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Ohio Duty to Inform Police Laws (2026)

Conditional: Ohio has had no proactive duty to inform since June 13, 2022 (SB 215), but you must still disclose truthfully when an officer asks: it is a second-degree misdemeanor to knowingly fail to disclose that you are carrying before or at the time an officer asks during a stop (ORC 2923.12(B)(1)).

ConditionalVerified Jul 18, 2026

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Ohio has had no proactive duty to inform since June 13, 2022 (SB 215), but you must still disclose truthfully when an officer asks: it is a second-degree misdemeanor to knowingly fail to disclose that you are carrying before or at the time an officer asks during a stop (ORC 2923.12(B)(1)). You must also keep your hands in plain sight, not touch the gun, and obey orders. Permitless carriers 21 and older have the identical duty via ORC 2923.111(C)(1)(c).

Official source: codes.ohio.gov →

General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.

Duty to Inform Police in states bordering Ohio

The same rule in each neighboring state LawLert has verified, from that state’s own official source.

IndianaInfo
Indiana has no duty to inform: since permitless carry took effect July 1, 2022 (IC 35-47-2-3(a)), an eligible person 18 and older needs no license, and the handgun chapter contains no provision requiring a carrier to notify an officer or to display the now-optional license. Optional licenses remain valid for reciprocity.
Verified Jul 18, 2026 · Source: iga.in.gov · Full Indiana rule →
KentuckyInfo
No. Kentucky has no duty to tell an officer you are armed, and no permit is needed at 21 or older. A license holder must carry the license whenever carrying concealed and show it if an officer asks; a violation is a $25 noncriminal penalty. The statute does not say whether this reaches out-of-state licenses, so the cautious reading is that it does.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: apps.legislature.ky.gov · Full Kentucky rule →
MichiganConditional
Yes, for holders of a Michigan Concealed Pistol License (CPL). If a peace officer stops you while you carry concealed, you must immediately say you have a pistol on you or in the vehicle, without being asked. You must also show your CPL and driver license or state ID on request. A first violation is a $500 fine and a 6-month license suspension. The disclosure rule names Michigan licensees only; whether it covers out-of-state licensees is unsettled, so assume it does.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: michigan.gov · Full Michigan rule →
PennsylvaniaConditional
Pennsylvania has no proactive duty to inform, but when carrying a firearm concealed on the person or in a vehicle, a licensee must produce the license for inspection on the lawful demand of a law-enforcement officer (18 Pa.C.S. § 6122(a)); failure to produce it creates a rebuttable presumption of non-licensure. The rule has been unchanged since 1997.
Verified Jul 18, 2026 · Source: palegis.us · Full Pennsylvania rule →
West VirginiaInfo
West Virginia law does not require you to tell an officer you are armed, and it does not require you to carry or show a license. A visitor who relies on an out-of-state permit, instead of permitless carry, must have the permit in immediate possession.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · Full West Virginia rule →

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