Can you have a gun in your car in Oregon, if you don’t have a Concealed Handgun License (CHL)? Yes, but there are requirements for transporting a firearm in the interior passenger compartment of a vehicle in Oregon.
Oregon Law On Guns In Cars
Blackletter Oregon law on firearms in vehicles is codified in ORS 166.250. The statute is titled “Unlawful Possession of Firearms” and it covers much more than just firearms in vehicles. But, in relevant part, it reads:
[a] person commits the crime of unlawful possession of a firearm if the person knowingly… [p]ossesses a handgun that is concealed and readily accessible to the person within any vehicle.”
An exception is made for people who have a concealed handgun license under ORS 166.291.
Driving And Keeping A Gun In The Car With An Oregon CHL
Certainly the best and easiest thing to do if you plan on driving in Oregon with a firearm in the car is to get an Oregon Concealed Handgun License (CHL). This allows you to carry a loaded handgun or other firearm in your vehicle and to keep it concealed so as to not attract unwanted attention or alarm. But what if you are ineligible for an Oregon CHL due to a prior criminal conviction or lack of residence in Oregon?
Transporting A Firearm In A Vehicle In Oregon Without A CHL
The easiest thing to do if you want to transport a loaded handgun in Oregon in the interior passenger compartment of a vehicle if you don’t have an Oregon CHL, is to buy a SnapSafe handgun box or something similar. Oregon law specifically requires that you keep your firearm in a locked box. Technically, you could store the firearm in your glove box or a center console, provided that either storage compartment is keyed and the key was removed from the storage container. However, any officer pulling you over for speeding or an equipment violation is probably going to get very nervous and alarmed if you pop open a glove box or center console to get your vehicle registration and proof of insurance, and there is a firearm present. It’d be best practice to keep the firearm separate from vehicle paperwork.
Not only are the SnapSnafe boxes good for transporting firearms in vehicles, but they can also be used for safely storing firearms at home, or for transporting unloaded handguns during air travel (provided that you otherwise comply with all the FAA and TSA rules.
Other Firearms Related Articles On Our Site
- Michael Romano – Oregon Gun Rights Attorney
- Oregon Concealed Carry Laws
- Guns In Cars In Oregon
- Gun Registration In Oregon: What You Need To Know
- How to Fight an Extreme Risk Protection Order
- Private Party Gun Sales in Oregon
- Does Oregon Have a Gun Show Loophole?
- Restore Firearm Rights After a Conviction in Oregon
- Self-Defense in Oregon – Know Your Rights
- Use of Force In Oregon
- Oregon Castle Doctrine: Shooting Burglars or Intruders
- Stand Your Ground In Oregon