Please Note: In addition to state law, the purchase, sale and (in certain circumstances) the possession and interstate transportation of firearms is regulated by the Gun Control Act of 1968, as amended by the Firearm Owners' Protection Act. Also, cities and localities may have their own firearms ordinances in addition to federal and state laws. Details may be obtained by contacting local law enforcement authorities, and by consulting the State Laws and Published Ordinances--Firearms, available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. 20402.
Rifles and
Shotguns Handguns
_____________________
Permit to Purchase No No*
Registration of Firearms No No*
Licensing of Owner No No*
Permit to Carry No N/A*
*Some municipalities control the possession, sale or transfer of firearms.
Controls include: handgun registration and identification cards; waiting
periods and permits to purchase; restrictions on handguns with barrel lengths
less than 3 inches; prohibition on handguns weighing less than 19 ounces,
costing less than $50 or $90, and able to melt at less than 800°F;
prohibitions on firearms with obliterated markings; and prohibitions on the
use of any firearm by persons less than 16 or 17 years of age.
It is unlawful for the following persons to ``knowingly acquire, have, carry, or use any firearm:''
It is unlawful to sell a handgun to a person under 21, or any firearm to a person under 18. A firearm may be furnished to a person under 18 for lawful hunting (persons 16 or over may hunt alone), instruction in firearms safety, care and handling, or marksmanship under the supervision or control of a responsible adult.
It is unlawful to ``recklessly sell, lend, give, or furnish any firearm'' to any person who may not possess a firearm (see possession), or who is under the influence of alcohol or any drug of abuse.
It is an affirmative defense to a charge of carrying a concealed weapon if the person was:
The unloaded firearm must be carried:
A firearm in the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle is considered loaded if its magazine is loaded or a loaded magazine is ready at hand. Muzzleloading weapons are considered unloaded if the percussion cap or priming powder in the pan is removed. The affirmative defenses under (2) and (3) are available to a charge brought under the provision of carrying in a motor vehicle. Affirmative defenses are generally strictly construed against the defendant.
State law has no provision for a license or permit for carrying concealed firearms.
It is unlawful to possess a firearm in any room in which liquor is being dispensed pursuant to a liquor license. This prohibition does not apply to a police officer, or to any room used for the accommodation of guests of a hotel, or the possession of an unloaded rifle by a veterans' organization, or possessing or displaying unloaded firearms in a soldiers' memorial or in a convention center or other public meeting place by an exhibitor, trader, purchaser, or seller. It is an affirmative defense that a person was not otherwise precluded by law and kept a firearm for defensive purposes and whose business or occupation was of such character as would justify a prudent man in going armed, or kept a firearm for defensive purposes while engaged in lawful activity and had reasonable cause to fear a criminal attack as would justify a prudent man in going armed.
It is unlawful to ``knowingly acquire, have, carry, or use'' a machine gun. Exceptions are:
The Cincinnati ordinance prohibits the possession of any semi-automatic firearm that was "originally designed with or has a fixed magazine or detachable magazine with a capacity of more than" 10 rounds for a rifle, 5 rounds for a shotgun and 15 rounds for a handgun. The Cincinnati ordinance also prohibits the possession of any detachable magazine with a magazine capacity in excess of 10 rifle rounds, 5 shotgun rounds or 15 handgun rounds. The Cincinnati ordinance exempts .22 caliber rimfire rifles which have fixed tubular magazines.
The Columbus ordinance prohibits the possession of dozens of specifically named semi-automatic firearms; other semi-automatic firearms may be added to this list. The Columbus ordinance also prohibits the possession of any magazine or other ammunition container which holds more than 20 rounds of ammunition other than in .22 caliber rimfire.
It is unlawful to carry or use any firearm ``while under the influence of alcohol or any drug of abuse.''
It is unlawful to ``knowingly fail to report to law enforcement authorities forthwith the loss or theft of any firearm.''
It is unlawful to discharge a firearm on or across a roadway, or near buildings.
No person shall knowingly convey, or attempt to convey, any deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance onto any property owned or controlled by, or to any activity held under the auspices of, a board of education of a city, local, exempted village, or joint vocational school district or of a governing body of a school. Exempted from the prohibition are: officers, agents, or employees of this or any other state or the United States, or to law enforcement officers, authorized to carry deadly weapons or dangerous ordnance and acting within the scope of their duties, to any security officer employed by a board of education or governing body of a school during the time that the security officer is on duty pursuant to that contract of employment, or to any other person who has written authorization from the board of education or governing body of a school to convey deadly weapons or dangerous ordnance onto school property or to possess a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance on school property and who conveys or possesses the deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance in accordance with that authorization.
Caution: State firearms laws are subject to frequent change. The above summary is not to be considered as legal advice or restatement of law. To determine the applicability of these laws to specific situations which you may encounter, you are strongly urged to consult a local attorney.
Source: Ohio Rev. Code Sections 2923.11 to 2923.24.
(c) 1994 NRA Institute for Legislative Action.
Permission to reprint
granted with appropriate credit to NRA Institute.
NS 01320 R. 3/94 10M