New York Penal Law treats a vehicle as a public place for firearm purposes, requiring a valid pistol license to transport a handgun and strict storage rules for long guns and ammunition statewide.
Under Penal Law Article 265, possession of a loaded handgun in any vehicle without a New York pistol license is criminal possession of a firearm, regardless of whether the gun is on the person, in the glove box, or in the trunk. Licensed handgun owners may transport their pistol consistent with the terms of their license, but the Concealed Carry Improvement Act bars carry in sensitive locations and on most private property without owner consent. Long guns must be transported unloaded; rifles and shotguns cannot be carried loaded in or on a motor vehicle under Environmental Conservation Law § 11-0931. The SAFE Act prohibits leaving a loaded firearm out of the owner's immediate possession or control where it could be accessed by a prohibited person.
Unlicensed possession of a loaded handgun in a vehicle is a class C violent felony with mandatory minimum prison time; transporting a loaded long gun is a misdemeanor under the Environmental Conservation Law.
See how New York's firearms in vehicles rules stack up against other locations.
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