Yet beyond the basics, reciprocity laws are not the same in every state.
No matter how similar they may appear, each state incorporates various nuances into their concealed carry laws, making it a long and tedious process to research the laws for each state.
If you are traveling through more than one state, this can easily complicate matters, especially since there are still some states that don’t provide reciprocity.
Now a new website is aiming to make interstate travel with your gun a seamless process. The site is SafeGunTravel.com, with headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. The website report shows that Ohio only has reciprocity agreements with 23 states, and that one of its border states, Indiana, is not one of them. This information would definitely be useful if you were heading west from Ohio and planned to travel through the Hoosier state with your firearm.
Author Scott W. Wagner explains how the website works in his article “SafeGunTravel.com: New Website Provides Assistance for CCP Holders Traveling Across America” at USConcealedCarry.com:
“Once on the site, you input your name, starting point, and ending point into the ‘Begin Your Safe Gun Travel Here’ starting point on the left side of the page. When you input that information and your credit card information, a travel report is generated that goes to your email as a link.” (Read more at USConcealedCarry.com)
At that point. the report can be printed out and kept in your vehicle console or other easily accessible area while traveling. Most permit issues tend to happen while traveling through states, usually due to a lack of research rather than in the state you’re trying to get to.
Each report is priced at $10.95 and they not only give the concealed carry reciprocity information for the states you are traveling through, but a wealth of other important reports as well. They include route info, a Freedom Rank, Stand Your Ground status, Open Carry status, Duty to Notify an Officer (that you are carrying) requirements, state constitution information, CCW links, and reciprocity status with your home state. Information is current as the website is updated on a weekly basis.
Making assumptions about the laws in other states while traveling with your gun is never a good idea. SafeGunTravel.com provides an easily accessible resource at a reasonable cost to help concealed carry permit holders avoid a potential delay, fee, arrest and/or court while on the road.