Traveling Via RV or Motor home?

**PAwhitetailbowhunter** · May 6th, 2015, 11:21 PM

Sorry if this have already been covered, but if I have a PA LTCF and plan on traveling via motor home with my home defense handgun across the United States, do I need to worry about having a loaded handgun in my home on wheels as I drive through a state such as NJ, MD, NY that does not recognize PA LTCF, but does allow possession of a loaded handgun for home defense?

Any idea if laws are different if you are in a motor home driving than just a normal car?

**GunLawyer001** · May 6th, 2015, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by PAwhitetailbowhunter

Sorry if this have already been covered, but if I have a PA LTCF and plan on traveling via motor home with my home defense handgun across the United States, do I need to worry about having a loaded handgun in my home on wheels as I drive through a state such as NJ, MD, NY that does not recognize PA LTCF, but does allow possession of a loaded handgun for home defense?

Any idea if laws are different if you are in a motor home driving than just a normal car?

If it's moving, it's a vehicle. Driving within a state, you may miss out on the FOPA protections that apply while traveling "through" a state...or not. When stopped, state law may allow, or not allow, possession without some documentary permission, but they can presume that you transported it to the stopping point from somewhere else.

It's complicated, but yes, you need to worry. A lot.

**Parrisk** · July 8th, 2015, 02:57 PM

You are taking a major chance traveling through NY and NJ with a handgun, loaded, unloaded, locked, hidden.. IF.. IF they find it, you get free bracelets and room without a view. I know NY will even arrest you for tasers, pepper spray, etc.. nasty nasty state!!!

NY doesn't even abide by the Federal Transportation of Firearms, they will lock you up and let you spend $'s to get back out.. and when you win, you probably will never see that firearm again.

**archon** · July 12th, 2015, 06:48 PM

I know it depends a lot on how state law treats your motor home and also where the gun would be located. If it is in the cab of the home then definitely rules applying to vehicle carry are going to bind. If it is in the "home" part of a self driving motor home it may be considered to be a domicile. If it is in a detached trailer type of mobile home something completely different might apply. Context is going to be a big one here. Even if you have a Utah permit there is plenty of America where having a handgun might still mean trouble. You may have less trouble with a home defense long gun because most states treat long arms with less stringent laws/regulations. But, yeah, if you plan on hitting a lot of states you will have a lot to worry about and it will take a lot of research to make sure your gun is legal in each and every state where you are going to stop.

**Klyde** · July 13th, 2015, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by archon

I know it depends a lot on how state law treats your motor home and also where the gun would be located. If it is in the cab of the home then definitely rules applying to vehicle carry are going to bind. If it is in the "home" part of a self driving motor home it may be considered to be a domicile. If it is in a detached trailer type of mobile home something completely different might apply. Context is going to be a big one here. Even if you have a Utah permit there is plenty of America where having a handgun might still mean trouble. You may have less trouble with a home defense long gun because most states treat long arms with less stringent laws/regulations. But, yeah, if you plan on hitting a lot of states you will have a lot to worry about and it will take a lot of research to make sure your gun is legal in each and every state where you are going to stop.

A quick solution, and, starting point, for information on travel across the U.S. with a firearm, is handgunlaw.us. Use the RV/Car Carry section, referencing each state you are traveling through.

**Wizard of Oz** · July 13th, 2015, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by PAwhitetailbowhunter

Sorry if this have already been covered, but if I have a PA LTCF and plan on traveling via motor home with my home defense handgun across the United States, do I need to worry about having a loaded handgun in my home on wheels as I drive through a state such as NJ, MD, NY that does not recognize PA LTCF, but does allow possession of a loaded handgun for home defense?

Any idea if laws are different if you are in a motor home driving than just a normal car?

Lock your guns in a TSA safe, hide the safe; drive the speed limit; and don't stop for every anti-2A state and you'll be fine. Get yourself a PA, UT, and FL permits and stay in the center of the country (excl Illonois) and have fun RVing.

**knight0334** · July 13th, 2015, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Wizard of Oz

Lock your guns in a TSA safe, hide the safe; drive the speed limit; and don't stop for every anti-2A state and you'll be fine. Get yourself a PA, UT, and FL permits and stay in the center of the country (excl Illonois) and have fun RVing.

IL is fine.. IL honors all other state licenses within a vehicle.

However, if you get out of the vehicle and you do not have a IL license, or a reciprocal license(IL does have reciprocity thing now) - the gun must be left in the vehicle and securely locked within a case.

**Wizard of Oz** · July 13th, 2015, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by knight0334

IL is fine.. IL honors all other state licenses within a vehicle.

However, if you get out of the vehicle and you do not have a IL license, or a reciprocal license(IL does have reciprocity thing now) - the gun must be left in the vehicle and securely locked within a case.

Wish I knew this driving through IL last week. Good info, thanks!

So IL is the same as SC regarding this law?

**knight0334** · July 13th, 2015, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Wizard of Oz

Wish I knew this driving through IL last week. Good info, thanks!

So IL is the same as SC regarding this law?

Pretty much, however you can carry on your person within a vehicle in IL - unlike SC.

And prior to the "new" IL law you could have had an unloaded and securely encased gun in your car so long as you were legal in your home state. IL law has always been more friendly to having guns within cars than PA. ...PA requires you to have a license within a vehicle unless you met certain exemptions, whereas IL only required the gun be unloaded and securely encased.

I confirmed the above with the IL State Police, a "cousin-in-law" who is a sheriff deputy out there, and an uncle who retired from the Chicago PD as a loooong serving officer(he's pro-gun). When I went out there in May of 2010 I had my .44spl revolver unloaded and securely encased(prior to new law), that case was then in my console of my truck. Ammo was in console, loose, so not to risk any weird "loaded" conditions(like in some states that require mags or speed loaders be empty).