CARRY STATE” REFERS TO A STATE THAT ALLOWS
       PEOPLE TO OPENLY AND VISIBLY CARRY A FIREARM ON ONE’S
       PERSON WITHOUT A SPECIAL LICENSE OR PERMIT.

      “CONCEALED CARRY FIREARMS LICENSE” REFERS TO A SPECIFIC
        LICENSE ISSUED TO AN INDIVIDUAL AUTHORIZING THE PERSON
        TO CARRY A FIREARM CONCEALED ON HIS OR HER PERSON OR
        VEHICLE.


3.     IN PHILADELPHIA, UNLIKE ANY OTHER PART OF THE STATE, FOR
        ANY PERSON TO LAWFULLY, OPENLY AND VISIBLY CARRY A
        FIREARM, THAT PERSON MUST HAVE A CONCEALED CARRY
        FIREARMS LICENSE. SO, IN PHILADELPHIA, IF A PERSON HAS A
        VALID CONCEALED CARRY FIREARMS LICENSE, HE OR SHE CAN
        LEGALLY CARRY A FIREARM EITHER OPEN AND VISIBLE OR
        CONCEALED.

4.     AN OFFICER ENCOUNTERING A PERSON CARRYING A FIREARM
        OPENLY IN PHILADELPHIA SHOULD FOR THE SAFTEY OF PUBLIC
        INVESTIGATE AS A POSSIBLE VUFA VIOLATION.

         A. SINCE A SEPARATE LICENSE IS REQUIRED IN PHILADELPHIA
             AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANY OFFICER TO KNOW WHO DOES
             AND DOES NOT HAVE A VALID CONCEALED CARRY LICENSE, IT
             IS ENTIRELY REASONALBE FOR OFFICERS TO TEMPORARILY
             DETAIN AND INVESTIGATE ANY INDIVIDUAL CARRYING A
             FIREARM EXPOSED TO DETERMINE IF THE PERSON IS
             OPERATING WITH THE LAW.

        B. IMMEDIATLEY SEIZE ANY FIREARMS FOR OFFICER SAFETY
            DURING THE STOP AND UNLOAD THE FIREARMS IF POSSIBLE,
            BUT ONLY IF IT CAN BE DONE SAFELY.

        C. A 75-48A MUST BE COMPLETED AND THE BASIS FOR THE STOP
             WOULD BE A “POSSIBLE VUFA VIOLATION”


        D. ONCE THE OFFICER RECEIVES CONFIRMATION THAT THE
             CONCEALED CARRY LICENSE IS VALID, AND THERE ARE NO
             OTHER OFFENSE OR VIOLATIONS BEING INVESTIGATED,
             OFFICERS SHOULD RETURN THE FIREARM AND AMMUNITION
             BACK TO THE INDIVIDUAL AT THE END OF THE STOP.

         E. HOWEVER, IF THE INDIVIDUAL CANNOT PRODUCE A VALID
             CONCEALED CARRY LICENSE OR THE LICENSE IS NOT VALID
             (I.E. EXPIRED OR REVOKED), PROBABLE CAUSE THEN EXISTS
             TO ARREST THE INDIVIDUAL FOR THE VUFAVIOLATION AND
             TRANSPORT THE INDIVIDUAL TO THE DIVISIONAL DETECTIVES
             FOR PROCESSING. THE FIREARM AND AMMUNITION SHOULD
             BE PLACED ON A PROPERTY RECEIPT (75-3) AND MARKED AS
            “ EVIDENCE”. A 75-48A FOR THE INITIAL STOP MUST BE
              PREPARD ALONG WITH A 75-48 FOR THE VUFA ARREST.



        

Forms to download in PDF format - click and print:

Philadelphia Application For A Pennsylvania License To Carry Firearms

Carbon County Application For A Pennsylvania License To Carry Firearms

Act 235 Lethal weapons Training Act information

Florida Permit To Carry Information

States That Honor Pennsylvania's Resident Permit To Carry Firearms:

Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming

Carry Permits Honored In Pennsylvania

Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming

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