Pennsylvania Open Carry Laws (2026)

Conditional: At 18 or older, you may carry a handgun openly on foot in most of Pennsylvania without a license.

ConditionalVerified Oct 12, 2026

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At 18 or older, you may carry a handgun openly on foot in most of Pennsylvania without a license. A License to Carry Firearms (LTCF) is required in a vehicle and on public streets or property during a declared state or local emergency. Philadelphia law also requires an LTCF; a 2025 appeals court ruling held that unconstitutional as applied to one unlicensed carrier, but the law stays on the books and may still be enforced.

Official source: pa.gov →

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

Open Carry in states bordering Pennsylvania

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

DelawarePermitted
Open carry of a handgun is legal in Delaware without a permit for anyone 21 or older who may lawfully possess a firearm.
Verified May 31, 2026 · Source: attorneygeneral.delaware.gov · Full Delaware rule →
MarylandRestricted
Open carry is not allowed. A Maryland Wear and Carry Permit lets you carry a handgun only concealed from view, under clothing or in an enclosed case; brief accidental exposure is not a violation. Without a permit, wearing or carrying a handgun openly or concealed is a crime, apart from listed exceptions such as property you own or lease or a business you own or lease.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: mdsp.maryland.gov · Full Maryland rule →
New JerseyRestricted
Open carry is illegal in New Jersey, with or without a permit. A permit allows carry only concealed, in a holster. Carrying a handgun openly in public is a fourth-degree crime, and carrying one without a permit is a second-degree crime on top of that. For a permit holder, brief, accidental exposure while holstering or from a shift of clothing is treated as a minor infraction.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: pub.njleg.state.nj.us · Full New Jersey rule →
New YorkRestricted
New York has no license for openly carrying a handgun. The carry license covers concealed carry only. Without a license, possessing a handgun is a crime, and possessing a loaded handgun outside your home or business is a felony.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: troopers.ny.gov · Full New York rule →
OhioPermitted
Open carry of a handgun is legal in Ohio without a license. Ohio's concealed-carry law does not regulate open carry, and federal law bars handgun possession under 18. Openly carrying into a bar or other liquor-permit premises where people are drinking is a felony unless you hold a license and are not drinking. Schools, courthouses and other restricted places are off-limits, and owners can post signs banning firearms.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: ohioattorneygeneral.gov · Full Ohio rule →
West VirginiaPermitted
Open carry of a handgun is legal in West Virginia with no license, at 18 or older, for anyone who may lawfully have a gun. Carrying or brandishing a weapon so as to threaten a breach of the peace is a crime. Guns are banned on school grounds and buses and on court premises. Cities may restrict guns in city-owned buildings and recreation facilities.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: ago.wv.gov · Full West Virginia rule →

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