West Virginia generally permits the open carrying of an unloaded long gun or handgun in a motor vehicle, with no license or permit required, although in certain locations the firearm must be encased, unloaded, or both.¹

Any person under 21 who carries a concealed deadly weapon “on or about the person” without a state license or other authorization provided by statute is criminally liable for a misdemeanor; the law considers a firearm stored in or a vehicle to be on or about the person while the person is in that vehicle.² This means that a person under 21 in a vehicle generally may not keep a concealed weapon in or on that vehicle.

State law says that a person may keep an otherwise lawfully possessed deadly weapon, firearm, or pepper spray in a motor vehicle in municipal public parking facilities if the vehicle is locked and the deadly weapon, firearm, or pepper spray is out of view.³ Similar law restricts private property owners from prohibiting customers, employees, or invitees from possessing any legally owned firearm so long as it is out of view and locked inside or locked to a motor vehicle in a parking lot.⁴