Open Carry | No Permit Required

Utah Is A Constitutaional Carry State

If You Are AT LEAST 21 Years Old

If you are at least 21 years old and NOT a prohibited person as defined in 76-10-503 or 18 U.S.C. 922(g) under Constitutional Carry:

It is LEGAL to carry any legally owned firearm fully loaded and concealed without a concealed firearm permit.

It is LEGAL to carry a firearm in any of the other 24 Constitutional Carry States, subject to any age restrictions and all laws of that state.

It is ILLEGAL to have or carry any firearm in any Utah Prohibited Areas, Federal Prohibited Areas, or Indian Reservations.

It is ILLEGAL to carry a firearm on any school premises unless you have a valid Utah concealed firearm permit.

It is ILLEGAL to have a loaded rifle, shotgun, or muzzle-loading rifle in a vehicle unless; you have a valid concealed firearm permit and it is your vehicle or you have consent from the owner of the vehicle. This means you can only have a loaded handgun in a vehicle. Firearms In Vehicles.

If You Are UNDER 21 Years Old

If you are at least 18 years old and NOT a prohibited person as defined in 76-10-503 or 18 U.S.C. 922(g) it is LEGAL to open carry an unloaded firearm.

  • The firearm must be visible at all times
  • The firearm must be statutorily unloaded (see below)

If you are at least 18 years old and NOT a prohibited person as defined in 76-10-503 or 18 U.S.C. 922(g) it is LEGAL to carry any legally owned firearm fully loaded and concealed without a concealed firearm permit as provided below.

  • In your residence (your home) including any temporary residence (hotel) or camp (including the tent) and on your real property. More Information
  • In your vehicle, or in a vehicle with the owner’s consent. Handguns ONLY More Information
  • In your business or business under the person’s control.
    “Control of a business” is not defined under Utah law but can be defined as the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise. A member of an organization or an employee of a company who has significant sway in the decision-making process.
  • While hunting as long as you are not within the limits of a municipality (city) and not on any highway (road).
  • If you are On Duty as an armed private security officer with a valid armed private security officer license.

An individual who is at least 18 years old, but under 21 years old must obtain a concealed firearm permit to carry a loaded or concealed firearm in any manner not provided above. For more information about obtaining the provisional concealed firearm permit click here.

What Is Statutorily Unloaded?

This DOES NOT apply to anyone who has a valid concealed firearm permit or anyone over 21 years of age under Constitutional Carry.

Semi-Automatic Handgun:

  • Fully loaded magazine inserted, but cannot have a round in the firing position (chamber).
  • Must have two actions to fire;
    1. Rack the slide to load a round from the magazine into the chamber.
    2. Press the trigger to fire the round.
    A “thumb”, “grip”, “trigger” or any other type of safety is not considered a mechanical action.

Double Action Revolver:

  • Must have two empty chambers. It cannot have a round in the firing position (chamber) behind the barrel and the next chamber must also be empty. Ensure you know which way the cylinder rotates as some turn clockwise, others turn counterclockwise.
  • Must have two actions to fire;
    1. Pressing the trigger once will rotate the cylinder with empty chamber #1 and place empty chamber #2 in line with the barrel.
    2. Pressing the trigger a second time will rotate the cylinder with empty chamber #2 and position a loaded chamber in line with the barrel which fires the round.

Laws

76-10-500. Uniform law.
(1) The individual right to keep and bear arms being a constitutionally protected right, the Legislature finds the need to provide uniform laws throughout the state. Except as specifically provided by state law, a citizen of the United States or a lawfully admitted alien shall not be:
(a) prohibited from owning, possessing, purchasing, selling, transferring, transporting, or keeping any firearm at his place of residence, property, business, or in any vehicle lawfully in his possession or lawfully under his control; or
(b) required to have a permit or license to purchase, own, possess, transport, or keep a firearm.
(2) This part is uniformly applicable throughout this state and in all its political subdivisions and municipalities. All authority to regulate firearms shall be reserved to the state except where the Legislature specifically delegates responsibility to local authorities or state entities. Unless specifically authorized by the Legislature by statute, a local authority or state entity may not enact or enforce any ordinance, regulation, or rule pertaining to firearms.

76-10-501. Definitions.
As used in this part:
(3)(a) "Concealed firearm" means a firearm that is:
(i) covered, hidden, or secreted in a manner that the public would not be aware of its presence; and
(ii) readily accessible for immediate use.
(b) A firearm that is unloaded and securely encased is not a concealed firearm for the purposes of this part.

76-10-502. When weapon deemed loaded.
(1) For the purpose of this chapter, any pistol, revolver, shotgun, rifle, or other weapon described in this part shall be deemed to be loaded when there is an unexpended cartridge, shell, or projectile in the firing position.
(2) Pistols and revolvers shall also be deemed to be loaded when an unexpended cartridge, shell, or projectile is in a position whereby the manual operation of any mechanism once would cause the unexpended cartridge, shell, or projectile to be fired.
(3) A muzzle loading firearm shall be deemed to be loaded when it is capped or primed and has a powder charge and ball or shot in the barrel or cylinders.

76-10-504. Carrying concealed firearm -- Penalties.
(1) Except as provided in Section 76-10-503 and in Subsections (2), (3), and (4), a person who carries a concealed firearm, as defined in Section 76-10-501, including an unloaded firearm on his or her person or one that is readily accessible for immediate use which is not securely encased, as defined in this part, in or on a place other than the person's residence, property, a vehicle in the person's lawful possession, or a vehicle, with the consent of the individual who is lawfully in possession of the vehicle, or business under the person's control is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.
(2) A person who carries a concealed firearm that is a loaded firearm in violation of Subsection (1) is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
(3) A person who carries concealed an unlawfully possessed short barreled shotgun or a short barreled rifle is guilty of a second degree felony.
(4) If the concealed firearm is used in the commission of a violent felony as defined in Section 76-3-203.5, and the person is a party to the offense, the person is guilty of a second degree felony.
(5) Nothing in Subsection (1) or (2) shall prohibit a person engaged in the lawful taking of protected or unprotected wildlife as defined in Title 23, Wildlife Resources Code of Utah, from carrying a concealed weapon or a concealed firearm as long as the taking of wildlife does not occur:
(a) within the limits of a municipality in violation of that municipality's ordinances; or
(b) upon the highways of the state as defined in Section 41-6a-102

  • Subsection (1) means you do not need a concealed firearm permit to carry a loaded and concealed firearm in your residence, on your property, in your vehicle or a vehicle with the owner's consent, your business or if you are in control of the business.
  • Subsection (5) means you do not need a concealed firearm permit to carry a loaded and concealed firearm while hunting as long as you are not within city limits or on any road.

76-10-523. Persons exempt from weapons laws.
(1) Except for Sections 76-10-506, 76-10-508, and 76-10-508.1, this part and Title 53, Chapter 5, Part 7, Concealed Firearm Act, do not apply to any of the following:
(a) a United States marshal;
(b) a federal official required to carry a firearm;
(c) a peace officer of this or any other jurisdiction;
(d) a law enforcement official as defined and qualified under Section 53-5-711;
(e) a judge as defined and qualified under Section 53-5-711;
(f) a court commissioner as defined and qualified under Section 53-5-711; or
(g) a common carrier while engaged in the regular and ordinary transport of firearms as merchandise.
(2) Notwithstanding Subsection (1), the provisions of Section 76-10-528 apply to any individual listed in Subsection (1) who is not employed by a state or federal agency or political subdivision that has adopted a policy or rule regarding the use of dangerous weapons.
(3) Subsections 76-10-504(1) and (2), and Section 76-10-505 do not apply to:
(a) an individual to whom a permit to carry a concealed firearm has been issued:
(i) pursuant to Section 53-5-704; or
(ii) by another state or county; or
(b) a person who is issued a protective order under Subsection 78B-7-106(1)(b) or 78B-7-404(1)(b), unless the person is a restricted person as described in Subsection 76-10-503(1), for a period of 120 days after the day on which the person is issued the protective order.
(4) Except for Sections 76-10-503, 76-10-506, 76-10-508, and 76-10-508.1, this part and Title 53, Chapter 5, Part 7, Concealed Firearm Act, do not apply to a nonresident traveling in or through the state, provided that any firearm is:
(a) unloaded; and
(b) securely encased as defined in Section 76-10-501.
(5) Subsections 76-10-504(1) and (2), and Section 76-10-505(1)b) do not apply to a person 21 years old or older who may otherwise lawfully possess a firearm.

58-63-307. Occupations and Professions - Security Personnel Licensing Act - Use of firearms
(1) An individual licensed as an armored car security officer or an armed private security officer may carry a firearm only while acting as an armored car security officer or an armed private security officer in accordance with this chapter and rules made under this chapter.
(2) An individual licensed as an armored car security officer or an armed private security officer is exempt from the provisions of Section 76-10-505 and Title 53, Chapter 5, Part 7, Concealed Weapon Act, while acting as an armored car security officer or an armed private security officer in accordance with this chapter and rules made under this chapter.
[This means only while on duty unless otherwise authorized under the law]

29-2-103. Innkeeper's rights -- Liability -- Prohibition on discrimination.
(1) An innkeeper may:
(a) refuse or deny accommodations, facilities, or privileges of a lodging establishment to any person who is:
(v) in the reasonable belief of the innkeeper, bringing in property that may be dangerous to other persons, including firearms or explosives;

29-2-102. Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
(4) "Innkeeper" means the proprietor or designated employee of a proprietor of a lodging establishment.
(5) "Lodging establishment" means a place providing temporary sleeping accommodations to the public, including any of the following:
(a) a bed and breakfast establishment;
(b) a boarding house;
(c) a hotel;
(d) an inn;
(e) a lodging house;
(f) a motel;
(g) a resort; or
(h) a rooming house.