Oklahoma Code § 21-1277v2

Title 21. Crimes And Punishments: Unlawful carry in certain places
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this section
UNLAWFUL CARRY IN CERTAIN PLACES
A.  It shall be unlawful for any person, including a person in
possession of a valid handgun license issued pursuant to the
provisions of the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act, to carry any concealed
or unconcealed firearm into any of the following places:
1.  Any building or office space which is owned or leased by a
city, town, county, or state governmental authority for the purpose
of conducting business with the public.  However, the governing body
of a city or town may authorize the concealed carry of handguns into
any building or office space that is owned or leased by a city or
town, except those places listed in paragraph 2 of this subsection;
2.  Any courthouse, courtroom, prison, jail, detention facility,
or any facility used to process, hold, or house arrested persons,
prisoners, or persons alleged delinquent or adjudicated delinquent,
except as provided in Section 21 of Title 57 of the Oklahoma
Statutes;
3.  Any public or private elementary or public or private
secondary school, except as provided in subsections C and D of this
section;
4.  Any publicly owned or operated sports arena or venue during
a professional sporting event, unless allowed by the event holder;
5.  Any place where gambling is authorized by law, unless
allowed by the property owner;
6.  Any other place specifically prohibited by law; and
7.  Any property set aside by a county, city, town, public trust
with a county, city, or town as a beneficiary, or state governmental
authority for an event that is secured with minimum security
provisions.  For purposes of this paragraph, a minimum security
provision consists of a location that is secured utilizing the
following:

a. a metallic-style security fence that is at least eight
(8) feet in height that encompasses the property and
is secured in such a way as to deter unauthorized
entry,
b. controlled access points staffed by a uniformed,
commissioned peace officer, and
c. a metal detector whereby persons walk or otherwise
travel with their property through or by the metal
detector.
B.  It shall be lawful for a person to carry a concealed or
unconcealed firearm on the following properties:
1.  Any property set aside for the use or parking of any
vehicle, whether attended or unattended, by a city, town, county, or
state governmental authority;
2.  Any property set aside for the use or parking of any
vehicle, whether attended or unattended, which is open to the
public, or by any entity engaged in gambling authorized by law;
3.  Any property adjacent to a building or office space in which
concealed or unconcealed weapons are prohibited by the provisions of
this section;
4.  Any property designated by a city, town, county, or state
governmental authority as a park, recreational area, wildlife
refuge, wildlife management area, or fairgrounds; provided, nothing
in this paragraph shall be construed to authorize any entry by a
person in possession of a concealed or unconcealed firearm into any
building, office space, or event which is specifically prohibited by
the provisions of subsection A of this section;
5.  Any property set aside by a public or private elementary or
secondary school for the use or parking of any vehicle, whether
attended or unattended; provided, however, the firearm shall be
stored and hidden from view in a locked motor vehicle when the motor
vehicle is left unattended on school property; and
6.  Any public property set aside temporarily by a county, city,
town, public trust with a county, city, or town as a beneficiary, or
state governmental authority for the holder of an event permit that
is without minimum security provisions, as such term is defined in
paragraph 7 of subsection A of this section; provided, the carry of
firearms within the permitted event area shall be limited to
concealed carry of a handgun unless otherwise authorized by the
holder of the event permit.
Nothing contained in any provision of this subsection or
subsection C of this section shall be construed to authorize or
allow any person in control of any place described in subsection A
of this section to establish any policy or rule that has the effect
of prohibiting any person in lawful possession of a handgun license
or otherwise in lawful possession of a firearm from carrying or
possessing the firearm on the property described in this subsection.

C.  A concealed or unconcealed weapon may be carried onto
private school property or in any school bus or vehicle used by any
private school for transportation of students or teachers by a
person who is licensed pursuant to the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act,
provided a policy has been adopted by the governing entity of the
private school that authorizes the carrying and possession of a
weapon on private school property or in any school bus or vehicle
used by a private school.  Except for acts of gross negligence or
willful or wanton misconduct, a governing entity of a private school
that adopts a policy which authorizes the possession of a weapon on
private school property, a school bus, or a vehicle used by the
private school shall not be subject to liability for any injuries
arising from the adoption of the policy.  The provisions of this
subsection shall not apply to claims pursuant to the Administrative
Workers’ Compensation Act.
D.  Notwithstanding paragraph 3 of subsection A of this section,
a board of education of a school district may adopt a policy
pursuant to Section 5-149.2 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes to
authorize the carrying of a handgun onto school property by school
personnel specifically designated by the board of education,
provided such personnel either:
1.  Possess a valid armed security guard license as provided for
in the Oklahoma Security Guard and Private Investigator Act; or
2.  Hold a valid reserve peace officer certification as provided
for in Section 3311 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to restrict
authority granted elsewhere in law to carry firearms.
E.  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A of this
section, on any property designated as a municipal zoo or park of
any size that is owned, leased, operated, or managed by:
1.  A public trust created pursuant to the provisions of Section
176 of Title 60 of the Oklahoma Statutes; or
2.  A nonprofit entity,
an individual shall be allowed to carry a concealed handgun but not
openly carry a handgun on the property.
F.  Any person violating the provisions of paragraph 2 or 3 of
subsection A of this section shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a
misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed Two Hundred Fifty
Dollars ($250.00).  A person violating any other provision of
subsection A of this section may be denied entrance onto the
property or removed from the property.  If the person refuses to
leave the property and a peace officer is summoned, the person may
be issued a citation for an amount not to exceed Two Hundred Fifty
Dollars ($250.00).
G.  No person in possession of a valid handgun license issued
pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act or who
is carrying or in possession of a firearm as otherwise permitted by

law or who is carrying or in possession of a machete, blackjack,
loaded cane, hand chain, or metal knuckles shall be authorized to
carry the firearm, machete, blackjack, loaded cane, hand chain, or
metal knuckles into or upon any college, university, or technology
center school property, except as provided in this subsection.  For
purposes of this subsection, the following property shall not be
construed to be college, university, or technology center school
property:
1.  Any property set aside for the use or parking of any motor
vehicle, whether attended or unattended, provided the firearm,
machete, blackjack, loaded cane, hand chain, or metal knuckles are
carried or stored as required by law and the firearm, machete,
blackjack, loaded cane, hand chain, or metal knuckles are not
removed from the motor vehicle without the prior consent of the
college or university president or technology center school
administrator while the vehicle is on any college, university, or
technology center school property;
2.  Any property authorized for possession or use of firearms,
machetes, blackjacks, loaded canes, hand chains, or metal knuckles
by college, university, or technology center school policy; and
3.  Any property authorized by the written consent of the
college or university president or technology center school
administrator, provided the written consent is carried with the
firearm, machete, blackjack, loaded cane, hand chain, or metal
knuckles and the valid handgun license while on college, university,
or technology center school property.
The college, university, or technology center school may notify
the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation within ten (10) days of a
violation of any provision of this subsection by a licensee.  Upon
receipt of a written notification of violation, the Bureau shall
give a reasonable notice to the licensee and hold a hearing.  At the
hearing, upon a determination that the licensee has violated any
provision of this subsection, the licensee may be subject to an
administrative fine of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) and may
have the handgun license suspended for three (3) months.
Nothing contained in any provision of this subsection shall be
construed to authorize or allow any college, university, or
technology center school to establish any policy or rule that has
the effect of prohibiting any person in lawful possession of a
handgun license or any person in lawful possession of a firearm,
machete, blackjack, loaded cane, hand chain, or metal knuckles from
possession of a firearm, machete, blackjack, loaded cane, hand
chain, or metal knuckles in places described in paragraphs 1, 2, and
3 of this subsection.  Nothing contained in any provision of this
subsection shall be construed to limit the authority of any college,
university, or technology center school in this state from taking

administrative action against any student for any violation of any
provision of this subsection.
H.  The provisions of this section shall not apply to the
following:
1.  Any peace officer or any person authorized by law to carry a
firearm in the course of employment;
2.  Any district judge, associate district judge, or special
district judge, who is in possession of a valid handgun license
issued pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act
and whose name appears on a list maintained by the Administrative
Director of the Courts, when acting in the course and scope of
employment within the courthouses of the county that falls within
the jurisdiction of the district judge, associate district judge, or
special district judge;
3.  Any private investigator with a firearms authorization when
acting in the course and scope of employment;
4.  Any elected official of a county, who is in possession of a
valid handgun license issued pursuant to the provisions of the
Oklahoma Self-Defense Act, may carry a concealed handgun when acting
in the performance of his or her duties within the courthouses of
the county in which he or she was elected.  The provisions of this
paragraph shall not allow the elected county official to carry the
handgun into a courtroom;
5.  The sheriff of any county may authorize certain employees of
the county, who possess a valid handgun license issued pursuant to
the provisions of the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act, to carry a
concealed handgun when acting in the course and scope of employment
within the courthouse in the county in which the person is employed.
Nothing in the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act shall prohibit the sheriff
from requiring additional instruction or training before granting
authorization to carry a concealed handgun within the courthouse.
The provisions of this paragraph and of paragraph 6 of this
subsection shall not allow the county employee to carry the handgun
into a courtroom, sheriff’s office, adult or juvenile jail, or any
other prisoner detention area;
6.  The board of county commissioners of any county may
authorize certain employees of the county, who possess a valid
handgun license issued pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma
Self-Defense Act, to carry a concealed handgun when acting in the
course and scope of employment on county annex facilities or grounds
surrounding the county courthouse that fall within the jurisdiction
of the county employees; and
7.  Any municipal judge, who is in possession of a valid handgun
license issued pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma Self-
Defense Act, when acting in the course and scope of employment
within the courthouses of the municipality that are within the
jurisdiction of the municipal judge.

I.  1.  Any elected official of a municipality or any municipal
employee approved by the governing body of a municipality, who
possesses a valid handgun license issued pursuant to the provisions
of the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act, may carry a concealed handgun when
acting in the performance of his or her official duties within
municipal buildings that are within the jurisdiction of the elected
official or municipal employee.
2.  For purposes of this subsection, a firearm may not be
present inside a firearm-prohibited location, which shall include:
a. any building or office space on municipally owned or
leased property designated as a firearm-prohibited
location by the municipality, municipal trust, or
municipal authority, and
b. any police department, courthouse, courtroom, prison,
jail, detention facility, or any facility used to
process, hold, or house arrested persons, prisoners,
or persons alleged delinquent or adjudicated
delinquent.
3.  Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require an
elected official or designated employee of the municipality to carry
a firearm as a condition of employment or service with the
municipality.
J.  For the purposes of this section, “motor vehicle” means any
automobile, truck, minivan, sport utility vehicle, or motorcycle, as
defined in Section 1-135 of Title 47 of the Oklahoma Statutes,
equipped with a locked accessory container within or affixed to the
motorcycle.
R.L. 1910, § 2551.  Amended by Laws 1992, c. 170, § 1, emerg. eff.
May 5, 1992; Laws 1993, c. 264, § 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Laws 1995,
c. 272, § 31, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Laws 1996, c. 191, § 4, emerg.
eff. May 16, 1996; Laws 2000, c. 382, § 2, eff. July 1, 2000; Laws
2001, c. 33, § 19, eff. July 1, 2001; Laws 2001, c. 396, § 2, eff.
July 1, 2001; Laws 2007, c. 128, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2007; Laws 2011,
c. 333, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2011; Laws 2012, c. 259, § 6, eff. Nov. 1,
2012; Laws 2013, c. 344, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2013; Laws 2014, c. 325,
§ 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2014; Laws 2015, c. 310, § 1, emerg. eff. May 12,
2015; Laws 2016, c. 210, § 3, emerg. eff. April 26, 2016; Laws 2017,
c. 42, § 9; Laws 2017, c. 165, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2017; Laws 2018, c.
68, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2018; Laws 2018, c. 247, § 1, eff. Nov. 1,
2018; Laws 2019, c. 25, § 16, emerg. eff. April 4, 2019; Laws 2019,
c. 235, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2019; Laws 2021, c. 480, § 1, emerg. eff.
May 13, 2021; Laws 2025, c. 251, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2025.
NOTE:  Laws 2015, c. 226, § 1 repealed by Laws 2016, c. 210, § 4,
but without reference to Laws 2016, c. 18, § 1, which amended it.
Laws 2016, c. 18, § 1 repealed by Laws 2017, c. 42, § 10.  Laws
2017, c. 135, § 1 repealed by Laws 2018, c. 304, § 9, emerg. eff.
May 10, 2018.  Laws 2018, c. 304, § 8 repealed by Laws 2019, c. 25,

§ 17, emerg. eff. April 4, 2019.  Laws 2019, c. 1, § 2 repealed by

‹ Prev All Oklahoma sections Next ›


Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.