Title 14. Criminal Law
Chapter 1. Criminal Code
Part VI. Offenses Affecting the Public Generally
Subpart A. Offenses Affecting the Public Safety
1. Illegal Carrying and Discharge of Weapons
14:95 Illegal carrying of weapons
A. Illegal carrying of weapons is any of the following:
(1)(a) The intentional concealment of any firearm, or other instrumentality customarily used or intended for probable use as a dangerous weapon, on one’s person.
(b) The provisions of this Paragraph shall not apply to a person with a valid concealed handgun permit issued pursuant to R.S. 40:1379.1.1, 1379.3, or 1379.3.2 nor shall it prohibit a person with a valid concealed handgun permit issued pursuant to R.S. 40:1379.1.1, 1379.3, or 1379.3.2 from carrying a concealed firearm or other instrumentality customarily used or intended for probable use as a dangerous weapon on his person unless otherwise prohibited by this Section.
(2) The ownership, possession, custody, or use of any firearm, or other instrumentality customarily used as a dangerous weapon, at any time by an enemy alien.
(3) The ownership, possession, custody, or use of any tools, or dynamite, or nitroglycerine, or explosives, or other instrumentality customarily used by thieves or burglars at any time by any person with the intent to commit a crime.
(4)(a) The intentional possession or use by any person of a dangerous weapon on a school campus during regular school hours or on a school bus. “School” means any elementary, secondary, high school, or vo-tech school in this state and “campus” means all facilities and property within the boundary of the school property. “School bus” means any motor bus being used to transport children to and from school or in connection with school activities.
(b) The provisions of this Paragraph shall not apply to:
(i) A peace officer as defined by R.S. 14:30(B) in the performance of his official duties.
(ii) A school official or employee acting during the normal course of his employment or a student acting under the direction of such school official or employee.
(iii) Any person having the written permission of the principal or school board and engaged in competition or in marksmanship or safety instruction.
(5) Repealed by Acts 2022, No. 587, § 2.
B. (1) Whoever commits the crime of illegal carrying of weapons shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
(2) Whoever commits the crime of illegal carrying of weapons with any firearm used in the commission of a crime of violence as defined in R.S. 14:2(B), shall be fined not more than two thousand dollars, or imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not less than one year nor more than two years, or both. Any sentence issued pursuant to the provisions of this Paragraph and any sentence issued pursuant to a violation of a crime of violence as defined in R.S. 14:2(B) shall be served consecutively.
C. On a second conviction, the offender shall be imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than five years.
D. On third and subsequent convictions, the offender shall be imprisoned with or without hard labor for not more than ten years without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.
E. If the offender uses, possesses, or has under his immediate control any firearm, or other instrumentality customarily used or intended for probable use as a dangerous weapon, while committing or attempting to commit a crime of violence or while unlawfully in the possession of a controlled dangerous substance except the possession of fourteen grams or less of marijuana, or during the unlawful sale or distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, the offender shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars and imprisoned at hard labor for not less than five nor more than ten years without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. Upon a second or subsequent conviction, the offender shall be imprisoned at hard labor for not less than twenty years nor more than thirty years without the benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence.
F. (1) For purposes of determining whether a defendant has a prior conviction for a violation of this Section, a conviction pursuant to this Section or a conviction pursuant to an ordinance of a local governmental subdivision of this state which contains the elements provided for in Subsection A of this Section shall constitute a prior conviction.
(2) The enhanced penalty upon second, third, and subsequent convictions shall not be applicable in cases where more than five years have elapsed since the expiration of the maximum sentence, or sentences, of the previous conviction or convictions, and the time of the commission of the last offense for which he has been convicted; the sentence to be imposed in such event shall be the same as may be imposed upon a first conviction.
(3) Any ordinance that prohibits the unlawful carrying of firearms enacted by a municipality, town, or similar political subdivision or governing authority of this state shall be subject to the provisions of R.S. 40:1796.
G. (1) The provisions of this Section shall not apply to sheriffs and their deputies, state and city police, constables and town marshals, or persons vested with police power when in the actual discharge of official duties. These provisions shall not apply to sheriffs and their deputies and state and city police who are not actually discharging their official duties, provided that such persons are full time, active, and certified by the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training and have on their persons valid identification as duly commissioned law enforcement officers.
(2) The provisions of this Section shall not apply to any law enforcement officer who is retired from full-time active law enforcement service with at least twelve years service upon retirement, nor shall it apply to any enforcement officer of the office of state parks in the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism who is retired from active duty as an enforcement officer, provided that:
(a) The retired officer has on his person valid identification as a retired law enforcement officer, which identification shall be provided by the entity that employed the officer prior to his public retirement. This exception shall not apply to an officer who is medically retired based upon any mental impairment.
(b) The retired officer was properly certified by the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training at the time of retirement, in accordance with R.S. 40:1379.3(D)(1)(f).
(3)(a) The provisions of this Section shall not apply to active or retired reserve or auxiliary law enforcement officers qualified annually by the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training and who have on their person valid identification as active or retired reserve law or auxiliary municipal police officers. The active or retired reserve or auxiliary municipal police officer shall be qualified annually in the use of firearms by the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training and have proof of such certification.
(b) For the purposes of this Paragraph, a reserve or auxiliary municipal police officer shall be defined as a volunteer, nonregular, sworn member of a law enforcement agency who serves with or without compensation and has regular police powers while functioning as such agency’s representative, and who participates on a regular basis in agency activities including but not limited to those pertaining to crime prevention or control, and the preservation of the peace and enforcement of the law.
(4) The provisions of this Section shall not apply to any retired elected head of a law enforcement department, provided that he was qualified in the use of firearms by the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training at the time of retirement.
H. (1) Except as provided in Paragraph (A)(4) of this Section and in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, the provisions of this Section shall not prohibit active justices or judges of the supreme court, courts of appeal, district courts, parish courts, juvenile courts, family courts, city courts, federal courts domiciled in the state of Louisiana, and traffic courts; members of either house of the legislature; officers of either house of the legislature; the legislative auditor; designated investigative auditors; constables; coroners; designated coroner investigators; district attorneys and designated assistant district attorneys; United States attorneys and assistant United States attorneys and investigators; the attorney general; designated assistant attorneys general; city prosecutors; designated assistant city prosecutors; a United States representative from Louisiana and his designated, employed congressional staffer; a United States senator from Louisiana and his designated, employed congressional staffer; and justices of the peace from possessing and concealing a handgun on their person when such persons are qualified annually in the use of firearms by the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
(2) Nothing in this Subsection shall permit the carrying of a weapon in the state capitol building.
I. The provisions of this Section shall not prohibit the carrying of a concealed handgun by a person who is a college or university police officer under the provisions of R.S. 17:1805 and who is carrying a concealed handgun in accordance with the provisions of that statute.
J. Repealed by Acts 2018, No. 341, § 2.
K. (1) The provisions of this Section shall not prohibit a retired justice or judge of the supreme court, courts of appeal, district courts, parish courts, juvenile courts, family courts, city courts, federal courts; retired attorney general; retired assistant attorneys general; retired district attorneys; retired assistant district attorneys; retired United States attorneys, retired assistant United States attorneys, or retired federal investigators; retired justices of the peace; retired members of the United States Congress; and former members of either house of the legislature from possessing and concealing a handgun on their person provided that such retired person or former member of the legislature is qualified annually, at their expense, in the use of firearms by the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training and has on their person valid identification showing proof of their status as a former member of the legislature or as a retired justice, judge, attorney general, assistant attorney general, district attorney, assistant district attorney, United States attorney, or assistant United States attorney or federal investigator, or retired justice of the peace. For a former member of the legislature, the valid identification showing proof of status as a former legislator required by the provisions of this Paragraph shall be a legislative badge issued by the Louisiana Legislature that shall include the former member’s name, the number of the district that the former member was elected to represent, the years that the former member served in the legislature, and words that indicate the person’s status as a former member of the legislature.
(2) The retired justice, judge, attorney general, assistant attorney general, district attorney, assistant district attorney, justice of the peace, or former member of the United States Congress or either house of the legislature shall be qualified annually in the use of firearms by the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training and have proof of qualification. However, this Subsection shall not apply to a retired justice, judge, attorney general, assistant attorney general, district attorney, assistant district attorney, United States attorney, assistant United States attorney or federal investigator, retired justice of the peace, or to a former member of the legislature or the United States Congress who is medically retired based upon any mental impairment, or who has entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to or been found guilty of a felony offense.
(3) For the purposes of this Subsection:
(a) “Retired assistant United States attorney” or “retired federal investigator” means an assistant United States attorney or investigator receiving retirement benefits from the Federal Employees Retirement System.
(b) “Retired district attorney” or “retired assistant district attorney” means a district attorney or an assistant district attorney receiving retirement benefits from the District Attorneys’ Retirement System.
(c) “Retired United States attorney” means a presidentially appointed United States attorney who separated from service in good standing.
L. The provisions of Paragraph (A)(1) of this Section shall not apply to any person who is not prohibited from possessing a firearm pursuant to R.S. 14:95.1 or any other state or federal law and who is carrying a concealed firearm on or about his person while in the act of evacuating during a mandatory evacuation order issued during a state of emergency or disaster declared pursuant to the Louisiana Homeland Security and Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act. For purposes of this Subsection, “in the act of evacuating” means the immediate and urgent movement of a person away from the evacuation area within forty-eight hours after a mandatory evacuation is ordered. The forty-eight-hour period may be extended by an order issued by the governor.
M. The provisions of Paragraph (A)(1) of this Section shall not apply to a resident of Louisiana if all of the following conditions are met:
(1) The person is twenty-one years of age or older.
(2) The person is not prohibited from possessing a firearm under R.S. 14:95.1, R.S. 40:1379.3(C)(5) through (17), 18 U.S.C. 922(g), or any other state or federal law.
(3)(a) The person is a reserve or active-duty member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces; a member of the Louisiana National Guard or the Louisiana Air National Guard; or a former member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces, the Louisiana National Guard, or the Louisiana Air National Guard who has been honorably discharged from service.
(b) At all times that a person is in possession of a concealed handgun pursuant to R.S. 40:1379.3(B)(2), that person shall have on his person proof that he meets the qualifications of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph demonstrated by one of the following:
(i) A valid military identification card.
(ii) A valid driver’s license issued by the state of Louisiana displaying the word “Veteran” pursuant to R.S. 32:412(K).
(iii) A valid special identification card issued by the state of Louisiana displaying the word “Veteran” pursuant to R.S. 40:1321(K).
(iv) For a member released from service who does not qualify to have the word “Veteran” displayed on a state issued driver’s license or special identification card, a Department of Defense Form 214 (DD-214) indicating the character of service as “Honorable” or “Under Honorable Conditions (General)” and a valid driver’s license or special identification card issued by the state of Louisiana.
Amended by Acts 1956, No. 345, § 1; Acts 1958, No. 21, § 1; Acts 1958, No. 379, §§ 1, 3; Acts 1968, No. 647, § 1, eff. July 20, 1968, at 1:30 P.M; Acts 1975, No. 492, § 1; Acts 1986, No. 38, § 1; Acts 1992, No. 1017, § 1; Acts 1993, No. 636, § 1; Acts 1993, No. 844, § 1; Acts 1994, 3rd Ex.Sess., No. 143, § 1; Acts 1995, No. 636, § 1; Acts 1995, No. 930, § 1; Acts 1995, No. 1195, § 1; Acts 1995, No. 1199, § 1; Acts 1997, No. 508, § 1; Acts 1997, No. 611, § 1; Acts 1997, No. 1064, § 1; Acts 1999, No. 738, § 1; Acts 1999, No. 924, § 1; Acts 1999, No. 953, § 1; Acts 2003, No. 608, § 1; Acts 2003, No. 766, § 1; Acts 2006, No. 515, § 1; Acts 2006, No. 589, § 1; Acts 2008, No. 172, § 1; Acts 2011, No. 159, § 1; Acts 2012, No. 302, § 1; Acts 2012, No. 383, § 1; Acts 2014, No. 390, § 2; Acts 2014, No. 776, § 1, eff. June 19, 2014; Acts 2015, No. 176, § 1; Acts 2015, No. 288, § 1; Acts 2016, No. 541, § 1; Acts 2016, No. 543, § 1; Acts 2018, No. 341, § 1; Acts 2018, No. 709, § 1; Acts 2020, No. 322, § 1; Acts 2021, No. 465, § 1; Acts 2022, No. 126, § 1, eff. May 26, 2022; Acts 2022, No. 433, § 1; Acts 2022, No. 587, § 1; Acts 2022, No. 602, § 1; Acts 2022, No. 680, § 1; Acts 2023, No. 257, § 1.