Oklahoma significantly weakened its laws governing transporting of firearms in motor vehicles in recent years.¹ Oklahoma law generally authorizes a person who is not otherwise legally prohibited from possessing or purchasing firearms to transport both loaded and unloaded firearms “in or on a vehicle,” provided they are not carrying or transporting the firearm in furtherance of a crime.² A separate law relatedly authorizes people aged 21 and over to “transport by vehicle on a public roadway” both loaded and unloaded firearms, whether they are concealed or unconcealed.³ For people aged 18-20, the law states that people who are not otherwise legally prohibited from possessing or purchasing firearms may transport unloaded firearms in or on a vehicle, whether open or concealed, provided they are not carrying or transporting the firearm in furtherance of a crime.⁴ Oklahoma also explicitly authorizes people to carry an unloaded shotgun, rifle or handgun without a license for a legitimate purpose, in accordance with the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act, and whenever a person is going to or from their private residence or vehicle.⁵

State law authorizes law enforcement to issue a citation if a person transporting a firearm in or on a vehicle fails or refuses to state that they are in actual possession of a firearm when “demanded” by an officer during an arrest, detainment, or routine traffic stop.⁶ (See also Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, § 1289.13A regarding citations for improper transportation of firearms in violation of Oklahoma law.)

In 2017, Oklahoma repealed its law prohibiting any person other than an authorized law enforcement officer from boarding a bus with a concealed firearm.⁷

State law also prohibits the transportation of a firearm in a boat, except when hunting animals or fowl in compliance with existing state and federal law.⁸ Any person in possession of a valid handgun license is not criminally liable for transporting a handgun if the handgun is on or about his or her person while on the boat.⁹

Finally, no person, property owner, tenant, employer, or business entity is allowed to maintain, establish, or enforce any policy or rule that has the effect of prohibiting any person (except a person who has been convicted of a felony) from transporting and storing firearms in a locked motor vehicle, or from transporting and storing a firearm locked in or locked to a motor vehicle on any property set aside for any motor vehicle.¹⁰

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1. See 2021 OK SB 672, effective November 1, 2021.[↩]
2. Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, § 1289.7(A).[↩]
3. Id. (amending Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, § 1289.6(A) ).[↩]
4. Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, § 1289.7(B).[↩]
5. Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, § 1289.6(B).[↩]
6. Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, § 1289.7(C).[↩]
7. 2017 OK SB 397.[↩]
8. Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 63, § 4210.3.[↩]
9. Id.[↩]
10. Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 21, §§ 1289.7a, 1290.22(B).[↩]