The following is a video transcript.

Hi everybody, I’m Robert Trenkle. This month I’m going to talk about common misconceptions of gun owners here in North Carolina.

Myth Number One: Deadly force can only be used when the attacker is inside of your home.

The first misconception is that when you are at your residence, you may only use deadly force if an attacker is actually inside your home. This is incorrect. North Carolina law allows you to use deadly force if you have a reasonable belief that it is necessary to use deadly force to prevent imminent death or serious bodily harm.

If you are in your residence, you are presumed to have that reasonable belief if someone has broken into your house or is in the process of attempting to enter your residence.

This is also called the Castle Doctrine, and it means that you may use deadly force against someone who is outside of your residence if they are in the process of attempting to forcibly and illegally enter. The law does not require you to wait until an intruder actually enters your home before you are allowed to defend yourself.

Myth Number Two: Concealed carry permit holders are not allowed to carry concealed in a private commercial vehicle.

This is not correct. No law prohibits concealed carry in a commercial vehicle if you have a valid permit.

However, an employer has a right to ban firearms on their property, and that includes their vehicles. You want to check your employer’s rules before you carry, but there is no law that prevents it.

Myth Number Three: Your firearm must be unloaded and locked away in a car if you are not a concealed carry permit holder.

This is true in some states, but it is not true in North Carolina. You may possess a loaded firearm without a permit in a vehicle as long as it is not concealed. The firearm must be clearly visible, but there are no other prohibitions to you carrying a weapon in your car.

I hope this has cleared up some common misconceptions about gun laws in North Carolina. Remember, if you have any questions about gun laws in North Carolina, call U.S. LawShield and ask to speak to your Independent Program Attorney today.