Hi, Mark Edwards here. This month, I’ll address the rights of gun owners to carry firearms in places of worship. Over the past several years, there have been many high-profile shootings of members in their place of worship.

Legal or Illegal?

So the question arises, can a person legally carry a firearm into a place of worship?

North Carolina law does not prohibit the possession of a firearm in a place of worship, so it is not per se illegal to do so. However, if the place of worship has placed a conspicuous notice banning the possession of firearms on its property, it IS illegal.

Schools on Church Property

Another way that possession of a firearm on church property could be illegal is if the church has a school on its property. An argument can be made that if the building where the school is located is separate from the sanctuary, it would not be illegal to possess a firearm in the sanctuary. But, if the school is located in the same building as the sanctuary, the issue becomes clouded and my advice would be not to possess a firearm in that situation.

For any questions about the possession of a firearm at a place of worship, call U.S. LawShield and ask to speak to your Independent Program Attorney today.