Georgia Gun Laws

Any person who is not prohibited by law from possessing a handgun or long gun may carry a weapon on their person on their property or inside their home, motor vehicle, or place of business; may carry a long gun on their person generally; and as a 'lawful weapons carrier' may transport a handgun or long gun in any private passenger motor vehicle. No license is required when the carrier qualifies as a 'lawful weapons carrier' under § 16-11-125.1(2.1).

"Any person who is not prohibited by law from possessing a handgun or long gun may have or carry on his or her person a weapon or long gun on his or her property or inside his or her home, motor vehicle, or place of business."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-126(a)-(c) secondary

Added by SB 319 (Act 596, 2022), the definition makes 'lawful weapons carrier' the gateway concept for unlicensed carry. It includes anyone licensed under § 16-11-129 OR eligible for such a license (effectively any non-prohibited person 21+), any resident of another state who would qualify but for residency, and any person licensed to carry in any other state.

"'Lawful weapons carrier' means any person who is licensed or eligible for a license pursuant to Code Section 16-11-129 and who is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing a weapon or long gun, any resident of any other state who would otherwise be eligible to obtain a license pursuant to such Code section but for the residency requirement, and any person licensed to carry a weapon in any other state."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-125.1(2.1) (definition of 'lawful weapons carrier') secondary

The 2022 Constitutional Carry Act enacted permitless carry by adding the 'lawful weapons carrier' definition to § 16-11-125.1, striking 'without a valid weapons carry license' from § 16-11-126(a), and conforming related Code sections in Titles 12, 16, 27, and 40. Section 18 made the Act effective upon approval by the Governor; Gov. Kemp signed on April 12, 2022.

"This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval."

Senate Bill 319 (Chairman John Meadows Act), Act 596 of 2022 Ga. Laws statute

Optional Weapons Carry Licenses are issued by the judge of the probate court of the applicant's county of domicile on payment of a $30 statutory fee, plus a $5 fingerprinting fee. The license is valid for five years and authorizes carry of any weapon in any Georgia county. There is no statutory training requirement; printed safety information may be provided at the judge's discretion. Minimum age is 21, or 18 with proof of basic-training completion and active service or honorable discharge from the U.S. armed forces.

"The judge of the probate court of each county shall, on application under oath, on payment of a fee of $30.00, and on investigation of the applicant... issue a weapons carry license or renewal license valid for a period of five years."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-129 (Weapons Carry License) secondary

No Weapons Carry License shall be issued to any person younger than 21 years of age unless the applicant is at least 18, has completed basic training in the U.S. armed forces, and is actively serving or has been honorably discharged. The statute lists other disqualifiers including felony conviction, pending felony proceedings, fugitive status, federal § 922(g)/(n) prohibitions, certain controlled-substance offenses, recent inpatient mental-health hospitalization, and prior revocation within three years.

"No weapons carry license shall be issued to: (A) Any person younger than 21 years of age unless he or she: (i) Is at least 18 years of age; (ii) Provides proof that he or she has completed basic training in the armed forces of the United States; and (iii) Provides proof that he or she is actively serving in the armed forces of the United States or has been honorably discharged from such service."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-129(b)(2)(A) secondary

The federal firearm prohibitor categories incorporated by reference into Georgia's WCL disqualifier list in § 16-11-129(b)(2). Subsection (g) bars firearm possession by persons convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year, fugitives from justice, unlawful users of or persons addicted to controlled substances, persons adjudicated as mental defective or committed to a mental institution, illegal aliens and certain nonimmigrant visa holders, persons dishonorably discharged from the armed forces, persons who have renounced U.S. citizenship, persons subject to qualifying domestic-violence restraining orders, and persons convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Subsection (n) separately bars persons under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year from shipping, transporting, or receiving firearms in interstate commerce.

"It shall be unlawful for any person... who has been convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year... who is a fugitive from justice... who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance... who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or who has been committed to a mental institution... to ship or transport in interstate or foreign commerce, or possess in or affecting commerce, any firearm or ammunition."

18 U.S.C. § 922(g) and (n) (federal firearm prohibitors) atf

Open carry of a long gun on the person is permitted for any person not prohibited by law from possessing a long gun. Open carry of a handgun is permitted for any 'lawful weapons carrier' anywhere a weapon may be carried under § 16-11-126(c) and the prohibited-places statute § 16-11-127. SB 319 eliminated the previous requirement that a loaded long gun be carried openly.

"Any person who is not prohibited by law from possessing a handgun or long gun may have or carry on his or her person a long gun."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-126(b) secondary

Any 'lawful weapons carrier' may transport a handgun or long gun in any private passenger motor vehicle. There is no statutory loaded/unloaded distinction, no glove-box-only rule, and no requirement that the handgun be cased. Private property owners retain authority to exclude or eject under § 16-7-21(b)(3), subject to the employer-parking-lot exception in § 16-11-135.

"Any person who is a lawful weapons carrier may transport a handgun or long gun in any private passenger motor vehicle."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-126(c) secondary

Georgia's criminal-trespass statute is the enforcement mechanism for private property owners excluding armed persons. Subsection (b)(3) makes it a misdemeanor for a person to remain on the land or premises of another after receiving notice from the owner, rightful occupant, or an authorized representative to depart. Combined with § 16-11-126(c)'s preservation of private property rights, this is what makes 'no weapons' signage and verbal exclusion enforceable against an otherwise lawful weapons carrier.

"A person commits the offense of criminal trespass when he or she knowingly and without authority... remains upon the land or premises of another person... after receiving notice from the owner, rightful occupant, or, upon proper identification, an authorized representative of the owner or rightful occupant to depart."

O.C.G.A. § 16-7-21(b)(3) (criminal trespass — refusal to leave private property) secondary

Georgia's guns-in-trunks statute prohibits public and private employers from searching the locked privately owned vehicles of employees in the employer parking lot and from conditioning employment on an agreement barring the employee from entering the parking lot with a firearm or ammunition locked out of sight, provided the employee is a 'lawful weapons carrier.' Because 'lawful weapons carrier' under § 16-11-125.1(2.1) covers any non-prohibited person eligible for a WCL, permitless carriers ARE protected — unlike Tennessee, where the parallel statute protects permit holders only. Exceptions exist for secure parking facilities with uniform search policies, penal institutions, certain critical-infrastructure sites, and DoD contractors near military bases.

"no private or public employer, including the state and its political subdivisions, shall condition employment upon any agreement by a prospective employee that prohibits an employee from entering the parking lot and access thereto when the employee's privately owned motor vehicle contains a firearm or ammunition, or both, that is locked out of sight within the trunk, glove box, or other enclosed compartment or area within such privately owned motor vehicle, provided that any such prospective employee is a lawful weapons carrier."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-135(a)-(b) secondary

As amended by HB 218 (Act 597, 2022), Georgia statute now recognizes any out-of-state weapons carry license without requiring the issuing state to reciprocate — Georgia honors all states' licenses unconditionally. The out-of-state licensee must carry in compliance with Georgia law, and no other state is required to recognize a Georgia license issued to a person under 21.

"Any person licensed to carry a weapon in any other state shall be authorized to carry a weapon in this state."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-126(d)(1) secondary

The Georgia Attorney General maintains the official outbound-reciprocity list under § 16-11-126(d)(2). As of the most recent publication, 32 states honor a Georgia WCL: AL, AK*, AZ*, AR, CO*, FL*, ID, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA*, ME, MI, MS, MO, MT, NH, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA*, WV, WI*, and WY. The seven asterisked states (AK, AZ, CO, FL, LA, VA, WI) recognize only Georgia licenses issued to persons 21 or older.

"Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Virginia and Wisconsin recognize only those Georgia licenses issued to persons twenty one years of age or older."

Georgia Attorney General — States Which Recognize a Georgia Weapons Carry License ag

Georgia's defense-of-habitation statute justifies the use of deadly force to prevent or terminate an unlawful entry into a residence in three scenarios: a violent or tumultuous entry attempt with reason to believe the entrant intends personal violence; entry by a non-family/non-household member after unlawful and forcible entry of the residence; or reasonable belief that the entry is for the purpose of committing a felony.

"A person is justified in threatening or using force against another when and to the extent that he or she reasonably believes that such threat or force is necessary to prevent or terminate such other's unlawful entry into or attack upon a habitation."

O.C.G.A. § 16-3-23 secondary

Georgia is a stand-your-ground state by statute. A person who is using force in accordance with § 16-3-21 (self-defense or defense of others), § 16-3-23 (defense of habitation), or § 16-3-24 (defense of other property) has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and use force as provided in those sections, including deadly force.

"A person who uses threats or force in accordance with Code Section 16-3-21, relating to the use of force in defense of self or others, Code Section 16-3-23, relating to the use of force in defense of a habitation, or Code Section 16-3-24, relating to the use of force in defense of property other than a habitation, has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and use force as provided in said Code sections, including deadly force."

O.C.G.A. § 16-3-23.1 secondary

Section 16-3-21 is Georgia's underlying self-defense statute, referenced by the stand-your-ground provision in § 16-3-23.1. A person is justified in using force, including deadly force, when and to the extent the person reasonably believes the force is necessary to defend himself, herself, or a third person against another's imminent use of unlawful force. Deadly force is justified only to prevent death, great bodily injury, or the commission of a forcible felony.

"A person is justified in threatening or using force against another when and to the extent that he or she reasonably believes that such threat or force is necessary to defend himself or herself or a third person against such other's imminent use of unlawful force; however, except as provided in Code Section 16-3-23, a person is justified in using force which is intended or likely to cause death or great bodily harm only if he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent death or great bodily injury to himself or herself or a third person or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony."

O.C.G.A. § 16-3-21 secondary

Section 16-3-24 is Georgia's defense-of-property statute, also referenced by the stand-your-ground provision. A person is justified in threatening or using force, but not deadly force, against another when and to the extent the person reasonably believes the force is necessary to prevent or terminate another's trespass on or other tortious or criminal interference with real property other than a habitation, or personal property lawfully in the person's possession.

"A person is justified in threatening or using force against another when and to the extent that he or she reasonably believes that such threat or force is necessary to prevent or terminate such other's trespass on or other tortious or criminal interference with real property other than a habitation or personal property: (1) Lawfully in his or her possession; (2) Lawfully in the possession of a member of his or her immediate family; or (3) Belonging to a person whose property he or she has a legal duty to protect."

O.C.G.A. § 16-3-24 secondary

Georgia has no statutory duty for a person to volunteer to a law enforcement officer that they are carrying a firearm. WCL holders are not required to display the license unless asked. A person must answer truthfully if directly asked about possession of a firearm, but there is no proactive-disclosure requirement.

"No duty-to-inform provision exists in O.C.G.A. Title 16, Chapter 11."

O.C.G.A. Title 16, Chapter 11 — no duty-to-inform provision secondary

Carrying a weapon or long gun is a misdemeanor when done (1) in a government building without being a lawful weapons carrier (with a screening-checkpoint elevation for any carrier under subsection (e)), (2) in a courthouse, (3) in a jail or prison, (4) in a place of worship unless the governing body opts in, (5) in an involuntary-admission state mental health facility, (6) on a nuclear power facility's premises, or (7) within 150 feet of a polling place during elections.

"a person shall be guilty of carrying a weapon or long gun in an unauthorized location and punished as for a misdemeanor when he or she carries a weapon or long gun while: (1) In a government building without being a lawful weapons carrier; (2) In a courthouse; (3) In a jail or prison; (4) In a place of worship, unless the governing body or authority of the place of worship permits the carrying of weapons or long guns by persons who are lawful weapons carriers."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-127(b) secondary

A lawful weapons carrier may carry a weapon in a government building when the building is open for business and ingress is not restricted or screened by security personnel. Attempting to enter through a security checkpoint while armed becomes a misdemeanor if at least one screener is a certified peace officer; immediately exiting upon notification is a complete defense.

"A lawful weapons carrier shall be authorized to carry a weapon in a government building when the government building is open for business and where ingress into such building is not restricted or screened by security personnel."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-127(e)(1) (government-building screening rule) secondary

It is unlawful to carry a weapon to or possess one within a 'school safety zone' (real property of any K-12 or postsecondary school) or at a school function or on a school bus. A non-lawful-weapons-carrier violator faces a felony (2-10 years; fine up to $10,000); a lawful weapons carrier faces a misdemeanor (with a narrower felony for postsecondary violations). Statutory exceptions include carrying or picking up a student in or with a vehicle (paragraph (c)(7)-(8)), and — for public postsecondary institutions — a 'campus carry' exception in paragraph (c)(20) for lawful weapons carriers, subject to carve-outs for athletic-event buildings, student housing, preschool/childcare space, faculty/staff/administrative offices, and disciplinary-meeting rooms.

"it shall be unlawful for any person to carry to or to possess or have under such person's control while within a school safety zone, at a school function, or on a bus or other transportation furnished by a school any weapon or explosive compound."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-127.1 (school safety zones) secondary

No person may knowingly enter the restricted access area of a commercial-service airport — at or beyond the security screening checkpoint — while possessing or having control of a weapon or long gun. Non-restricted areas (drives, general parking, walkways, shops outside the checkpoint) are not covered. A license holder who is notified at the checkpoint and immediately leaves is not in violation; violations with intent to commit a separate felony are punishable as a felony (1-10 years and $1,000-$15,000 fine).

"No person shall enter the restricted access area of a commercial service airport, in or beyond the airport security screening checkpoint, knowingly possessing or knowingly having under his or her control a weapon or long gun."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-130.2 (commercial-service airports) statute

Section 16-11-127.2 supplies the special penalty regime for the nuclear-power-facility prohibition referenced in § 16-11-127(b)(6). A person who carries, possesses, or has under control a weapon or long gun within the premises of a nuclear power facility is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment of not less than one nor more than five years and a fine of up to $10,000, displacing the general misdemeanor penalty of § 16-11-127. The provision excludes peace officers, security personnel acting within their official duties, and persons authorized by the facility operator.

"Any person who is in violation of paragraph (6) of subsection (b) of Code Section 16-11-127 shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years, a fine of not more than $10,000.00, or both."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-127.2 (carrying a weapon or long gun at a nuclear power facility) secondary

Section 21-2-413(i) is the Elections Code analogue to the polling-place carry ban in § 16-11-127(b)(7). It prohibits any person from soliciting votes, distributing campaign material, conducting exit polls, or carrying or possessing a firearm within 150 feet of the outer edge of any building in which a polling place is established or within any line of voters waiting to vote, with an exception for peace officers and other authorized law enforcement personnel acting within the scope of their official duties.

"No person shall solicit votes in any manner or by any means or method, nor shall any person distribute or display any campaign material, nor shall any candidate or any other person conduct any exit poll or other type of survey within 150 feet of the outer edge of any building within which a polling place is established... This subsection shall not apply to conduct occurring in private offices or areas which cannot be seen or heard by such electors."

O.C.G.A. § 21-2-413(i) (polling place — weapons within 150 feet; law enforcement exception) secondary

Georgia is not a NICS 'point-of-contact' state — it repealed point-of-contact status in 2005, so federally licensed dealers run firearm background checks directly through the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The Georgia Crime Information Center contributes criminal-history, wanted-person, and involuntary-hospitalization records that NICS queries. No state law requires background checks for private, in-state transfers between non-licensed individuals.

"Georgia Crime Information Center"

Georgia Bureau of Investigation — Georgia Crime Information Center ag

Federal law requires that handguns be purchased from a federally licensed dealer only by buyers 21 or older, and long guns at 18. Georgia imposes no additional state purchase-age requirement beyond federal law; private in-state transfers between non-licensed individuals are not bound by these federal minimums.

"A licensee may not sell a handgun to anyone under the age of 21. A licensee may not sell a long gun to anyone under the age of 18."

18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(1) (federal) / O.C.G.A. Title 16, Chapter 11 (no additional state purchase-age) atf

Georgia does not require firearm registration. HB 1018 (2024) expanded the state's anti-registry rule in § 16-11-129(k) to bar any person or government entity from knowingly and willfully creating or maintaining a multijurisdictional database of WCL applicants/holders, OR keeping any list, record, or registry of privately owned firearms or their owners (with a carve-out preserving the right of an individual to keep a record of firearms they personally own).

"No person or government entity shall knowingly and willfully: (A) Create or maintain a multijurisdictional data base regarding persons issued or who have applied for weapons carry licenses; or (B) Keep, or cause to be kept, any list, record, or registry of privately owned firearms or owners of such firearms."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-129(k) (as amended by HB 1018, 2024) statute

Georgia has not enacted a red-flag / extreme risk protection order (ERPO) statute. SB 92 of the 2025-2026 Regular Session would have created the 'Georgia Red Flag Protective Order Act' authorizing court-ordered firearm surrender, but the bill has not been enacted as of June 2026.

"Georgia Red Flag Protective Order Act"

Georgia General Assembly SB 92 (2025-2026 Regular Session) — proposed 'Georgia Red Flag Protective Order Act' statute

Georgia has no state assault-weapon ban. The preemption statute reserves the regulation of firearms, ammunition, and components to the General Assembly and bars any county, municipality, agency, board, school district, or political subdivision from regulating gun shows, possession, ownership, transport, carry, transfer, sale, purchase, licensing, or registration of firearms.

"no county or municipal corporation, by zoning, by ordinance or resolution, or by any other means, nor any agency, board, department, commission, political subdivision, school district, or authority of this state, other than the General Assembly, by rule or regulation or by any other means shall regulate in any manner: (A) Gun shows; (B) The possession, ownership, transport, carrying, transfer, sale, purchase, licensing, or registration of firearms or other weapons or components of firearms or other weapons."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-173 (no AWB; preemption) secondary

Georgia imposes no magazine-capacity limit, and § 16-11-173 preempts local governments from imposing one. The statute reserves regulation of 'components of firearms or other weapons' — which includes magazines — exclusively to the General Assembly.

"The General Assembly... shall regulate in any manner: ... (B) The possession, ownership, transport, carrying, transfer, sale, purchase, licensing, or registration of firearms or other weapons or components of firearms or other weapons."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-173 (preemption; no capacity statute) secondary

Georgia generally prohibits possession of any sawed-off shotgun, sawed-off rifle, machine gun, silencer, or 'dangerous weapon' (rocket launchers, mortars, grenades, recoilless rifles as defined in § 16-11-121), except as exempted in § 16-11-124.

"No person shall have in his possession any sawed-off shotgun, sawed-off rifle, machine gun, dangerous weapon, or silencer except as provided in Code Section 16-11-124."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-122 secondary

Possession of a sawed-off shotgun, sawed-off rifle, machine gun, dangerous weapon, or silencer is fully exempt from the state prohibition for any person who has registered the item in accordance with the federal National Firearms Act. In practice, suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and machine guns with proper ATF Form 4 / NFA registration are lawful to possess in Georgia.

"Possession of a sawed-off shotgun, sawed-off rifle, machine gun, dangerous weapon, or silencer by a person who is authorized to possess the same because he has registered the sawed-off shotgun, sawed-off rifle, machine gun, dangerous weapon, or silencer in accordance with the dictates of the National Firearms Act."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-124(4) secondary

Suppressors, short-barreled rifles (SBRs), short-barreled shotguns (SBSs), and machine guns are regulated under the federal National Firearms Act and require ATF registration.

"The National Firearms Act (NFA) imposes a statutory excise tax on the manufacture and transfer of certain firearms and mandates the registration of those firearms."

26 U.S.C. ch. 53 (National Firearms Act) / ATF atf

Section 16-11-121 is the definitions section for Article 4, Part 3 of Chapter 11 (the NFA-equivalent provisions in §§ 16-11-122 through 16-11-127.2). 'Dangerous weapon' is defined to include rocket launchers, bazookas, recoilless rifles, mortars, and hand grenades. 'Machine gun,' 'sawed-off rifle' (rifle with barrel under 16 inches or overall length under 26 inches), 'sawed-off shotgun' (shotgun with barrel under 18 inches or overall length under 26 inches), and 'silencer' are also defined here and incorporated by reference into the § 16-11-122 possession prohibition.

"As used in this part, the term: (1) 'Dangerous weapon' means any weapon commonly known as a 'rocket launcher,' 'bazooka,' or 'recoilless rifle' which fires explosive or nonexplosive rockets designed to injure or kill personnel or destroy heavy armor, or similar weapon used for such purpose. The term shall also mean a weapon commonly known as a 'mortar' which fires high explosive from a metallic cylinder and which is commonly used by the armed forces as an antipersonnel weapon or similar weapon used for such purpose. The term shall also mean a weapon commonly known as a 'hand grenade' or other similar weapon which is designed to explode and injure personnel or similar weapon used for such purpose."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-121 (definitions — dangerous weapon, machine gun, sawed-off rifle, sawed-off shotgun, silencer) secondary

Georgia broadly preempts local firearm regulation. Counties, municipalities, agencies, boards, school districts, and other political subdivisions may not regulate gun shows, dealers, or firearm possession/ownership/transport/carry/transfer/sale/licensing/registration. Limited exceptions allow local regulation of employee/volunteer firearm policies, reasonable limits on discharge within city/county boundaries, and head-of-household ownership requirements. Aggrieved persons may sue and recover actual damages or $100 (whichever is greater) plus attorney fees.

"the regulation of firearms and other weapons is properly an issue of general, state-wide concern."

O.C.G.A. § 16-11-173 secondary

SB 319 enacted permitless carry by introducing the 'lawful weapons carrier' definition in § 16-11-125.1(2.1) and conforming § 16-11-126 to allow any non-prohibited adult to carry a weapon without a license. Signed by Gov. Kemp April 12, 2022; effective immediately on the same date per Section 18.

"This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval."

Senate Bill 319, Act 596 of 2022 Ga. Laws ('Chairman John Meadows Act') statute

HB 218 amended § 16-11-126(d) (then (e)) to strike the requirement that an out-of-state license come from a state that reciprocates with Georgia. Effective July 1, 2022, Georgia recognizes any other state's weapons carry license without a reciprocity agreement, subject only to compliance with Georgia law while carrying.

"Any person licensed to carry a weapon in any other state shall be authorized to carry a weapon in this state."

House Bill 218, Act 597 of 2022 Ga. Laws (universal reciprocity) statute

HB 1018 added Part 7 (§§ 10-1-439 through 10-1-439.4) prohibiting financial institutions from requiring or discriminating based on a firearms-specific Merchant Category Code, and amended O.C.G.A. § 16-11-129(k) to broaden the database/registry prohibition: no person or government entity may knowingly and willfully create or maintain a multijurisdictional database of WCL applicants or holders, or keep any list, record, or registry of privately owned firearms or owners (with an individual-ownership carve-out). Signed April 22, 2024; effective July 1, 2024.

"No person or government entity shall knowingly and willfully: (A) Create or maintain a multijurisdictional data base regarding persons issued or who have applied for weapons carry licenses; or (B) Keep, or cause to be kept, any list, record, or registry of privately owned firearms or owners of such firearms."

House Bill 1018, 2024 Ga. Laws — Georgia Firearms Industry Nondiscrimination Act statute

Part 7 of Article 15 of Chapter 1 of Title 10, named the 'Georgia Firearms Industry Nondiscrimination Act' (§ 10-1-439), defines key terms (§ 10-1-439.1) including 'firearms code' (Merchant Category Code 5723) and 'firearms retailer,' makes it an unlawful discriminatory practice for any financial institution to require usage of a firearms code that distinguishes firearms retailers from general merchandise retailers or to decline a lawful payment-card transaction based solely on the firearms code (§ 10-1-439.2(b)-(c)), and authorizes the Attorney General to investigate alleged violations and seek injunctive relief plus civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation (§ 10-1-439.3). Part does not apply to federally chartered institutions where federal law preempts (§ 10-1-439.4).

"It shall be an unlawful discriminatory practice for any financial institution to require the usage of a firearms code in a way that distinguishes a firearms retailer that is physically located in this state from general merchandise retailers or sporting goods retailers, unless such required usage of a firearms code is based on a good faith conclusion that such action is required by applicable law or regulation."

O.C.G.A. § 10-1-439 et seq. (Georgia Firearms Industry Nondiscrimination Act, as enacted by HB 1018, Section 1) statute

HB 1018 enacted Part 7 of Article 15 of Chapter 1 of Title 10 (O.C.G.A. §§ 10-1-439 through 10-1-439.4) barring financial institutions from requiring or discriminating based on a firearms-specific Merchant Category Code and providing Attorney General enforcement. Section 2 amended § 16-11-129(k) to prohibit any person or government entity from knowingly creating or maintaining a multijurisdictional database of WCL applicants/holders or keeping any list, record, or registry of privately owned firearms or their owners (with an individual-ownership carve-out). Signed by Gov. Kemp April 22, 2024.

House Bill 1018 (2024)

HB 218 amended § 16-11-126(d) (formerly (e)) to delete the precondition that the issuing state recognize Georgia's WCL. Effective July 1, 2022, Georgia recognizes any out-of-state weapons carry license, subject only to the licensee's compliance with Georgia law and to the rule that other states need not honor Georgia licenses held by persons under 21.

2022 Ga. Laws 597 (HB 218)

SB 319 created the 'lawful weapons carrier' concept in O.C.G.A. § 16-11-125.1(2.1), capturing any non-prohibited person eligible for a Weapons Carry License plus any out-of-state license holder. It conformed § 16-11-126 to remove the license requirement for handgun carry by such persons and updated about 15 related Code sections governing parks, school zones, hunting/fishing areas, parking lots, courthouses, and public transportation. Per Section 18, the Act became effective on the Governor's approval on April 12, 2022.

2022 Ga. Laws 596 (SB 319)