Arizona’s 2010 law regarding the carrying of concealed weapons eliminated the requirement of a concealed weapons permit for a person who carries a concealed weapon within his or her immediate control in or on a means of transportation in Arizona.¹ The person must be age 21 or older, and the person must accurately answer if a peace officer, who is detaining the person based on reasonable suspicion of an offense, asks whether he or she is carrying a concealed weapon.² However, even these requirements do not apply to a weapon carried in a case, holster, scabbard, pack or luggage that is carried within a means of transportation or within a storage compartment, map pocket, trunk or glove compartment of a means of transportation.³

Arizona limits property owners’ ability to prevent the presence of firearms in parking lots on their properties. A property owner, tenant, public or private employer or business entity may not establish, maintain, or enforce a policy or rule that prohibits lawfully transporting or storing a firearm in a locked motor vehicle or in a locked compartment on a motorcycle, so long as the firearm is not visible from the outside.⁴

Arizona also limits schools’ ability to restrict the carry of firearms in vehicles on school property in certain circumstances. An adult may carry an unloaded firearm within a means of transportation on school grounds, provided that if the adult leaves the means of transportation, the firearm must not be visible from the outside, and the means of transportation must be locked.⁵ In addition, governing boards of K-12 schools, colleges, and universities may not prohibit a person from lawfully carrying a concealed firearm inside a means of transportation on a public right-of-way.⁶

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1. 2010 Ariz. ALS 59 § 2, codified as Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 13-3102(A)(2) and (H).[↩]
2. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 13-3102 (A)(1)(b), (M).[↩]
3. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 13-3102(B)(3)(e).[↩]
4. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-781. The property owner, tenant, public or private employer or business entity may, however, prohibit firearms in a parking lot, parking garage or other area designated for parking motor vehicles that: 1) is secured by a fence or other physical barrier; 2) limits access by a guard or other security measure; and 3) provides temporary and secure firearm storage. The storage must be monitored and readily accessible on entry into the premises and allow for the immediate retrieval of the firearm on exit from the premises. Id. Alternatively, the property owner, tenant, public or private employer or business entity may provide alternative parking in a location reasonably proximate to the primary parking area for individuals who desire to transport or store a firearm in the individual’s motor vehicle, so long as it does not charge an extra fee for such parking. Id.[↩]
5. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 13-3102(H).[↩]
6. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 13-2911(I), (K).[↩]