“The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself or the State shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain, or employ an armed body of men.”
AT A GLANCE
Arizona is a shall-issue, constitutional carry state with concealed weapons permits issued at the state level. There is no permit, background check or firearms registration required when buying a handgun from a private individual. Open carry is legal in Arizona for any person who is at least 18 years old. Anyone at least 21 years old may conceal carry a firearm without a permit. Arizona is a Castle Doctrine state and effectively allows people to stand their ground. There is no duty to retreat. There is no civil liability for justified conduct.
Reciprocal Carry
You must be at least 21 years old to apply for a permit to carry, or to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. However, You only need to be 18 to possess or open carry a handgun.
Arizona recognizes all other states’ valid permits, except Vermont, providing the following conditions are met:
“shall recognize a concealed weapon, firearm or handgun permit or license that is issued by another state or a political subdivision of another state if both: 1. The permit or license is recognized as valid in the issuing state. 2. The permit or license holder is all of the following: (a) Legally present in this state. (b) Not legally prohibited from possessing a firearm in this state.”
However, a person with a permit or license from another state may not carry in Arizona if the person is:
“under twenty-one years of age or is under indictment for, or has been convicted of, a felony offense in any jurisdiction, unless that conviction is expunged, set aside or vacated or the person’s rights have been restored and the person is currently not a prohibited possessor under state or federal law.”
Some states do not require a license to carry or have not entered into a written agreement and are not reciprocal.
Note: Arizona will only honor Idaho Enhanced Permits and will not honor the Idaho Standard Permit.
Duty To Notify Police Officer
Arizona does not require individuals to inform a LEO of a permit or license to carry immediately upon contact, but if an Officer asks about a weapon, by law, an answer must be supplied. However, You do not need to disclose the existence of the weapon if it is contained in a visible case, holster, scabbard, pack, or luggage; or if it is in a storage compartment, map pocket, trunk, or glove compartment.
Carrying Firearms In Vehicles
Anyone who is legally allowed to possess a firearm may openly carry a loaded firearm in a vehicle whether in a holster, case, compartment, or in plain view. Adults between the age of 18 and 21 may openly carry a loaded or unloaded firearm in a vehicle only if it is in plain view. Property owners cannot prohibit people from keeping a firearm in their locked vehicle, or in a locked compartment of a motorcycle, so long as the firearm is not visible from outside.
Constitutional Carry
Arizona allows anyone who is at least 21 years old and not prohibited from owning firearms to carry a concealed firearm without a permit. This is not limited to Arizona residents, meaning residents of other states may carry in Arizona even without reciprocity. In addition, anyone who is at least 18 years old and not prohibited from owning firearms may possess and open carry a handgun, but they cannot carry it concealed until they turn 21. It should be noted that a CCP is required in order to carry in a bar.
NFA Items
Arizona permits ownership of all NFA items, provided they are legally obtained pursuant to federal law. Hunting with suppressors is legal. CLEOs are required to sign an application for the transfer of any item regulated under the NFA within 60 days if the applicant is not prohibited by law from receiving it.
Self-Defense Laws
Arizona has both Castle Doctrine and SYG laws. There is no duty to retreat when attacked in any place You have a legal right to be, and You may use deadly force in self-defense if You reasonably believe it is imminently necessary to prevent death or SBI, kidnapping, robbery, burglary, forcible rape, aggravated assault, or arson of an occupied building.
Carry In Restaurants That Serve Alcohol
There are restrictions governing the carrying of firearms in establishments that hold a liquor license. Unless the business has a properly posted sign banning carrying firearms on the premises, it is generally lawful for people with a CCP to carry into the establishment. The sign must be located in a conspicuous location and be displayed right next to the liquor license in order to be valid and enforceable. It is illegal to consume alcohol while carrying a firearm. Note that You must have a valid CCP in order to carry in these establishments; constitutional carry doesn’t allow You to carry in establishments that serve alcohol, and open carry is also illegal there. The prohibition against carrying guns in establishments with liquor licenses does not apply to guests staying at hotels or motels that serve alcohol.
Do “No Gun Signs” Have The Force Of Law?
It is illegal to carry on any private property or private establishment where the owner or any other person having lawful control over the property has given reasonable notice forbidding the carrying of deadly weapons or firearms. Failure to obey a properly posted sign or the verbal instructions of the property owner or those who represent constitutes trespass.
Open Carry
Open carry is legal in Arizona. The minimum age for open carry is 18.
DISCLAIMER: The Gun Laws by State Guide (GLBSG) was created to provide its readers with a general educational resource tool to explore the pertinent gun laws in Your jurisdiction.
However, the GLBSG was not researched and/or written by attorneys as a specific legal guide to rely upon. Instead, it is a starting point for your own research. In addition, all laws are always subject to reasonable, but different, legal interpretation as to meaning and application.
As such, the GLBSG is not intended to supplant, nor limit, Your need for independent verification of any and all material contained herein and consultation with competent counsel of choice regarding any specific issues.
This type of specific legal analysis is necessarily beyond the general educational objective of the GLBSG and for which a bar-admitted attorney in the particular state(s) is needed and required. The content of this GLBSG is a general restatement of the law.
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