Over the past years, pretty much any type of environment has been affected by some sort of a shooting incident. Sure, when it comes to mass shootings, most of these incidents occur in crowded places, such as schools or event sites. But isolated incidents can occur anytime, anywhere.
Based on where you live, you may have the legal right to carry a gun with you, be it concealed or not. That doesn’t mean you can take it anywhere though. Legally, you can have it with you in most places, apart from areas like schools or government buildings, which makes common sense.
But at the same time, some hotels have their own concealed carry policy.
Bringing a firearm to a hotel, is it legal?
Just because you have a permit or you live in an area that doesn’t require one, it doesn’t mean your firearm can go with you everywhere. Sure, you’ve spent hours on the gunsnprices.com guns search engine to find the perfect firearm. Yes, you want to proudly display it, but make sure you inquire about it first.
Given the rising concern of gun use in hotels, many businesses no longer allow their guests to bring firearms onto their properties. This means that even if you do have a permit or you don’t actually need one, the hotel’s requirements and rules come first. After all, you’re on private property.
Each hotel is free to develop their own policy, as well as unique procedures. Whether they’re part of major chains or they’re individually owned, their regulations come first, so it’s highly recommended to enquire upfront.
Some hotels require their guests to surrender all the firearms to the security personnel. Basically, everything will be stored in a secured environment. Firearms will be stored while guests are in the hotel only. Should you go out, you might be allowed to take the firearm.
What to know when storing firearms in hotels
Simply put, plenty of hotels allow bringing firearms on their premises, but with one condition. You would have to surrender them while in the hotel, which makes perfect sense. You’re in a safe environment and there’s no need for your firearm.
Each hotel has its own rules in terms of firearm storage as well. Generally speaking, you’ll need to ensure the firearm is not loaded. If you’re allowed to keep it while in the hotel, it must be secured in a locked and hard container. However, most hotels will do that for you.
Even if you were allowed to keep the firearm, most experts disagree with the idea of leaving it in your room. There’s a risk of theft and if you have a nice collectible, there’s not much you’ll be able to do about it if it goes missing.
Are rules different for hotel bars?
Many large hotels have bars in their lobbies. This means people can hang around, have a few drinks and a chat. It’s usually large hotels offering such amenities, as boutique hotels simply lack the space.
Rules are different when it comes to hotel bars because the law targets such environments in most states. Indeed, the bar is part of the hotel, but it’s also an environment where alcoholic beverages are served.
Simply walking through such an area could put you in an illegal position, not to mention sitting down. Even if you don’t have any alcohol, it’s worth noting that many states ban firearms in such places. Some other states ban concealed carry only if you’re consuming alcohol.
That’s why you need to be aware of every law and regulation targeting firearms, especially when it comes to hotels. Being in a hotel means you’re away from home, possibly in a different state too. This means you need to become familiar with laws in the respective state as well.
As a final conclusion, hotels can bring in a series of challenges for firearm users and for some good reasons. Understanding the rules regarding firearms in hotels is crucial for a safe stay and if you think about it, you don’t really need a firearm while in a hotel. And if you do want to bring your firearm, make sure you check the requirements in the hotel, as you may have to surrender it.
Then again, if you pick a hotel with a lobby, rules are slightly different, so always do your homework upfront. By familiarizing yourself with the laws pertaining to firearms in hotels,