Unlicensed Carry
Any person who is not prohibited by law from possessing a handgun or long gun may carry a weapon or long gun on their property or inside their home, motor vehicle, or place of business without a valid weapons carry license.[[lxiv]] Individuals may also carry handguns in a closed case, provided they are not loaded. [[lxv]] They may also transport loaded firearms in private motor vehicles. [[lxvi]]
In the Workplace; Guns In Trunks
There is no statutory limitation on a business owner’s right to prohibit possession of weapons within the business’ building or on their private property.[[xxiii]] An employer (public or private) may not establish any policy that allows the search of an employee’s locked, privately owned vehicle.[[xxiv]] Employers also may not prevent employees with a valid Georgia weapons carry license from bringing firearms in locked, privately-owned vehicles in the parking lot,[[xxv]] unless general public access to the lot is limited by a gate, security station or other means.[[xxvi]] An employer is generally immune from civil and criminal liability for damages which result from firearms permitted by this law. [[xxvii]]
Educational Property (School Safety Zone)
The carry of weapons on school property is generally prohibited by Georgia [[xxviii]] and Federal [[xxix]] law with a few exceptions. “Weapon” in Georgia’s statute is defined extremely broadly and includes guns, knives with blades longer than 2 inches, stun guns and tasers, bats and several more items. [[xxx]]
Georgia defines a school safety zone as any real property or building owned by or leased to: (1.) any public or private elementary school, secondary school, or local board of education and used for elementary or secondary education; and (2.) any public or private technical school, vocational school, college, university, or other institution of postsecondary education. [[xxxi]]
The exceptions to this statute apply mainly to governmental officials and law enforcement officers, but also allows for holders of weapons carry licenses to possess weapons in the school safety zone. [[xxxii]] However, there are limits on the areas that a Georgia weapons carry license holder can carry in a school safety zone and the manner in which they do so. [[xxxiii]]
Georgia weapons carry license holders can possess their firearm on school property when they are picking up or transporting someone, [[xxxiv]] or if it is within their control or locked in their car.[[xxxv]] They can not carry their weapon into buildings used for sporting events, student housing buildings including fraternity and sorority houses, [[xxxvi]] preschool or childcare areas, [[xxxvii]] faculty and staff offices, [[xxxviii]] administrative rooms, and classrooms used for special purposes such as dual enrollment classes or college and career academy. [[xxxix]]
Georgia weapons carry license holders who carry their firearm in violation of the limits of the school safety zone shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. However, first time offenders upon conviction shall be punished by a fine of $25.00 and not be sentenced to serve any term of confinement. [[xl]]
Property Owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
Firearms and weapons are generally prohibited on property owned by the TVA, however, possession of firearms and other weapons associated with in-season hunting excursions are permissible if they are unloaded and properly cased. Possession of firearms at TVA public boat ramps (and associated roads and parking areas when used in conjunction with a boat ramp) is allowed if the possession complies with the law of the state where the boat ramp is located and is not otherwise prohibited by law. Otherwise firearms and weapons are prohibited. [[xlii]]
