Numerous changes have been made to Utah Weapons, Carry and Use of force law for 2024 and 2025. These laws are currently in effect for the 2025 legislative session. These laws are covered in your Utah Concealed Carry Permit Class.
53-5A-102 Utah legislature has exclusive jurisdiction on firearms laws:
No permits are needed to possess a firearms and ammunition in your home, vehicles and real property that you have exclusive control over.
53-2A-214: Confiscation of firearms during a state of emergency:
Law enforcement may not confiscate firearms and ammunition during a state of emergency. Law enforcement can’t be compelled to do so by superiors and if they DO, civil remedies can be awarded by a complaint to the Utah Attorney General.
Utah Constitutional Carry for 18-20 year olds, what the law says:
In Utah 18–20-year-olds CAN possess a handgun WITHOUT A Utah Concealed Carry Provisional Permit:
53-5A-102.3- Possession of a firearm at your residence, real property, or place of business that you have control over for everyone in Utah, applies to everyone age 18 and older:
If you are at least 18 and not a restricted person, no permit is needed, to have a firearm in these areas, loaded, or unloaded. A residence also includes temporary camps, hotels, in your vehicle etcetera, any place you are staying overnight when you are not home. Note: Rifles and shot guns must be unloaded in the car for 18-20 year-olds that do not have a provisional permit. The handguns can be loaded in cars, just not long guns.
53-5A-102.2- Constitutional Carry law for 18-20 year olds in Utah: Adults age 18-20 can carry a handgun in public WITHOUT A PERMIT, except places prohibited by law, if it is carried openly in a holster, and it is unloaded, according to Utah’s definitions. For example, a Glock semi-automatic handgun is considered empty with a magazine full of cartridges, but the chamber must not be loaded.
76-11-102: A weapon is deemed loaded if there is a round in the chamber or firing position, AND the gun is in a condition that one mechanical action would cause it to fire. This is why you can have a semi-auto handgun with an empty chamber and a magazine in it, it would take two mechanical actions to fire, ie racking the slide to load and pulling the trigger.
An exception under 76-11-202: if you are in the age bracket and you are actively pursuing wildlife and not in violation of any other local laws, and not on a roadway you can carry loaded without a license.
An 18-20 CAN purchase a handgun and ammunition from a private seller, but NOT from an FFL licensed dealer. Utahgunexhange.com is a great source for young adults in this age category to buy a handgun, many private sellers will sell you their gun if you are willing to show them you have a Provisional permit.
Utah Constitutional Carry for age 21 and older: This also applies to out of state visitors
In Utah, a person age 21 and older, that can lawfully possess a handgun, may carry a concealed, loaded handgun in public places, unless prohibited by law; for example, Utah law does not allow anyone to carry into a secured area at the airport. Even though you can carry without a permit, you are still expected to know all weapon, carry and use of force laws and it would behoove you to take a Utah Concealed Carry Permit Class, EVEN if you don’t want to have the license. Gunclassutah.com will allow anyone at least age 18 to take their Utah and Texas Concealed Carry class even if they don’t want to pursue the license to carry a handgun. You can sign up for classes herehttps://gunclassutah.com/schedule
34-45-103- Protections of activities for gun owners leaving guns in vehicles:
A person may not establish rules pertaining to leaving guns in your vehicle, so long as they are hidden out of view, AND your vehicles are locked up. Exception, they are allowed to tell you where you have to park, if you are leaving a gun in your vehicle unattended.
Merchant codes, Unlawful for retailers to use Firearms Merchant Codes:
It’s unlawful for a retailer, like a gun shop to assign merchant codes for purchases of firearms, accessories and ammunition. There are civil remedies for violations, that include civil fines for offenders.
The author of this blog, Phil Snyder is Retired Unified Police Officer with 30-years of law enforcement training and experience, mostly from assignments in patrol, mental health crisis, and Court Bailiff assignments. Phil is also a Utah BCI Certified Concealed Carry Permit Instructor, and a Texas Certified License to Carry Instructor.
Take a Utah Concealed Carry Permit Class from Phil Snyder by registering on his website here https://gunclassutah.com/schedule/
Phil usually holds these one stop Utah Classes at the Lee Kay shooting center at 6000 W 2100 South in Salt Lake City Utah. Phil also holds private group classes to your home or office.