Utah Firearm Laws

Firearms At Work

Utah allows individuals who can legally possess firearms to carry openly or concealed at workplaces where firearm possession is permitted.

Private employers can prohibit firearms inside their workplaces. Separate laws govern firearms in personal vehicles, government workplaces, and schools.

Carrying Firearms At Work

Employees

Age 21 & Older: You may carry a loaded firearm, openly or concealed, without a concealed firearm permit at workplaces where firearms are permitted, provided you can legally possess firearms.

Ages 18–20: You may carry a loaded firearm, openly or concealed, with a valid Utah Provisional Concealed Firearm Permit where firearms are permitted.

Without a provisional permit, you may openly carry an unloaded firearm where open carry is permitted.

Business Owners

Individuals age 18 or older who can legally possess firearms may have a loaded firearm, openly or concealed, at a business they lawfully own or control without a concealed firearm permit.

Business owners may establish firearm policies for employees, customers, and visitors on their property.

Carrying A Firearm

Private Employer Firearm Policies

Workplace Firearm Restrictions

A private employer can prohibit employees from carrying firearms, openly or concealed, inside the workplace.

This includes employees with a Utah Concealed Firearm Permit, a Provisional Concealed Firearm Permit, or authority to carry without a permit.

Violating an employer's firearm policy can result in disciplinary action or termination. Refusing a lawful demand to leave the property can result in criminal trespass.

Personal Vehicles In Workplace Parking Lots

An employer cannot prohibit an employee from storing a legally possessed firearm in a personal vehicle parked in a protected workplace parking lot.

When the vehicle is unoccupied, the firearm must be secured inside the vehicle or in a locked container attached to the vehicle, and must not be visible from outside.

Employers may prohibit firearm storage in their parking lots if they provide free, safe, legal alternative parking nearby, or secured and monitored firearm storage nearby.

Parking Lot Laws

Employer-Owned Vehicles

An employer may prohibit firearms inside company-owned vehicles, including work trucks, delivery vehicles, and other company transportation.

Employees must have permission from the person who owns or lawfully possesses the vehicle to rely on Utah's vehicle-carry authorization.

Firearms In Vehicles

Government Employees

State & Local Government Employees

Utah state agencies, counties, cities, and other local governments cannot create their own firearm restrictions through employment policies unless authorized by state law.

Employees who are legally authorized to carry firearms may carry openly or concealed in government workplaces where firearm possession is permitted.

Restricted Government Facilities

Employees cannot carry firearms into secure areas, correctional facilities, or other locations where firearm possession is prohibited by state or federal law.

Employees specifically authorized to possess firearms in these locations must follow the requirements of that authorization.

Utah Prohibited Areas Federal Prohibited Areas

School Employees

Public School Employees

Public school employees who are legally authorized to carry firearms on school property may carry as permitted by Utah's school firearm laws.

A qualifying Utah Concealed Firearm Permit may authorize carrying a loaded, concealed firearm on school property.

School Firearm Restrictions

A Utah Provisional Concealed Firearm Permit does not authorize the same concealed carry privileges on elementary or secondary school property as a qualifying Utah Concealed Firearm Permit.

School-owned vehicles, student transportation, and other school firearm restrictions are controlled by separate statutory provisions.

School Firearm Laws

Self-Defense & Employment Termination

Utah Supreme Court — Ray v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

The Utah Supreme Court ruled that an employee may bring a wrongful-termination claim when fired for using lawful self-defense against an imminent threat of serious bodily harm or death when the employee could not safely withdraw.

This ruling does not give employees permission to violate workplace firearm policies. It protects the right to defend against an imminent serious threat under the circumstances described by the court.