Is It a Crime to Carry My Hunting Rifle or Shotgun in My Trunk in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania gun laws, like gun laws in states across the country, are complicated. In order to balance the Second Amendment right to bear arms with the need to ensure the safety of gun owners and citizens, states around the country, including Pennsylvania, have enacted a number of laws that qualify when it is permissible to transport guns from one place to another.

If you have been charged with a crime because you were transporting your hunting rifle or shotgun in your vehicle, the LLF Law Firm’s Criminal Defense Team can help. Because the laws in this area are so complicated, it isn’t unusual for police and prosecutors to mistakenly charge defendants. Call the LLF Law Firm’s Criminal Defense Team today at 888.535.3686 or fill out our contact form so we can discuss your situation and let you know how the LLF Law Firm can help.

Carrying Guns in Vehicles in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania law regarding the transportation of firearms has a number of provisions and exceptions that may or may not apply depending on the circumstances in which police discover guns in a driver’s trunk. As a start, if you do not have a valid gun license for the gun you are carrying in your vehicle, you could be charged with a third-degree felony.

That said, if you are otherwise eligible to hold a valid license for a firearm but do not have one, you can be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor as a result of carrying it in your vehicle trunk.

Exceptions to the Prohibition Against Carrying Firearms in Vehicles

As you might guess, there are a number of exceptions that allow licensed gun owners to transport their guns from one place to another so that they can be used for lawful purposes, such as hunting.

The hunting exception applies to individuals who:

• Are licensed to hunt, trap, or fish
• Are actually en route to hunt, trap, or fish, or
• Are hunting, trapping, or fishing (though other laws may prevent doing so from a vehicle)

One condition of the hunting exception is that the individual must have a sportsman’s firearm permit from their local county treasurer.

Other exceptions to the vehicle firearm transport prohibition exist for target shooters, dog trainers (hunting dogs need to be acclimated to gunshots), and those transporting guns to be serviced, appraised, or sold – but only if the guns are not loaded and are in a secure container. And, of course, there are exceptions for law enforcement and others who are entitled to carry weapons as part of their service.

The Philadelphia Exception

Philadelphia has stricter gun control laws than other parts of Pennsylvania. The exceptions noted above are unlikely to apply. If you have questions about Philadelphia’s gun control requirements, contact the LLF Law Firm’s Criminal Defense Team.

The LLF Law Firm Can Defend You if You Face Illegal Gun Transport Charges

At the LLF Law Firm, our experienced Criminal Defense Team understands Pennsylvania’s complicated gun control laws. We regularly defend clients all across the state who find themselves facing criminal charges for carrying a gun in their vehicle trunk or storage area, as well as for other gun-related offenses. In some cases, the gun may have been left there by a relative or friend; in others, the client may have been hunting recently, or was planning to do so in the near future.

No matter what the circumstances are of your particular case, you deserve to be represented by an experienced criminal defense attorney who is willing to fight for your rights. Call the LLF Law Firm’s Criminal Defense Team today at 888.535.3686 or fill out our contact form, and we will schedule a confidential consultation to learn more about your case – and to tell you how we can protect your rights and defend you against the charges you face.