Travel to VA

[dariks]

I'm headed to Bristol, VA tomorrow morning and I wanted to check and see if I've got all my bases covered.

From reading the Virginia State Police's website it looks like the following is true:

1) VA does have reciprocity with TN. Source

2) I do not have to inform the officer that I'm carrying unless he asks for my permit Source

3) The places I'm permitted to carry are very similar to TN. (i.e. not where alcohol is served for onsite consumption, schools, etc.) Source

Am I missing anything important?

[waynesan]

18.2-283: To a place of worship while a meeting for religious purposes is being held at such place, without good and sufficient reason.

You are also legal to carry openly in a restaraunt that serves alcohol, but I think it all depends on the local view of this as to whether you'll get hassled or not.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Your post is correct... but I'd still inform the officer (if pulled over while traveling, or any similiar instance) that you do have a licensed weapon in the car / on your person, and hand him your concealed carry permit along with photo ID. May not be required, but it goes a long way of putting both parties at ease and showing them that you're being honest and straight-forward.

In any case, if you were in a position where an officer runs your plates, they would already know you were potentially carrying before coming up to your vehicle.

[Guest 270win]

TN Handgun Carry Permits ARE NOT linked to license plates. Anyone can drive anyone's car, thus that would imply a 16yr old driving dad's car is carrying a handgun if dad has a handgun carry permit. The TN Handgun Carry Permits are, however, linked to your TN driver license.

Most states follow the same procedure, if they link a handgun license/permit to any other sort of state issued form of identification. I can think of Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas doing the same thing.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

TN Handgun Carry Permits ARE NOT linked to license plates. Anyone can drive anyone's car, thus that would imply a 16yr old driving dad's car is carrying a handgun if dad has a handgun carry permit. The TN Handgun Carry Permits are, however, linked to your TN driver license.

Most states follow the same procedure, if they link a handgun license/permit to any other sort of state issued form of identification. I can think of Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas doing the same thing.

Well... I've lived in VA for the past 2 yrs now and it happened to me. Albeit with a Kentucky permit (which isn't even valid up here, but that's not the point). I got stopped by an officer and before I could even hand him my driver's license, he informed me that his computer showed I had a concealed carry permit and inquired whether or not I currently had a weapon in my possession. Of course I informed him that a) I wasn't and was already aware they didn't honor KY permits. He ran my plates, realized everything was on the up and up, and let me go on my way. Typical traffic stop.

So VA cops can tell if you are a permit holder, through their database. Whether it depends on how your home state records your permit... I don't know. Probably so. But just sharing my own experience.

[dariks]

I won't be around for the weekend so the church carry is a moot issue for me. I also don't plan on open carry anywhere, as I don't feel like dealing with any potential hassles.

I haven't been had any traffic stops since I got my permit, but if/when I'm ever pulled over I plan to hand over my carry permit along with my DL.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

I won't be around for the weekend so the church carry is a moot issue for me. I also don't plan on open carry anywhere, as I don't feel like dealing with any potential hassles.

I haven't been had any traffic stops since I got my permit, but if/when I'm ever pulled over I plan to hand over my carry permit along with my DL.

You should be fine then.

This reminds me that I really need to transfer my certificate over to VA and get my carry license for this state. I'd also like to get a non-resident permit for FL. Between the two, I hear that they pretty much cover all the states... which is nice if you are traveling a lot.